2015 starting salary/hourly for RN

springchick1, ADN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

It depends on where you live and where you work. Right now you make more as an LPN than I do as an RN.

Linettea88 · Apr 25, 2015

What state do you live in? What kind of work do you do?

springchick1, ADN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

I live in the south.

Capp · Apr 25, 2015

Remember the pay you can demand is based not just on license type but also on experience, and your experience as an LPN may allow you to demand more than an RN with no nursing experience. I just got my RN license and my pay jumped from $23.00 to $30.00. I took the NCLEX Friday night and got them to make the pay raise effective on Monday morning.

Also, having an RN license makes you more marketable and opens up all kinds of jobs unavailable to LPNs.

It's funny because there is no significant difference between LPNs and RNs in terms of their ability. So many of the best nurses I work with are LPNs.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 26, 2015

It really does depend on where you live. I also lived in the South for a while, and I'll tell you that your LPN salary would be higher than most RN salaries, even the experienced RNs. So what salary RNs start it depends on where you are and what the job market is like.

IMO, it would still be worth pursing a career as a RN because it opens up a lot more career opportunities for you than you would have if you stay a LPN.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2015

I have been employed and offered positions in a few different states in the South and I've never gotten a full time offer that even came remotely close to touching $27.30/hr. It sounds like you have a pretty good gig where you are right now. I would like to know where in the South RNs can be started around $27... the RN who precepted me at my current job doesn't make that much and she's been a nurse for 12 years. Wherever you live sounds like a good place to move.