Salary of an RN?

TexRN, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2015

Check out salary.com or google it. I think you will be comfortable on an rn salary. I would make sure to be frugal now, pay off your vehicle, get a cheap phone, ditch cable tv, cook at home. All those things will help you to live more comfortably.

odaat · Aug 14, 2015

I'm a single mom of 2 daughters and I live comfortably. Of course comfortable is different to different people. For me being able to provide a roof over our heads, food, clothes, a reliable vehicle, and a yearly vacation is nice, not extravagant by any means but comfortable. Prior to nursing I was dirt poor and life was a major struggle though so my ideal comfort level today is in relation to the discomfort of poverty.

djaemac · Aug 14, 2015

Hi there. I have been a nurse for about 5 years now. I am 27 years of age and make over 100k a year as a home health RN. Yes, that's right, and only one job, not two. I live in California, so I don't know how much RNS make at your state. I started out at $24 an hr when I first started as a new grad, now I've just about tripled my pay in 5 years. I graduate next year as an NP. I didn't go into nursing school or graduate school for the pay, but to actually make a difference. The pay is just an added bonus. It really depends what area you work in and what specialty. I hope this helps you out.

hardworkingmom9 · Aug 14, 2015

Thanks! I will check them out.

hardworkingmom9 · Aug 14, 2015

Also, thank you to the two last commenters. I'm very happy y'all were able to thrive off of making such an impact on others through this profession. :)

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 14, 2015

It really depends on your location, your expertise, your experience, your qualifications and your area of practice. High end RNs with a BSN in Massachusetts in critical care can make excellent money, whereas an ADN RN in Alabama in an outpatient clinic may make half of that. Choose your path wisely. I'm nearly at 6 figures, but it's taken me 23 years, three certifications, a long stint in ICU and a BSN to get here. Create in your head the best resume you could think of, and then guide your career along that path.

Libby1987 · Aug 14, 2015

I've supported my kids comfortably as an RN for years, I live in California. Home Health.

i did graduate in a nursing shortage and jobs were more than plentiful, I would think about that and your flexibility with relocation and ability to tolerate the first few rough years.

direw0lf, BSN · Aug 14, 2015

I saw an ad for a $20,000 sign on bonus for rns at a hospital in central fl! I know that and making 100k probably aren't the norms though.

stevenchambers.75 · Aug 14, 2015

I love in Indiana, starting wage for new RNs where I live is around 23 and hour. That is long term care. Hospitals the she is upwards arou d 25, depending on shift. Some offer 5 dollar shift bonus.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 14, 2015

I saw an ad for a $20,000 sign on bonus for rns at a hospital in central fl! I know that and making 100k probably aren't the norms though.

Be VERY wary of facilities offering sign-on bonuses, especially large sign-ons like this one. In times of shortage, bonuses were pretty commonplace. Now they are exceedingly rare, and they are offered by employers who cannot recruit enough staff (or retain enough staff) otherwise.

Consider WHY this employer needs to offer such a large bonus at a time when applications should be plentiful: is it a facility that doesn't pay well? Is it in an area that has enough competition that nurses would rather work anywhere else? Are the conditions poor enough that once staff figure out they've "been had", they quit?

Also, worth considering when you see sign-on bonuses, that when they ARE offered, they usually come complete with a whole host of conditions: you only get a little bit of money to start (a few hundred). Then you get a bit more after six months, and then a bit more at a year. You don't get the final payout until you've been there two years or more. Not always, of course, but enough of the time to make you cautious: you will NEVER see $20K at once, and unlikely you'll see it even in two years.

Still other contracts require that once you've begun receiving the bonus payouts you must work for a minimum of two (or more) years; if you resign or are fired before the end of the contract period you then OWE them the money back. NO loss for the facility, BIG loss for you.

Just.....be careful out there!

direw0lf, BSN · Aug 15, 2015

Be VERY wary of facilities offering sign-on bonuses, especially large sign-ons like this one. In times of shortage, bonuses were pretty commonplace. Now they are exceedingly rare, and they are offered by employers who cannot recruit enough staff (or retain enough staff) otherwise.
Consider WHY this employer needs to offer such a large bonus at a time when applications should be plentiful: is it a facility that doesn't pay well? Is it in an area that has enough competition that nurses would rather work anywhere else? Are the conditions poor enough that once staff figure out they've "been had", they quit?
Also, worth considering when you see sign-on bonuses, that when they ARE offered, they usually come complete with a whole host of conditions: you only get a little bit of money to start (a few hundred). Then you get a bit more after six months, and then a bit more at a year. You don't get the final payout until you've been there two years or more. Not always, of course, but enough of the time to make you cautious: you will NEVER see $20K at once, and unlikely you'll see it even in two years.
Still other contracts require that once you've begun receiving the bonus payouts you must work for a minimum of two (or more) years; if you resign or are fired before the end of the contract period you then OWE them the money back. NO loss for the facility, BIG loss for you.
Just.....be careful out there!

I did not think of any of this, thank you!

I wish I could find the hospital ad I saw. I had just deleted the link the other day I had saved it but then thought "No way I will never live in FL with the size of the bugs there":laugh: But while I was searching for it, I found quite a lot of "incentives" for 20k....good to know your advice for the future.