Why am I starting out making 19 an hour?

[NewgradMary]

I just got hired into a new grad residency program making 19 an hour. It is a small hospital, but I know other students who got hired at bigger hospitals in big cities also making around the same amount. Yearly this adds up to about 35,000 not including the taxes that will be taken out. This seems extremely low. I was under the impression I would be making at least 50,000 starting out. Is this normal?

[/username, BSN, RN]

That depends heavily on your geographic location and what degree you have. You have not provided any of this information.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Wages vary greatly by geographic region and whether you are rural or metro. Supply/demand affects wages considerably, too: when there was a shortage, nursing paid more. TONS of new grads to choose from? Pays less.

What is your assumption you'd be making more $$ based on? Actual salaries you know other new grads started at, or.....?

In my area, BSNs do not earn more than ASNs, but find employment more easily.

[SWM2009]

The laws of supply and demand are at work.

[NewgradMary]

It is a small hospital, but I know other students who got hired at bigger hospitals in big cities also making around the same amount."

It is a small town in Virginia. So your saying it is normal for the area? The cost of living is very low here. But I know someone who got hired at Vanderbilt in Nashville making 19 an hour also.

My fiance who works as an academic adviser for an online university, that does not require a bachelors degree, will be making only a little less than me. I know know someone who is a dental assistant in Baltimore MD who makes 20 an hour. I just thought I would be making a lot more for the 4 years I put in to get a BSN.

[WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

What area of the country are you in? That wage isn't too surprising if you're outside the northeast or an area like SoCal. In the southeast I think that's a pretty average wage for a new nurse.

You basically are starting at the bottom, and will see higher wages the more experience you gain (in a perfect world). It is the same for most professions.

[NewgradMary]

My assumption was based on the fact that I thought the average salary was 60,000 for nurses (based on sites like salary.com) I didn't think that meant starting out at 35,000

[4boysmama]

I've noticed that the new grad residencies tend to pay significantly less than new grad jobs that don't include as much training/mentorship/support as the residency programs. Those residencies cost the hospital a small fortune to run, and they reflect that investment by paying you smaller wages. In most, they bump up your salary when you officially "graduate" from the residency and have proven your worth, so to speak. As a new grad (May 2014) myself, in a skilled nursing facility with virtually NO new-grad support ("orientation" was several shifts of me doing the work, with the scheduled nurse sitting at the desk) - I would have ben happy to get less money in exchange for a structured training and development program!

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

That's pretty typical for small town VA. My sister makes significantly more but she has nearly 20 years experience, BSN, MSN, PNP and almost CNE plus multiple other credentials and specialty experience. She makes about triple your salary now. If you average her salary plus your salary you'd get what you thought was targeted salary.

Salary.com if not looked at correctly, gives aggregate salaries and does not take into consideration first year/inexperienced vs 20+ years experienced nurses.

Major centers like CHoP know they are a desirable employer and have hundreds+ applying for each job and as such offer a much lower salary than other facilities in the area. Supply and demand.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I work at a very large, magnet teaching hosp; top 10. I started right around $20/hour. That was 2 years ago. With shift diffs and weekends, I make more, now, but not that much (maybe 22) Also I am in the South where cost of living is less. ADN/BSN get paid the same.

[caliotter3]

Many employers have lowered their employee compensation because they are able to do so.

[SassyTachyRN]

I started at 18.75 base pay in a hospital as a new grad BSN, large city, large hospital in Indiana. Our yearly maximum performance raises were 3% (3% for exceeds, 2% for meets expectations) so when I left there after two years I was only making $19.87 base pay.