VA Nurse Salary

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Hi! Can anyone provide me with good info on the starting pay for VA nurses? I am applying in both Kansas (Leavenworth VA) and Missouri (Kansas City, MO VA). The salary range for both locations is about $46,000-$88,000. I know salary is based on experience, but I'm wondering if most nurses start somewhere in the middle. I have about 1.5 years med-surg experience. I can easily make more than the $46k at my current hospital position, but I'd like to work for the VA and the benefits can't be beat! Just wondering if I'll have to take a big pay cut. Thanks!

Ok I'm confused here. As a LPN with 2 years experience as a LPN AND 15 year of Active army. What would I be? (non of 15 years was as a nurse, it was Engineer, medic, x-ray tech)

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Ok I'm confused here. As a LPN with 2 years experience as a LPN AND 15 year of Active army. What would I be? (non of 15 years was as a nurse, it was Engineer, medic, x-ray tech)

LPNs, unlike RNs, are on the GS scale. I am not sure how your military time will count for pay for LPNs. For RNs it doesn't count for pay if it was non nursing experience. I do know it will count for retirement and for seniority. This will be very helpful for you when it comes to getting the vacation requests you want since they are done by senioriety. Military service is counted 1 for 1 for retirement. So if you do 10 years in the VA plus 15 years military you can retire with 25 years service.

One thing you can do is search USAjobs.com for LPN jobs at the faciliety you want to work. That will give you a starting and ending pay scale.

People don't understand that VA pay is HIGHLY local. Even facilities in different parts of the same city will pay differently.

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^ What he said^

Your military service, since it was non-nursing, will not affect the wage you'd be offered for any given LPN position. The pay scale I posted was for RNs; while this may be irritating to hear, the VA considers only RNs "nurses" when they talk about "nurse pay". RNs have one union, the rest of the workers (including LPNs) will be covered by another one.

As an LPN with only two years of experience, you shouldn't expect to earn more than an LPN with the same experience would in the private sector. BUT, by working in the Federal system, you can expect some better options for benefits and (relative) job security than those on the 'outside'.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
LPNs, unlike RNs, are on the GS scale. I am not sure how your military time will count for pay for LPNs. For RNs it doesn't count for pay if it was non nursing experience. I do know it will count for retirement and for seniority. This will be very helpful for you when it comes to getting the vacation requests you want since they are done by senioriety. Military service is counted 1 for 1 for retirement. So if you do 10 years in the VA plus 15 years military you can retire with 25 years service.

One thing you can do is search USAjobs.com for LPN jobs at the faciliety you want to work. That will give you a starting and ending pay scale.

People don't understand that VA pay is HIGHLY local. Even facilities in different parts of the same city will pay differently.

The only time your active duty time does not count is if you are drawing a active duty retirement. If you retirement is from the reserve you can still count those years in the federal retirement system.

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I just received my final offer and salary after a long process but it was definitely worth the wait. I am a LVN with 15 years experience and the starting salary was greattttttt! I was surprised it was so good. I am so glad that I did not give up. LVNs are usually paid between $14-20 in the private sector but the VA pays wayyyy more. I can't wait to start. I feel that even though I have been a LVN for 15 years, I am finally starting my career in a job that appreciates my experience and finally pays me what I am worth.

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Congratulations. I have been an RN at the VA for almost a year now and I still like it.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I just received my final offer and salary after a long process but it was definitely worth the wait. I am a LVN with 15 years experience and the starting salary was greattttttt! I was surprised it was so good. I am so glad that I did not give up. LVNs are usually paid between $14-20 in the private sector but the VA pays wayyyy more. I can't wait to start. I feel that even though I have been a LVN for 15 years, I am finally starting my career in a job that appreciates my experience and finally pays me what I am worth.

I am happy for you. Just a word of caution. It is my experience that the VA will say ANYTHING to get your hired and not be concerned about keeping it's promises after you start.

I know MANY nurses who ended up leaving the VA after the VA didn't keep their word to them. For example nurses who applied for and were hired into 12 hour shift postions suddenly find themselves working 8 hour shifts. Nurses who are hired for day/PMs finding themselves on nights, nurses who were hired for every other weekend and find themselves working ever 3rd or 4th weekend instead.

The more you can get in writing the better. For example if you were hired for a certain shift make sure you keep a copy of the position posting you applied for that specified what shift the job was for. Having such documentation will help a lot if you get a new nurse manager who decides she doesn't have to honor ANYTHING.

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.
North east area. What would nurse 1 step 3 pay?

There is a post titled VA nurse pay scale from October which has a link for the pay scales. The website is Title 38 Pay Schedules - Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)

So where in the NE are you looking at?

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Thanks for the advice, but I will be working in an outpatient clinic M-F 8-4:30(no shift work). Too bad to hear that some nurses did not get what shift they were hired for. I am really hoping that this will be a good move for me. I would love to be there until I retire in 20 years.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Thanks for the advice, but I will be working in an outpatient clinic M-F 8-4:30(no shift work). Too bad to hear that some nurses did not get what shift they were hired for. I am really hoping that this will be a good move for me. I would love to be there until I retire in 20 years.

Great! Good for you. I am just saying that if your manager decides, or if you get a new manager who wants to move you to different hours or different shifts they can and you will have no recourse unless you hvae documentation staeing what you were hired for. Doesn't hurt to keep everything just in case.

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Thanks, I will definitely get and keep everything in writing.

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