One of the common themes of any discussion of the nursing career is that the field is one of the most stable and fastest-growing in the entire country. Job outlooks over the next ten years will only continue to increase, and nursing salaries are expected to increase right alongside them.
However, that doesn’t mean that what one nurse earns working as an RN in New York is going to be the same as a BSN in Ohio. There are many different factors that influence nursing salaries, and your annual pay will be dependent on all of them.
Level of Education: LPNs make less than RNs, and NPs make even more than them both. An RN with a Bachelor’s degree can typically command higher rates than an RN with an Associate degree. Depending on your degree and your license, the amount of money offered to you will vary.
Experience: Most health care settings work on a seniority-type scale. The longer you work for the organization, and the more experience you have, the higher rate of pay you can command. This is especially true if you move into a managerial or supervisory role.
Unionization: In many states and hospitals, nurses cannot work unless they join the local nurses union. In most cases, being part of a union means higher rates of pay (though you will have to pay annual or monthly union dues in return). In a union setting, you can also command much higher rates of pay for work done overtime.
Your Shift: In a hospital setting, nurses who work graveyard shifts (11pm to 7am) tend to make more than those who work swing shifts (3pm to 11pm), who, in turn, make more than those who work day shifts (7am to 3pm). Although this isn’t written in stone, most employers change the rate of pay depending on the desirability of the hours worked.
Employer: Nurses in a hospital setting tend to earn the most money, followed by those who work in doctors’ offices. Nursing home and home health care tend to provide the lowest salaries of all. Other opportunities, like working for a government entity or as a travel nurse, can also provide different pay rates.
Types of Nursing: Specialized work typically commands a higher rate of pay. For example, if you work in an emergency room or operating room, the high stress and increased skills mean you can earn more each year. Advanced specialties in fields like orthopedics or pediatrics can also help you move up the ranks.
Location: Perhaps nothing influences nursing salary so much as where you live—and for good reason. Cost-of-living expenses in larger metropolitan centers are much higher than what you would expect in smaller cities. For example, an RN in New York can expect between $54,000 and $76,000 per year, while the same professional will get between $45,000 and $65,000 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Getting a nursing degree is a great career move—regardless of where you live or what your specialty. However, if increasing your pay is a priority, there are plenty of advancements and opportunities you can take advantage of.
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