1.5x pay, and general salary question

U.S.A. Tennessee

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Hi everyone!! I am currently in the RN program in California and graduate in May. As soon as I graduate I plan to move to Nashville (I will be taking boards in Tennessee). Here in California, when working 12 hour shifts, after 8 hours we get time and a half from hours 8-12, and anything after 12 is double time. Is that the case in Tennessee as well?

Another question, I know I will be getting paid less as an RN in TN, but on average what is the starting salary for a new RN grad in Nashville? I'm trying to compare it to what I would be getting here in California. No matter what, I am still moving as soon as I graduate, I would just like to know what I should expect starting out. Thank you all so much in advance!!!

I haven't worked in TN, but I highly doubt that you'll make x1.5 for hours 8-12 (from what I understand, that's pretty much exclusive to CA). When I worked in the southeast, we didn't even make double time for going over 12 hours.

Even though your salary will probably be a lot lower, after cost of living your net may be much higher. I started as a new grad on the east coast (state with a COL equivalent to TN) making ~$22/hr plus diff; after taxes, putting 15% towards my 401k, and all of my living expenses, I was able to put about $25,000 into savings my first year. A few years later I moved to a large city on the west coast and made $35/hr plus diff; after taxes, putting 8% towards my 401k, and all of my living expenses, I was living more or less 'paycheck to paycheck' (though I had my huge savings to fall back on). Even though my taxes were higher and my salary was lower in the southeast, I still made a substantially higher net income due to the cost of living. Try not to be too shocked even if the salaries are substantially lower.

TN is a non-unionized state unlike CA. No you will not get x1.5 for +8 hours and you will make significantly less here but COL is also significantly less. New grads start in low to mid 20s. I am leaving the state to maximize my earnings due to my expensive hobbies. I hope you enjoy TN!

I work in a nursing specialty where employers have figured out how to game the CA labor laws regarding overtime, so even in CA, it can be difficult to find employment where the intent of that law is followed. Don't expect CA labor laws to be in place anywhere else. You can check this by doing an internet search for overtime laws in TN. I was invited to move to TN to be near a relative. When I investigated the salaries there, I promptly told them no thanks, because I could not wrap my head around those figures. The supposed lower cost of living in these places still does not justify getting a professional education for those wages. JMHO

We only get 1.5x pay when we go over 40hrs. I've worked 18h shifts and had no extra pay on my check :(. I'm in southern middle tn.

I'd say $22-25per hr is what a new grad will be offered if your lucky.

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