RN Salaries?

Hi Norma I am in Palmdale and work in Lancaster, JUst recently left ER and I do wound care. I am making a little over 65K. I have been a nurse as long as dirt. No this year it will be 25 years. Liz

Congrats on getting into nursing. It's a butt busting career. I am an L&D nurse. I work as permanent charge and week end option night shift. That's about $44 an hour. And yes I am an ADN. To get your BSN may only pay about .50 an hour more. (woo hoo) Most hospitals do a clinical ladder. The more research or education projects you do, the more money you make. I get an additional $3 an hour for doing that. If you get certified in your specialty, most hospitals pay an additional $1- $2 dollars and hour for that too. It's more CEU's a year but it's worth it. Oh - the test is a killer! Never let it expire. Good luck!!!

Don't forget to consider cost of living... my salary ($60K last year with 4 months off work for a knee injury) leaves me living QUITE comfortably in New Orleans as sole provider for a family of 4 (with expensive tastes).... but in San Diego, roughly the same salary had me pinching pennies. So of course I came home, cuz I like being spoiled! :P

Here in Nc the hospital nuse salary varies a lot with experience......20.00 to 38.00.....and there is weekend and shift differential and with or without benefits. I work at a hospital here occasionally in addition to my full time job and dont have benefits there. when I work there I make 32.00 to 37.75 depending on the day of the week and the shift. Thats how I got the $4,700 together for my out of pocket payment for my surgery April 25. cost of living here is much better than CA so money goes further Susan

I am in the Washington, DC area and new grads start anywhere between $21 and $25 an hour here plus shift differentials (which vary...some are as low as $1-$2 per shift for a night or evening shift, some are up to $7-8 more for a weekend shift, while other places base it on a percentage). I am making about 80K/year in management, but the cost of living here is pretty high...a townhouse costs at least $250,000. Luckily I bought mine a few years ago before the rel estate prices skyrocketed (my place has more than doubled in value in less than 5 years). But, I LOVE nursing and can't imagine being anything but a nurse. It is really hard work, but also very rewarding and the variety is GREAT. I have worked ICU, Labor and delivery, recovery room, oncology, management... The shortage is only getting worse, so there will always be lots of opportunity to come...the work will always be hard, but there will always be a need for nurses! Erin

I live in Phoenix and salaries are kind of low here. There are no unions (this makes a big difference), so I know they start out at around $22/hr. Having said that, with all the population growth, I have been working as a traveler for 3 years in the same hospital and make $36/hr, plus $3000 every 13 weeks as a 'completion bonus'. I couldn't afford to go core staff, although I don't get PTO or 401K, but the extra more than makes up for that. Hope this helps. I Love sunny AZ!!! Bonnie B

I'm an AD RN in VA and work in home health. My salary is 50K, but I get incentive and travel checks that total about $1,000 a month. I usually work about 25 to 30 hrs a week.

In Mississippi, it doesn't matter if you're BSN or AD. Big cities start RNs out around $20/hr. Small towns are closer to $13/hr. Clinic jobs are always less than hospitals. With recent shortages, it seems they're paying new nurses almost as much as 'seasoned' ones. I've been a nurse for 8 years and make only $23/hr. it sucks in comparison to some of the other salaries i've seen posted here. Go mississippi. hahaha.

wow--thats good---1000 per month in travel . im also a home care nurse in nj but it could be a possibilty that u may do more miles then i do. we make at least 60-80 k in nyc metro area starting.

I lived in Washington Dc for many years and I was making 50.00 an hour. I moved 200 miles south and with 25 years experience I am making what I made in the early 80's-21.00 an hour. Sucks!!! I moved here for a better life, but the change in salary has been very upsetting. I may go to Travel this spring to make some money. Good Luck