Salary in Seattle for RNs---low, or is it just me??

U.S.A. Washington

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I got licensed in Chicago, IL and I'm moving to Seattle in August 07. Today I had an interview at U of W's OR. I was shocked to see the starting salary for me, with 1 year experience, to be $24.73/hr. I started at $24 in Chicago and now make $27/hr after 2 small raises within my first year. I have to have 5 years experience at U of W to make what I was getting in Chicago! Does this sound normal to you, are the other hospitals offering similar salaries?

Thanks

Caroline :uhoh3:

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Not sure..I'm at Children's, where starting is 22.87 and call is required twice a month.

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

Swedish Hospital starts new RN's at $24 and some change, so that sounds comparable. You should see what they start new LPN's at... it's kind of sad... but they offer good differentials.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

There's alot of distance between Seattle & Chicago. The difference in the cost of living is what should be compared. It's all relative.

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Yah, Seattle and the western Washington area is actually pretty horrid for pay scale. Starting at SHMC (Spokane,WA) is actually 23.96 for new grads and considering that Spokane is about 60% of cost of living vs Seattle.... there you go. The fact that there are 13 nursing schools in the Seattle area kinda kills the pay. So good luck. If your looking for money in Washington the best bet with cost of living taken into account is Tri-Cities and Olympia. Not the best choices for nursing experience but Olympia and Tri-Cities has ranked constantly in the top 10 for cost of living adjusted nursing wages in the country.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I too, am looking at relocating to Washington st. Husband lost his job in Det and is now working for Boeing. I was SHOCKED to see the salaries posted. I am a Hospice RN in the metro Detroit area with 6yrs exp. My earnings are considerably more than that listed in Seattle and surrounding communities. This amazes me since the cost of living in Seattle is so much higher than in metro Detroit. Is it realistic for me to hope to find a Hospice position earning $65-70K there?

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Specializes in SRNA.
Not the best choices for nursing experience but Olympia and Tri-Cities has ranked constantly in the top 10 for cost of living adjusted nursing wages in the country.

My brother works for Kadlec in Richland, WA and our of curiosity I had him ask their nurse recruiter what starting wages were for RNs. I was surprised to hear that the nursing wages in the Tri-Cities were comparable to where I live and the cost of living really is much lower. It makes moving home sound more appealing!

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My husband and I just visited seattle and three hospitals in the seattle area. The out of school rate was $24.50 per hour and going up in June 2008. My rate with two year experience would be tentatively $27.50 also being renegotiated in June when contracts change. When we move we will my husband will have 1 year experience and I will have 3 with one year as charge nurse. We will have no problem making a very good living there. Here in tennessee the new grad rate is $17/hr, and me with 2 yrs and charge rate is $20. I made more cleaning houses, but we need to stay here until he gets a year under his belt. ALso most hospitals will pay for you to come for an interview, as well as reimburse up to $2500 for moving costs. THey also give public transportation subsidies. I hope this has helped alittle. THanks

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The hourly rates here are bad, IMO. I moved here from Utah (where the cost of living is lower) and was making considerably more! HOWEVER, we don't have state tax taken out of our paychecks in Washington, FYI. (I don't think anyone has mentioned that yet) I was making similar wages in Chicago (West side) as I did in Utah.

For most jobs the union sets the rate of pay. There is no negotiation on your pay, from what I have seen.

My solution was to go to work for an independant clinic as a contractor and get 1099's at the end of the year. No benefits.

It's low, it's NOT you. Good Luck with whatever you decide!

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Pay is very bad for nurses in Seattle. It's less than what nurses are paid in NC, though the cost of living (housing) is 3-4 times greater.

They have no sign-on bonuses, paltry differentials (ie. $2-4/hr for odd shifts), and no baylor shift pay. Base pay is low in other areas, but the shift differentials are usually much, much larger.

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I live in knoxville. The pay is crap, after two year I make $19 and hour. The shift diff here is $3for night/$3for weekend. The cost of living is not all that either. Housing is getting reasonably expensive esp if you want to own or live in a nice apartment. Gas is expensive, sales tax is 10% although we have no income tax. I think the main thing to look at is not necessarily how high the rate of pay is compared to other places like chicago, but what the area has to offer as a place to live. Seattle area is awesome, the scenery is gorgeous, the people are nice, and there is so much variety. If you want to live there then whether or not you make a few dollars more or less shouldnt be the defining reason not to go there. I personally cant wait to move there next year. WIll I be there forever, doubtful, I plan on seeing as much of the world as I can, and I will probably try travel nursing for awhile, but I do plan on going there to start, then maybe San francisco a few years later. Life is too short to stay in a crap hole area that you dont like just because you may make a few dollars more. Good luck.:wink2:

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Twantland, I used exactly your rationale when moving from NC to Seattle five years ago. I love it here, but believe me, housing is shockingly high. You have to pay at least 450K for a house that isn't a total dump. I started at $22 here, with the same $3 shift differentials you make.

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