What is the average weekly take home in CA? (2019)

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 29, 2019

Moved to the Travel Nursing forum

NedRN · May 29, 2019

Average? It would be anecdotal per reply. It would be based on someone's work history and skills which will vary. It will also be based on current need at a particular location which will vary widely, and not be pertinent to a job search today.

Also, if you have never traveled before, compensation is complex making it difficult to compare one anecdote to another. If you need a general idea, call a few agencies. At least when you talk to one agency, presumably you can compare what they offer in a rural area to a metro area on a level playing field.

Another wrench in your query is that housing prices vary widely from place to place. It is quite possible that a low quote may actually net you more after paying for housing than a high number.

jjdd · May 29, 2019

Thanks NedRN! I'm sure it's not that difficult to give an *average* estimate based on the criteria I gave. I mean... Is it $500 or $5000. Just asking for an average.

NedRN · May 29, 2019

Well good luck with that. I've been a travel nurse for 25 years now and I cannot give you an average for my specialty (specifically me). It varies widely. This is true also in California where I have done many assignments. Heck, I've done repeated assignments at one rural California facility where the pay varied by a factor of two depending on need!

jjdd · May 31, 2019

On 5/30/2019 at 6:18 AM, NedRN said:
Well good luck with that. I've been a travel nurse for 25 years now and I cannot give you an average for my specialty (specifically me). It varies widely. This is true also in California where I have done many assignments. Heck, I've done repeated assignments at one rural California facility where the pay varied by a factor of two depending on need!

Have you ever took home $5000/week from a single 13-week travel contract?

NedRN · May 31, 2019

How is this a relevant question? Or a polite one for that matter?

Argo · Jun 1, 2019

22 hours ago, jjdd said:
Have you ever took home $5000/week from a single 13-week travel contract?

Your question and rebuttal question are both pretty ridiculous.

Unless you work 6 days a week doing 12 hour shifts, you will never do that as a med surg nurse. I have done $4300 net a week in pedi OR, on 36 hours. But you're 'just' med surg.

jjdd · Jun 2, 2019

On 6/1/2019 at 5:34 AM, NedRN said:
How is this a relevant question? Or a polite one for that matter?

Sorry NedRN, not trying to be rude. Just trying to figure out the average. It's mathematically impossible not to have an average.

The word “average” is used in everyday life to describe where the middle number of a data set is. It’s the typical number you would expect to find in a series of numbers. In statistics, the average is called the “arithmetic mean,” usually just shortened to the mean. Both the average and the mean use the same formula:

avg = total sum of all the numbers / number of items in the set.

In other words, to find the average, add up all of the numbers in the set, and then divide by however many items you have.

Let’s say you have 5, 10, and 15. Add them all up to get 5 + 10 + 15 = 30, then divide by 3 (the number of items). The answer is 30 / 3 = 10.

In this case let's say you earned $129, $139, $155 and $176 over the last 4 weeks. What is your average pay?

Step 1: Add up all of the numbers in the set. $129 + $139 + $155 + $176 = $599.

Step 2: Divide Step 1 by the total number of items in the set. There are 4 items in the set, so $599 / 4 = $149.75.

So your average pay is $149.75.

NedRN · Jun 2, 2019

I've already described several issues why you cannot come up with a valid average pay. Average pay for who, when, where? Simple math is not one of those issues. Have you tried calling agencies for quotes? If you do, you will begin to understand the scope of your question.

I will throw you a bone though. Most assignments are $55 to $75 an hour in total pay. That's the normal range, not an average. This does not include any adjustments for taxes, or for housing costs, or specialty. It does also not include many assignments that pay higher (like crisis assignments or high local need) or lower (like the Midwest or South), or overtime possibilities. This is also not the number you will get from agencies, you will have to apply math to the offers you get and attempt to compare them to other offers in terms of total pay, then figure out local housing costs and taxes to see what bankable pay might be. Isn't that what you truly want to know?

jjdd · Jun 2, 2019

33 minutes ago, NedRN said:
I've already described several issues why you cannot come up with a valid average pay. Average pay for who, when, where? Simple math is not one of those issues. Have you tried calling agencies for quotes? If you do, you will begin to understand the scope of your question.
I will throw you a bone though. Most assignments are $55 to $75 an hour in total pay. That's the normal range, not an average. This does not include any adjustments for taxes, or for housing costs, or specialty. It does also not include many assignments that pay higher (like crisis assignments or high local need) or lower (like the Midwest or South), or overtime possibilities. This is also not the number you will get from agencies, you will have to apply math to the offers you get and attempt to compare them to other offers in terms of total pay, then figure out local housing costs and taxes to see what bankable pay might be. Isn't that what you truly want to know?

I feel you just don't want to share that info, to be honest. Because it's just not that complicated. Im failing to see why it would be difficult to give an average.

Also, you say it's impossible to give an average, and yet you say to call agencies to get an idea. Quite contradicting. If it's impossible to get an idea of what the average pay is, then how am I getting that info by calling some agencies? Rhetorical question.

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Average pay for who, when, where?

I already clarified that.

Who? Med-Surg travel nurse.

When? Umm now?

Where? California (rural and metropolitan)

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... This does not include any adjustments for taxes, or for housing costs, or specialty.

I'd already mentioned that as well. Take home, after housing, med surg.

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It does also not include many assignments that pay higher (like crisis assignments or high local need) or lower (like the Midwest or South), or overtime possibilities

You see, how average works is you take the ones that pay the highest, and the ones that pay the lowest, and everyone else in between...add them all up, then hone in on the spot in the middle. The pay you see there is the average.

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This is also not the number you will get from agencies, you will have to apply math to the offers you get and attempt to compare them to other offers in terms of total pay, then figure out local housing costs and taxes to see what bankable pay might be.

That's why I'm asking here, and not the agency. As someone who's done the assignment, you'd know how much you ended up with.

Anyway, thanks for your help.

Argo · Jun 2, 2019

Unfortunately for you, Ned is right. Metro where. SF, LA, SAC, Redding??? They vary, widely. Every hospital can vary daily also, if they have a critical fast fill position it can skyrocket. There isnt a good answer for what you want. You can make from 1200 - 3000 a week. Do your own math and average that, it doesnt matter though because the average is way off.