Salary to expect as a new grad nurse

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello all. just reading different threads and wondering what does the starting salary look like for a grad nurse? i live the in Atlanta area so any ball park figure will do. thanks!

i was offered around 26-28 per hour in per diem. does PRN job pays higher than the FT ones?

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Specializes in LTC, PCU, Med/Surg, Hospice, OBGYN.
I'm in Virginia Beach, Virginia and they start new grads in the hospital @ $20/hour. $8 shift diff. for nights, so guess what--I'm working nights! Good thing I do well with late hours :D

Are they still hiring new grads there in Virginia Beach? I've been trying to relocate back to the East coast with no avail. Any info would be GREATLY appreciated.

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Specializes in CVICU.

Hi EmilyLucille,

I wouldn't recommend coming back here if you don't have a job lined up already. I was pretty lucky and found a position by networking with my nurse manager from the unit where I performed my internship/role transition hours at. Unfortunately, I was one of the exceptions in my class- we graduated in May from a local school and some of my classmates have yet to find jobs even now :(

It seems to be the same situation like other parts of the country--- the hospitals need nurses, heck, my unit needs nurses, they are almost always short nurses on dayshift and have at least 1 float nurse working. The hospital system just won't pay to train new grads. Nearly all the local job postings ask for nurses with 1-2+ years of experience.

Best of luck to you where you are though! :typing

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Specializes in ER, Psych, Telephone Triage.

Southern California Telemetry BSN grad $33/hr Per Diem in a 3 mos preceptorship program

I am looking at some of the other posts below. Unbelievable how low pay range goes in other states!

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anyone know what a RN would start out making in alabama?

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.
Southern California Telemetry BSN grad $33/hr Per Diem in a 3 mos preceptorship program

I am looking at some of the other posts below. Unbelievable how low pay range goes in other states!

Yeah but their cost of living is way WAY way lower than yours. 33hr in Cali is like min wage in other states lol.

You make $4 more an hour than me but in Arizona I can buy nearly 2 houses for the cost of 1 house in California. Considering rent, gas, food, taxes are all higher in California I do not think a straight salary comparison can be made without taking the cost of living into account.

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Specializes in ER, Psych, Telephone Triage.

I own my house, have complete solar system and pay no electric bills, hardly drive mostly bike and work out of my house.

I am talking about a huge difference in pay like the Nurse who said they make $19 per hour.

If you live in some little hick town and work in a non union hospital then I would expect low pay.

Cali is a great place offers lottsa party stuff and great beaches and hot broads. Allot of Hospitals pay double time if you are called in for OT. Almost all hospitals are Unionized!

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Specializes in L&D, OR.

Southern California OR $37-38/hr with benefits (vacation/sick PTO, health/life insurance, retirement, tuition loan payment, etc)

I'm also a May graduate, got this job because I got to know the nurse manager while I was doing my internship in the same hospital. Currently, SoCal is supposedly easier to find jobs then NorCal but I believe it's just difficult to get a job in California right now. I have friends in Southern, Northern, and Central CA all having difficulty getting hired. PLUS, they're worried because soon there will be Dec graduates to compete with.

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Southern California OR $37-38/hr with benefits (vacation/sick PTO, health/life insurance, retirement, tuition loan payment, etc)

Wow, I only make a little more than $13/hr with no benefits! Well actually its a couple more dollars an hour with your bonus if you stay for a certain amount of time and they have free food, but still...There are LPN jobs around here that pay in the upper teens if you have experience or know somebody important to get in, but they are few and far in-between. Plus cost-of-living is a lot less than most cities, but even in this rural area everything is starting to go up. I think LPN wages are decent if you are a couple, don't have a lot of student loans and bills or have a roommate, but trying to do it as a single and only having one job is a real struggle.

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Specializes in L&D, OR.

There are LPN jobs around here that pay in the upper teens if you have experience or know somebody important to get in, but they are few and far in-between.

Medsport, my $37-38/hr is for a RN not an LPN/LVN. I'm not sure what LVNs in CA are being paid. I worked a bit as a CNA about 3 or 4 years ago and got about $10 with no experience. I'm sure it's gone up so I think LVNs probably make like you said upper teens or at 20 with raises.

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Does anyone know if the hospitals look care about if you have a associates degree RN or BSN?

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Specializes in LTC, PCU, Med/Surg, Hospice, OBGYN.
Does anyone know if the hospitals look care about if you have a associates degree RN or BSN?

The hospital I work at hires both, but BSN nurses make $2 more an hour. I am a New Grad RN and only have an associates degree. In fact, most of the New Grads that got hired with me only have their 2 year degree and we are all waiting a year to do the RN to BSN program offered thru the hospital. They reinburse you the money for the classes depending on your grade (exp. for an "A" you get 90% of the tuition back, for a "B" you get 80% back). In our hospital you have to work there for a year before you qualify for this program. One of the nurse managers told me their goal is to have all their nurses working on having their BSN so they can qualify for Magnet status.

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