Salary question??

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Ive been doing a lot of reading on this site and noticed that alot of people complain about pay. However, I read classifieds, sallary.com, and testimonials on here as well that are saying 50-60 grand a year. While your not getting rich, this seems like a pretty decent salary, espically when it only requires 2 years of school to become an RN.Anyone explain?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, & Tele all on one ward!.

NCLEX PN is nurse practitioner and not LPN?

Then again, even if it was...we were still talking about RNs, not LPNs. Whoops. :)

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I am going for LPN and I have friends who have graduated and they are working in various places. Most of them are getting paid anywhere from 20/hr-25/hr depending on where they work, And to me right now that is alot. But I factored in the COL for my state (CT), it still would appear that I am making pennies. It is nearly impossible to find a cheap housing here, the taxes are outragous, and many things just seem over priced to me. Although CT is supposedly one of the riches states and pay wise for most jobs is more than what you would get in other states, most of the people here don't have squat to show for all there hard work. Basically here, you work just to barely get by. COL is almost equal to salary and in some parts COL exceeds salary, go figure:lol_hitti

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Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.

PedsER-RN:uhoh21: if you aren't making at least 19-20 an hour base pay you need a raise. That is average for new grads in the Houston, Dallas, Austin areas.

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I would like to make a few points on this topic. First, I am in agreement with a previous poster who stated basically that there is no such thing as a 2 year RN program AND THERE ISN'T!! Even in a community college associates, or diploma program it is correct to say that a person requires AT LEAST 3 semesters of prerequisites unless you are coming in with AP courses from High School. This is a major rip-off, and a good reason for people to be in BSN programs because it's a better value educationally if you don't need to jump into the job market too quickly. Most other bachelors degrees take 4 years of full-time work. When you factor in clinical time etc. I think that ASNs, have to put in almost as much work as someone getting a BA, and BSN's could almost have a masters hour for hour. BUT--the major factor is HOW HARD WE WORK FOR THAT MONEY!! I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I don't care what FIND YOUR SPOT.COM OR SALARY MATCH ETC. SAYS. The average house in my area is around 900K!! That's right folks nearly a million and we are not talking about a great place either, (3br, 2ba maybe fixer). If I were to work full-time in my local emergency department where I am now per diem, I would make about 100k/yr. Now--along with these high housing prices, we also have astranomical food, energy-water- EVERYTHING prices. I would NOT be able to comfortably live and raise my family if I were on my own. When you consider that other professionals, and even non-professionals in my area make as much OR IN MANY CASES MORE, than I do---then yes I have an issue with that. When I lived in SF, I became friendly with my garbage collector and found that even HE made more money than I did. Also consider the fact that working full-time as a nurse is ASKING for burn-out, depending on the area that you work in. Factor in the physical risk over time. I personally feel we are becoming like athletes with short physical (professional life spans) because of the (sorry to say) 200+++++lb bodies we are expected to schlep around constantly. Hey guys---ever know a colleague who hurt their back and could no longer work---SURE YOU DO. They are the pariahs of the system--we turn our backs on them and point a finger-- going on about safety and otherwise blaming them for their position, (you know the same position you and I are in every day with the 200+++lb people you are expected to take care of with very little help. SOOOOOO, soap box aside, I don't really think you can look at the nursing salaries at face value and make a judgement. Most people around here who know about nursing don't go into it (only on of the reason for the shortage). In CA many licensed RN's don't practice--this is a verifiable statistic (why do you think that is?) Most RN's I know DON'T recommend nursing to their family members, or if they do they recommend advanced degrees-- anything other than actual bedside nursing. This is a hot topic among my colleagues with kids in college who basically agree; if you're smart enough to be a GOOD RN, you are smart enough to go into business----law--with much less risk. I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THAT RN'S MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY--THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS YOU'RE AN ADMINISTRATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, having said that I feel much better:)

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Specializes in ob, med surg.
"1) The amount of clinicals apparently does not matter, the quality and learning experience does. You will find if you look that the NCLEX pass rate for ADN programs is HIGHER than for BSN's."

I asked about this at my school (BSN)...the answer was that ADN programs gear their programs to pass the NCLEX only. We didn't even begin to think about the NCLEX/Exit test until the end of the last year. Thus, it's a personal responsibility issue to prepare and pass both the Exit exam and the NCLEX.

I applied to some very, very competitive graduate nurse internship programs that require a BSN (and high GPA). I have to believe that the choice I made was a good one and frankly I am tired of reading (between the lines) that BSN students aren't as good because our pass rate isn't as high.

As for salary, I don't disagree that the pay should be the same for doing the same job. I think the payoff will come a little later when I apply to grad school or leadership positions, etc.

May

A couple questions:

What does it mean to say that it is a personal responsibility to prepare for and pass both the exit exam and the NCLEX? How does a school "gear there programs to pass the NCLEX only?" I certainly did not find this to be true! School was about facts and the NCLEX is about putting those facts together into a critical thinking format. As I've said before, I have a BS degree and a ADN degree and in both instances (Penn State and J Sargeant Reynolds) it was ALWAYS a personal responsibility to pass any tests, but it is the schools responsibility to prepare you and give you what you need to be able to do that. That's what you pay for! Law school is like that! Medicine is like that. Microsoft's computer repair school is like that. If someone is telling you different, they are kidding you! What would be the point of taking classes to eventually practice a profession if you can't then pass the entry test, which for us, is the NCLEX?

No one on this thread has said that BSN's having a lower NCLEX rate makes them "not as good." I mentioned the pass rate only because someone made the argument earlier that BSN's (at least where she went to school), put more time into classes and especially mentioned that they put more time into clinicals. I've said before, more education is a good thing! My point is that as long as the NCLEX is the basic requirement for an entry level nurse, the amount of classroom and clinical experience past the amount that it takes to pass the NCLEX is irrelevent. If you want to do a BSN because where you want to work requires it or it gives you the edge for grad school, then terriffic! I'll even help you study!!!!!:wink2:

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Specializes in ICU-CVICU.

I wrote something really catty and decided it wouldn't be good for this discussion so I took it out.

May

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Thanks for the initial question, i've read each and every response and this is especially interesting to me because i am considering an offer for an in-house transfer. I am a BSN with 15 years of experience currently in upstate NY and I am just now earning 50K. I started working in Seattle and then New Hampshire and took a pay cut each time I moved. If I accept this new job (which is something I want to do for professional reasons) I will have to accept yet another pay cut. It is frustrating to earn less and less but this amount does seem comparable with other RN's in this particular hospital. If anyone is still responding to this thread could you please mention your geographical area and number of years experience? Thanks!

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

These discussions are always so difficult! I see both sides and agree with some points of both. Sorry, I hate to be a fence sitter.

I agree that BSN's should get paid more, more education more money.

Education is a personal thing, we will only get out of it what we put into it. No matter what nursing degree program you are in we are all going to learn basically the same things. Insterting a foley cath is the same no matter if you have an ADN/BSN. So I can understand when some argue that equal work deserves equal pay.

Oh and I don't care for sweeping generalizations about a certain degree. To say that BSN schools have a lower NCLEX pass rate isn't right, there are so many more factors to consider besides the NCLEX pass rate.

Like I said before education is such a personal thing, some go into an BSN and do the minimum and graduate, some go into an ADN program (or vice versa) and are super committed, who comes out the better nurse? School can only take you so far, it can give the tools and the rest is up to you. So moral of the story, dont worry about what anyone else says, make the decision best for you, be committed, work hard and always give 100% . If you do this your efforts will be rewarded (eventually:))

oh sorry, didnt mean to "hi jack" the thread....Starting salary here is 26.50/hr on the high side and 20.00 on the low side, this doesnt include the bonuses and shift differentials. We have some pretty nice bonus packages here if you agree to sign contracts! At 25, single and right out of school 26$/hr plus benefits and bonuses sounds great to me but ask me in 10 years when I have a few kids, a mortage and a two car payments! I bet i'll be singing a different tune then:)

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Across most of the United States, ADN programs are more accessible and AFFORDABLE than BSN programs. A nurse can have all the education in the world and not have any bedside manner. I started at a BSN program and because of personal family issues, I had to come back home and finish at an ADN program. I do plan on going back for my BSN and Masters just because it would give me more options for advancement later in life.

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I think that nursing is a great job. I also think the pay is ok but that is not why I am going into nursing. I worked in the military as a computer operator and I almost finished a degree in business. I then decided nursing is for me. In business you don't know if you will have your job tomorrow. Have you been watching the news? More and more jobs are being outsourced and people are losing all of their health benefits. My uncle who has worked for a finance company in New York for 19 years just got laid off because the company got bought out. That's right. Right before retirement. Not to mention you are lucky if you get a job for a nice business most of my friends from business school are stuck in positions like "manager of Sears" making 35-40k. :barf01: Even in computers it's hard to find a good job. And Law? Hahahah! As I look out my window I can see 4 lawyers on my street alone! No thank you. I will take the 50k and live comfortably in an apartment. I would just like to add I am a single mom so I don't have a husband to help. I know there are times when you hate your job. That happens in every career. It just drives me nuts when nurses complain about their job and say oh business is so much easier or law is better or computers is where the money is. I guess that is why they say don't go into nursing for money. If you think money is that easy to come by in other professions then please do us all a favor go back to school and try it for yourself b/c you only bring the morale of us who want to be good nurses down. /rant off

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Across most of the United States, ADN programs are more accessible and AFFORDABLE than BSN programs. A nurse can have all the education in the world and not have any bedside manner. I started at a BSN program and because of personal family issues, I had to come back home and finish at an ADN program. I do plan on going back for my BSN and Masters just because it would give me more options for advancement later in life.

I have also "heard" that while in some states community colleges have waiting lists and Universities don't. Here in Maryland there are no waiting lists. It's basically good grades = in the program.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
I think that nursing is a great job. I also think the pay is ok but that is not why I am going into nursing. I worked in the military as a computer operator and I almost finished a degree in business. I then decided nursing is for me. In business you don't know if you will have your job tomorrow. Have you been watching the news? More and more jobs are being outsourced and people are losing all of their health benefits. My uncle who has worked for a finance company in New York for 19 years just got laid off because the company got bought out. That's right. Right before retirement. Not to mention you are lucky if you get a job for a nice business most of my friends from business school are stuck in positions like "manager of Sears" making 35-40k. :barf01: Even in computers it's hard to find a good job. And Law? Hahahah! As I look out my window I can see 4 lawyers on my street alone! No thank you. I will take the 50k and live comfortably in an apartment. I would just like to add I am a single mom so I don't have a husband to help. I know there are times when you hate your job. That happens in every career. It just drives me nuts when nurses complain about their job and say oh business is so much easier or law is better or computers is where the money is. I guess that is why they say don't go into nursing for money. If you think money is that easy to come by in other professions then please do us all a favor go back to school and try it for yourself b/c you only bring the morale of us who want to be good nurses down. /rant off

I understand what you're saying but I disagree that nurses have job security. I've seen many nurses railroaded out of jobs they've had for years over trumped-up garbage. I've seen nurses fired over customer service issues with little more than a kangaroo court investigation. I've seen nurses lose their licenses over minor incidents that were blown out of proportion by a higher-up who should never have gotten that far.

I've seen other nurses destroyed by medication errors that they made or nurses who simply couldn't take the constant pressure and who quit.

We know that as we make more money and qualify for more benefits, our job becomes harder to keep because the new grads are cheaper to employ.

We know that our workplaces will find a reason to fire us if we become disabled or suffer from a chronic illness. We know that longshoremen have better backs than nurses because they have the lifting guidelines that nurses were denied. Our chances of catching some disease increases hundredfold when we become a nurse. Our salary flatlines the longer we stay with one employer and if we're really unlucky, we'll wind up on salary.

And when we retire? What retirement? What pension? Maybe it's a good thing that we never got used to having what everyone else is getting screwed out of today.

Every single nurse I know cares for their patients and does a great job, but that Damocles' Sword hangs over our heads with every second of every minute of every hour through every shift we work.

We could lose it all in an instant if we're fired, sued, or accused of wrongdoing. There is no guarantee.

It has nothing to do with "morale" and everything to do with "the truth".

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