Why are Nurses paid so low in the south ??

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I believe nurses in the south should be paid much more that is where the elderly go to retire! that isnt fair LPN"S in Michigan make $20-28 per hour. Somebody should stand up and fight for the pay that you guys deserve and the stress that it takes to care for patients are worth more than the wages they give you.

I'm entitled to my opinion, as they are to theirs.

Of course you are, wouldn't ever suggest otherwise. Just seemed kinda harsh to designate the ENTIRE State of Texas (and Alabama) as "a pit", that's all. Personally thought San Antonio was just beautiful!

And Virginia, as a State, you regard as "semi-decent". Guess I'll have to be on the lookout for the 'decent' part and avoid the 'indecent' parts ;)

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The problem with classifying the entire South as a low COL region is that some regions have COL so high that it rivals NE cities. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and most of South Florida is becoming an extremely cost prohibitive area, and Orlando is right on south Florida's heels. Also, the south is more car-centric and car insurance is usually ridiculous (I know in FL it is).

So while Alabama/Mississippi/Georgia/Kentucky/Tennessee may still have a low COL, some parts of Texas, North Carolina and South/Central Fl are skyrocketing. These places are becoming expensive, ironically, because people from the NE are fleeing high COL.

I've lived in both Baltimore and Tampa. I paid 650 for a 2/1 in Tampa and 750 for a 2/1 in Baltimore (decent neighborhood) The difference in pay I received in the two regions? 6 dollars more an hour in Baltimore.

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Just to put things in perspective, here in NYC you'd be lucky to find a small studio apartment for

RN wages here start at mid 70k for new grads and go up from there. Yes, a large part of that is the high cost of living and taxes in the NYC area. Friends have taken a pay cut to move down South, but then again they are able to purchase a home in Atlanta or Nashville on a RN's wages. Something that does not happen usually here up north. Well not in NYC unless you are married or otherwise have a two income household.

Yes, wages across the board tend to be less in the South say when compared to the North or West coast, but my personal opinion is that when it comes to nursing is that he profession is still seen as "women's work"; and as such not nearly as well rewarded as hit should.

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I am a RN in the south, and my hospital seems to have a hard time recruiting nurses, actually, and the pay is not great. I thought they should offer more money to attract more experienced nurses, not just a bunch of new grads they have to pay to train, whom leave after 6 months to a year anyways. I went to nursing school up north, and I disagree that the cost of living is cheaper here. I rent a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom house for 650.00. If I rented the same thing up north it may cost 850-1,000 a month for this. Also depending what city you live in, the cost of living may be comparable to living up north, while still earning crappy wages. When you do the math, the "cost of living" aka cheaper rent in some towns, doesnt really justify the lower wages. I am sure the hospital bills down here cost just as much as they do up north and the hospitals could afford to pay their nurses more reasonably. Gas, milk, utilities, all cost about the same down here as they do up there.

Yes, but we get paid in sunshine! (please note sarcasm!)

mc3

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Yup. You're right. Alabama is a pit. Texas is a pit. In fact, every place south of the Mason-Dixon line is a pit. There is no running water or indoor plumbing anywhere. Wages are so low that we have to take part-time jobs making moonshine just to be able to afford a drafty shack to live in and a bowl of gruel to feed our children until they are old enough to go to work in the mines. And there are alligators everywhere! Please, save yourself and stay in Virginia, which is only a semi-pit.

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My brother lived in a large luxury gated community apartment with a pool and garage in small town Georgia for a rent of $600/month. The cost of living is lower in some places.

In CT $600 won't even get you an efficiency/studio in the highest crime area in a run down, slum lord owned building!

The reason the pay scales are so different are the cost of living in the different areas. What I paid for my house in CT, I could get a McMansion down South.

CT's 2015 minimum wage will be $9.15/hr vs the 2015 federal minimum wage of $7.25. Our 2015 minimum wage isn't too much lower than what I've read here on AN for some nurses in the lower cost of living areas. Our minimum wage (and salaries) are higher than the federal because CT is a very expensive place to live.

Not long ago I was considering a move down South. Since I work from home (non-nursing job), I would be able to continue working for the same company, as well, I was going to be able to keep my current salary. When I started doing comparrisions between what I pay for things here (car insurance, property taxes on cars, etc as well as real estate taxes, utilitie etc) against the average cost down South, I would have been able to live REAL REAL comfortably! Sadly, my family was unable to make the move and we are still in CT.

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I would honestly like to know where up north you think you could rent a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom house for $850. I paid more than that for a studio apartment 7 years ago. My uncle rents his 2 bedroom 2 bath house in the suburbs for like $1500 and that's considered cheap for a house that size. If I were to rent my house (3 bed, 1.5 bath), the rent would be no less than $2500. My friends rent a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment in the suburbs/in an area where apartments are not exactly in demand and they pay over $1200. The cost of living is definitely cheaper down South.

I think what she/he considered 'up North' is different than what we New Englanders consider 'up North'. When I made my post..i was thinking South as in East Coast South (FL, GA, NC, SC etc) and 'up North' being New England. The poster you quoted lives 'up North' in Michigan :)

And I agree, there is NO way you could rent a house (even with 1 bedroom/1 bathroom) for what was quoted in our idea of 'up North' :)

(and hello fellow New Englander :) )

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Yup. You're right. Alabama is a pit. Texas is a pit. In fact, every place south of the Mason-Dixon line is a pit. There is no running water or indoor plumbing anywhere. Wages are so low that we have to take part-time jobs making moonshine just to be able to afford a drafty shack to live in and a bowl of gruel to feed our children until they are old enough to go to work in the mines. And there are alligators everywhere! Please, save yourself and stay in Virginia, which is only a semi-pit.

Haha. To be fair, I know several people who make moonshine for a little extra money. And where I live, it's not at all uncommon to see an alligator.

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
The South is not as cheap as many believe, particularly if you live in a semi-decent state like Virginia vs a pit like Alabama or Texas.

Don't forget South Carolina (Although some might argue about it being semi-decent). COL is hight in some parts of SC. Charleston, Columbia, Greenville are high. And it's not just the city, that includes rural areas. Some counties have higher sales tax, personal property tax is high and don't get me started on property tax. Yikes

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Of course you are, wouldn't ever suggest otherwise. Just seemed kinda harsh to designate the ENTIRE State of Texas (and Alabama) as "a pit", that's all. Personally thought San Antonio was just beautiful!

And Virginia, as a State, you regard as "semi-decent". Guess I'll have to be on the lookout for the 'decent' part and avoid the 'indecent' parts ;)

You are correct. There are plenty of hellish places in Virginia. I would know, as I've lived here for 26 years.

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Yup. You're right. Alabama is a pit. Texas is a pit. In fact, every place south of the Mason-Dixon line is a pit. There is no running water or indoor plumbing anywhere. Wages are so low that we have to take part-time jobs making moonshine just to be able to afford a drafty shack to live in and a bowl of gruel to feed our children until they are old enough to go to work in the mines. And there are alligators everywhere! Please, save yourself and stay in Virginia, which is only a semi-pit.

Ok, now this is funny :D

I've always wondered, do you go to work in scrubs, or will clean overalls suffice? ;)

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Yup. You're right. Alabama is a pit. Texas is a pit. In fact, every place south of the Mason-Dixon line is a pit. There is no running water or indoor plumbing anywhere. Wages are so low that we have to take part-time jobs making moonshine just to be able to afford a drafty shack to live in and a bowl of gruel to feed our children until they are old enough to go to work in the mines. And there are alligators everywhere! Please, save yourself and stay in Virginia, which is only a semi-pit.

Don't worry, I will. Virginia has always been the wealthiest and most developed Southern state.

I make no secret of the fact that my opinion of the South is extremely low. I only tolerate Virginia because it's my home state.

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