Starting Salary.

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Just wondering....have you started out making at least $60,000/year?

I think I made about $85,000 my first year (last year) 32hrs/wk NO overtime. I live in Nor Cal (SF Bay Area).

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wow! I'm going to guess that you guys made so much more because cost of living is more in Cali?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I am not a new grad but I would like to share my thoughts. In San Francisco many new graduate nurses start in the $40.00 hr range. The San Francisco Bay area has been largely unionized for many decades. In the same hospital "system" nurses in southern california earn $12.00 plus less an hour . This is a left over from the many years of so. cal not having union representation. Nurses were forced to take wage cuts while northern cal nurses refused. I have been on our bargaining team for our contract and I can tell you that wage offers have NOTHING TO DUE WITH COST OF LIVING. It is based on what they can get away with. We have to listen to them present wage surveys that include big city hospitals and small town hospices , all included to average a community wage rate. :twocents:

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wow! I'm going to guess that you guys made so much more because cost of living is more in Cali?

Cost of living is part of it, but as another poster stated, unionization has definitely benefitted nurses here. :yeah:

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Upstate NY here, started at $20.40/hr (position states 24/hrs a week, but I've been working 40/week since January), I think new grads now start at $21. That's for days, evenings is +$2.45/hr and nights $4.50+/hr. Rate is the same hospital-wide, no differential for specialties. We're doing critical shift pay, wherein if you work a shift outside your regular position (say you were hired for days and are asked to pick an evening shift here and there) you get time+25% on weekday and time+50% on weekends - which is very nice.

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Specializes in Tele.

MDFOG10,

I think you are soooooo right on this one, I can't believe so cal nurses haven't unionized strongly. People around here are always saying how they don't want to have to pay the union dues. Union dues are what $600/year. thats just over ones shift for a new grad and under one for an experienced nurse. Nurses from ALL hospitals need to organize at the sametime in order for hospitals to take notice and pony up. As far as I'm concerned C.O.L. has nothing tho do with wages for a nurse, our skill should be worth the same no matter where we live. Moving to a 'cheaper' area doesn't bring down our level of responsibilty and liability.

and as far as everything els being the same Gas $4.15 (at the thrifty), Milk $4-5.25/gallon, eggs, $3.00/dozen, bread $5.00/loaf (unless you buy the crappy kind), cheese $5-7bucks (easily). I grew up in texas and these things weren't nearly this much so, nursejenni09BSN, no things are not the same, renting or buying very expensive. Now throw in two kids into the mix....whew!!!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

A little off topic: Here in Alberta Canada gas is $4.69 a gallon, 1% milk is $5.72, bread $3.69, cheese anywhere from $6 to $12 a pound. Cigarettes (for those who still smoke) are $8 a pack. Chicken breasts are $5 a pound on sale and a pineapple is $4. Rent on a two bedroom apartment in a reasonably safe area is $1000 a month. Grad nurses start at $27 an hour and our union dues run more than $1000 a year.

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Specializes in 2 yrs as a student nurse extern in L&D..
just wondering....have you started out making at least $60,000/year?

i work in chicago and i am starting at $23.75/days and $28.75/ nights. my orientation is days and then i will be switching to nights. i thought $28.75 was good, but now that i see pa and ny are making over 60,000 a year. i would think chicago would be higher on the pay scale. o'well, i did not become a nurse for the pay, so i will accept what i get. :nurse:

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I think I made about $85,000 my first year (last year) 32hrs/wk NO overtime. I live in Nor Cal (SF Bay Area).

I have always wanted to move to California, I have family in San Diego-very beautiful place!

$85,000 in your first year--Wow! What unit do you work in?

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well rockenmom, i don't know where you shop, but i have never spent $5 a gallon for milk! anyways how long has it been since you grew up in texas? is it possible that inflation has occured there, as it has here in california? not so long ago gas was less than $2 a gallon. all i am saying is that many people always say that the pay compensates for the cost of living, however, i think that california is paying more in line for what a nurse is worth. nurses should be valued for what they do and what they are responsible for and compensated for such, and the amount of compensation should not be based upon the housing market. oh and by the way i have 3 kids, 2 in diapers, and have to pay for child care for all 3, not cheap!

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Specializes in Tele.

I shop at vons in point loma, whole mile 5.25/gallon, i think you and I are on the same page. BTW, how did you get through school with two in diapers, i have an great amount of respect for you on that one. I had to take a year off in the middle of my second semester b/c my youngest developed Encopresis. So a two year degree turned out to be a three year degree, but what are you going to do, babies must come first.

I also agree with you that nurses need to get paid for their skill not the cost of living.

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I have always wanted to move to California, I have family in San Diego-very beautiful place!

$85,000 in your first year--Wow! What unit do you work in?

I am in a specialty unit (prefer not to say which), but do know that the salary for nurses in Nor Cal and higher than those in So Cal (LA/San Diego/etc). I don't know how much higher, but we do make more d/t unionization.

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