I have been reading that many feel most RNs make about $60,000. a year, or $25-$30/hr.
Here are the stats on what nurses really earn from The U.S. Dept of Labor:
Earnings [About this section] Back to Top
Median annual earnings of registered nurses were $44,840 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $37,870 and $54,000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $64,360. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of registered nurses in 2000 were as follows:
It's amazing to see the differences in salaries on this thread. Also to then look at the area of the country of the poster. I've always lived on the East Coast and in or near large cities so I can't compare cost of living to the mid-west, west coast, or south.
Fulltime experienced night RN's in my area...specialty areas like ICU or ER do make about 60-70K. If one can be in charge, or/and have certifications, (CEN, CCRN) that bumps the salary up too.
With OT most of my coworkers probably do make 100K. As for me, I choose to work less..no OT for me.
Still not enough $$$ IMO...considering the responsibility and liability we incur.
Here in Houston the cost of living is pretty cheap compared to other parts of the country. The average new house price here is about 130,000. that is about 22-2500 square feet. gas is about 1.35 gallon right now. bread costs .99 for a loaf. Milk is about 2.89 a gallon (store brand...just as good) No state income tax. sales tax is 8.25%. Property tax varies....I live in a higher tax area because of the school...onee of the best in the state. I pay an average of 3000/ year house value is about 110,000. resale though is closer to 150,000 for me. Electric costs me an average of 150.00 month, water is about 30 a month and gas is about 25 a month..less in the summer. My garbage pickup is included in homeowners association fees of 225./year. All in all a very affordable place to live...
Here in Houston the cost of living is pretty cheap compared to other parts of the country. The average new house price here is about 130,000. that is about 22-2500 square feet. gas is about 1.35 gallon right now. bread costs .99 for a loaf. Milk is about 2.89 a gallon (store brand...just as good) No state income tax. sales tax is 8.25%. Property tax varies....I live in a higher tax area because of the school...onee of the best in the state. I pay an average of 3000/ year house value is about 110,000. resale though is closer to 150,000 for me. Electric costs me an average of 150.00 month, water is about 30 a month and gas is about 25 a month..less in the summer. My garbage pickup is included in homeowners association fees of 225./year. All in all a very affordable place to live...
Dave
That's why I've been thinking of moving to your area for quite awhile. Nurses don't make much here in OK. When I graduate I need to come visit you and where you work - it will be nice to meet other filipinos in the area. Are there many pinoys in the Houston area?
But at the same time I will once in awhile hear about a nurse here in OKC who make $30/hour or more. I think you have to really know how to negotiate your pay and be ready to leave one place for another if they don't give you the wage you want. My husband knows a nurse who graduated a couple of years ago and is now quitting to go somewhere else that will pay her $30-35/hour, she started out making $18.
hogan, what part of the country do you live? Are you in a specialty field of nursing? Wondering how you can make that kind of $$ working only a few days a week! Lucky you! I only work a few days a week here (Wisconsin) and will be lucky if I gross $20,000 this year.
I made almost $60,000 last year and that was with working many, many hours of OT. I received a whole 2% raise last year and am already on a clinical career ladder. I also receive nothing for acheiving my BSN,
I am in QLD, Australia.. We just got a 16.3% increase over 3 yrs.. which I think should take grad starting salary to just over $40k.. I don't know if this is great or not - not bad for a grad salary anyway (compared to others) and with shift allowances this will add another few thousand.. In any case, it's better than the $34k that was the grad salary until a cpl mths ago! Because I'm still at uni, I think that anything over $15k is a fortune
Having said that - I think nurses are worth way more!! And I think I'll be heading overseas after a few years to try & make some good $$
renerian, BSN, RN
5,693 Posts
I make more in sales DME than I ever did as a nurse.
renerian