anyone willing to share pay transparency? i’m 15 months into ER nursing (my first job in dallas tx) and my hourly wage is $33.92 (no shift differential). i started at $32.03. is that fair? i find myself comparing to things i see on tiktok 🥲

I think you should keep in mind you only bring 15 months of experience to the position. Yes, there may be nurses who bring less but there are nurses who also bring a lot more. Remember, things on social media are not always accurate. Yes, people in cities with higher cost of living will make more but they also spend more to exist. You have received a 5.9% pay raise in 15 months which is above average for the US. Do the research within your hospital. What prompts pay raises? Is it certification? Time in position? Years of nursing? If it is something within your control like certification, seek it. If it is time in position or years of being a nurse, not much you can do with that except look for work elsewhere that may offer a different pay scale. Remember though, the grass is not always greener. It is just the view from across the fence.

Average pay for a starting nurse. Just make sure to get all your “initials” meaning ACLS,BLS, PALS, TNCC, if you have the opportunity try for CEN. With that combo, you’ll have more opportunities, if descent longevity raises don’t occur. Get another year or two under your belt, then explore your options with agency or traveling!

Hi, I’m a new grad nurse in Los Angeles with about 8 months experience. I do pre-op nursing so it’s pretty chill, I’m starting at $57.54…. (ADN only but if you have BSN it’s like $2 more)…. But it is LA so everything is more expensive 😕

You are a new grad and have a lot of years and opportunities ahead of you. I am not familiar with salaries in Texas but i do have some recommendations.

Volunteer for extra work when you could. This lets your manager know you are a dedicated employee. Take courses that come along to further your learning.

Take a variety of courses, such as administrative duties, ICU, CCU, Quality, etc. This will help you.

Keep your resume up to date with the courses you have taken.

Best of luck in your new career.

Not is not. Use your experience to look for a better paying job. Consider traveling nurse positions. Also; consider getting to your ED Rn certification.

Happy to share, hooray for pay transparency we need more of this! I am an OR nurse in New Haven CT, 16 months experience and I’m making 37.57, I started at $36.29. I’ve had just one raise. I personally think it’s great for a new grad. However, this is my second career, at my age I should be earning well over 6 figures and I don’t want to work 60 hours a week or wait 5/10 more years to get there especially for how hard the work is.

I graduated with an ADN in 2016 in Boston, MA. I worked in primary care 2016-2023. I got $34/hr starting, no raises (community health center). THEN I got my BSN... that opened up hospital jobs here in Boston. Now I'm a high school nurse. I make $79,738/year (2nd year as a school nurse). Not bad since I get all holidays, nights, weekends, and summer off. It's a great "mom job". You get paid 12 months/year but only work about 10 months total!

New Grad here working in the OR. I know that ER is specialty where I work and so is the OR, ICU and Cath lab are all specialty areas that pay $1 more than the base starting rate for a new grad. I have been working 10 months now and already had a raise on my 6th month. I started at $53.89 and now making $57. Will get another raise in 2 months. That would put me at $60 an hour. Come to Riverside, CA 🙂

I have 28 years of experience. I am "capped out" at $64/hr.

wow, starting salary in NYC is at least 50 to 60 per hour and you get shift differential 10%, but cost of living here is crazy high

I am in my 38th year of nursing, the last 17 in family practice. I'm at $52.
If you are on dayshift, there isn't a shift differential, but if you work evenings or nights, there should be.
Depending on where in the country you are, ranges for pay varies. You've gone up almost $2 in less than 2 years. That seems reasonable to me.
With a little more experience under your belt, you will have more opportunities to explore ways to get higher pay. Travelling nurses tend to make more than regular staff.
The other thing to consider, and the main reason I stayed where I am, is the people you work with and the love of what you are doing. I have stayed in roles that didn't pay great, but my staff was awesome and the patients were wonderful. And I have bosses who are really flexible about family situations and time off, so I don't have to fight to get what I need.
Good luck to you!

Of course! Oregon new grad RN here! At my 9 month mark :-) I make $47.17 an hour with a $6.20 night shift differential so about $53 an hour total. Crazy thing is most other hospitals in Oregon actually pay more

Atlanta is 39-42 for new grad. Plus shift diff. & weekend premium.

Depends on a few factors. Are you full time with benefits? Sometimes you get a more attractive hourly rate as prn or agency, but in all reality, when you add up holiday pay, pto, you come out the same at the end of the year.

I am in NC, 5 years in, $38.42 without shift differential. Going up to 39 something this month. I’m a medsurg nurse.

I traveled 14 of 31 yrs. U don't get differential as a traveler but you should be negotiating your contract to get the best pay. Obviously, you have ER experience, be traveler and right your own ticket. See the world and get it paid for. You like the adrenaline!

Yes, for a first job it is fair....

Always think about the cost of living when comparing wages between states

I was making $32 in the Houston area as an LVN. I just graduated with my RN last month and I’ve accepted an offer for $47. I’d say just work it until you can find something better. Keep putting applications out there.

I live in central (rural) Wisconsin with a little over a year experience as a nurse and 10 years as a CNA, I make 33.60 plus shift differential. It seems crazy to me that your wage is that low for being in a bigger city. Although we have shortages where I live and nurses are in high demand, with about half being travelers. Job hopping sucks but it’s supposed to be the fastest way to increase your wages.

Southern AZ new grad working in the ED. Hired at $32.50 and got a raise to approx $35.80. We have second shift (1500-2259 extra $2.50/hr), third shift/nights (2300-0659 extra $3.00/hr), and weekends (Sat 0000- Sun 2359 extra $1.15/hr) differentials.

LVN in CA at SNFs. Straight out of school got hired $38 with a promise of $40 after 3 month probation. Raise didn't happen. (Get offers in writing) After 6 months there jumped got $40, 3 months jumped again got $41, and 3 months jumped again $44, 2k sign on bonus, and the perfect schedule. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Good luck!

I lived in Katy Texas 22 years ago. I was one year out of nursing and got a job in a tele med unit, had up to 7 patients and sometimes no assistant 😱 I was paid 27.00 per hr. I just can’t believe starting salaries are still so low for “the hero’s and first responders” during COVID. The way I increased my salary was by moving from one hospital to another. You might need to do that. I hated doing that because I value loyalty and my colleagues, but you must put you first. Good luck, maybe get a certification that might help.

Girl. You're getting screwed. Small town critical access hospitals pay better. If you're working nights, weekends or holidays you should be getting a differential.im a 17 yr RN...12 in ER. I was making 35/hr in level iii trauma center.

I'm a scrub tech of 19 yrs. I'm make a lot more than you and i hate to say that, that isn't fair and i pray that doesn't stay that way. I am entering a nursing program that my co workers are or have gone thru and i was told that I will not make less than what I'm making as a tech & that was a relief. He told me he'd did make more because he was in Healthcare for 25 years before he decided to go for nursing, so maybe having previous Healthcare experience mattered.

LPN here, work long term care in Utah and my hourly wage is $37.00.

I make $42 base pay with $4.5-$7 an hour shift identical

I got offered 30 an hour in alabama for 16 years experience. The south doesn't pay well.

Hi! It’s difficult to answer your question without more information. Do you work day shift, mid shift, or night shift? Do you work 8 hrs or 12 hrs? If you work 8 hr days shifts then your pay is relatively fair and there is no shift differentials until after 3 pm. Most companies pay a differential form 3-11 and a higher differential from 11p -7a and a weekend differential on top of that. Pay depends on your area and the cost of living in your area. Obviously nurses in California and NY who live in super high cost areas will make more money because with the cost of living it all balances out to most of us make the same amount of money. Pay also increases with experience. Many facilities pay more for specialties. You will make more in the OR, ER, and ICU where as Med/ Surg is the lowest paying. Nursing homes pay even less. Nurses who specialize in inpatient rehab can make good money as well. Dialysis nurses can also make very good salary. Do your research and find an area of nursing that you enjoy.

Northern California and making $94/hr after 5.5 years of experience with a MSN and working an inpatient case manager position. I’ll cap out at around $110/hour under our current steps.

We increased our union participation from 55% to over 85% and are currently out of contract but we are fighting for 9%/8%/8%, capped healthcare costs, and protecting our pension.

Florida, and I started Feb 2024. I got my CEN certification in May 2024. I make 36.45 and hour plus 4.50/hr for working nights, plus $3.5 more when it’s a weekend. I do not receive a did for the certification at HCA. They paid for it and gave me a one-time $500 bonus lol

Hi! I'm not in Texas but in western PA. Previous job was merit based and I received a 3.5% increase. My upcoming is a union and it's a 3% yearly raise, no merit. Does your employer do yearly reviews, is your raise merit or like a "cost of living"?

I live in Lawrence Kansas. I’ve been a nurse for 13 years. I work in the OR as a Circulating RN and make 40.88 hourly.

omg hi there!! so I’m pretty sure it varies from city to city/ state to state. But im in the Buffalo, NY area and new grad rates (<1 year of experience) is between $38-$40 depending on which hospital system you go to (not including shift diff) I’ve worked at two unionized hospitals now and we have contract negotiations coming up this June :) I wanted to move down to Texas (initially) for the weather but the pay definitely discourages me from doing so.

$33.46 would be your wage as a nurse in your 2nd year at osu medical center in Columbus Ohio if you have your BSN. Hope that helps!

Get a few more months under your belt and then go do travel nursing. What they are paying you is low

I'm still in residency in a MedSurg unit in a hospital in Waco for about 3 months, and my rate is $33.43 with shift differential

Yes I’m at 29$ / hour

Seasoned lpn (17years.lpn, 15 years CNA) kust starting in large hospital med/surg; just over $30/hr... but my experienced RNs in Physc (where I just left) were making $33. Not sure if that helps?

Wow I think you should look for another job. I am a lpn in ks at a clinic and make $30 an hour

I am med surg in Georgia. October was my one year mark of being a nurse and I started at $33 then received a $4 differential to stay on my unit after orientation and shift differentials. My one year mark received $3 raise. So my base is technically $40 now. I see job posting for slightly higher at other hospitals around me.

That’s so low, I’m and Lvn in Dallas, Tx. 10 years and my base is 34 plus 2.50 shift diff. The starting pay for a new Lvn is 30$ . I hate that because o was told that I won’t get a raise until after my first year. So don’t feel bad, the low 30’s seems standard in Dallas hospital.

NOPE, not fair!... Though then again, depends on what your cost of living looks like... I live in a major city in PA & work for a major hospital system (a new nurse) and they pay 46.47 starting with a 4-$6 differential for evenings/nights and weekends. That is starting pay for any new nurse.

Try travel agency will pay you at least 50hr or more only down side no benefits just pay for them some agencies have paid time off you can still work at your hospital

I'm in Mobile Alabama. I work in LTC. I get $39 plus differential after 3p and on weekends. Before that I was doing hospice and started at $40 and ended at $42. I've been a RN since 2016.

I don’t think it is far off. You could probably get $35 or $36 without differential. I’m in Missouri. In 2018, I started on a cardiac stepdown unit and was only getting paid $23.10 as a BSN, RN. I’m only making $36 as Clinical Supervisor, and having been a nurse for 6 years now. It’s pitiful.

your market is notoriously low for pay, I have looked at travel assignments to Texas and the pay doesn't justify the hassle. I have been a floor nurse for 3+ years (new grad MSN) in the suburban Chicago area and was hired for float (days) during Covid, my initial offer with differential was around 36 and I am now above 40. I would now be considered at average wage.

Geez you just started. What are you expecting? I am unsure about the average pay for a new grad in your area. If you want more, you need to go to cities like L.A. , N.Y. , Chicago, areas where trauma/ real emergency stuff happen regularly. Research it!

As the writer Anne Lamott said: "Fair is where the pony rides are." Perhaps what you seek is respect and recognition in the form of a higher hourly wage. If you feel you are not respected and appreciated for your excellent work, speak with your manager. Prior to the conversation, go over your job description, line by line and be prepared by writing down everything you have done, above and beyond, what you bring to the table each day, etc. You may also want to get information from other employers in Dallas. Go to the website and see what the pay range is for similar positions. I am in CO, and this state mandates that pay ranges be posted. You may also want to get information from other employers in Dallas. Go to the website and see what the pay range is for similar positions. Are you a member of your local specialty group? That is another way to network and learn. I wish you the best in your quest for financial recognition for the work you do each day.

Every State pays differently; further, every orgnazation pays differently as well.
The best way for a newly graduated nurse who less than one or two years experience to get a big raise of the hourly pay is to find another position. Nurses who have ER experience are popular for multiple units. Hope that helps.

Move to California, you will get paid more, people will say the cost of living is high, blah!blah!, forget about what you see on TikTok.15 months is great.U can get paid in the 60’s , 70, 80 in California

That is insane, they are using us as slaves.

I support what a few others have said here but I'll break it down as well. Experience, location, and credentials/specialty matter. Location is a huge factor. I have been a nurse for 15 years & have ICU/Critical Care and Rapid Response as my background. I live in southern CA. I have a masters degree as well as other credentials (CCRN, etc) and I currently work in a specialty area. I can tell you that 15 years ago I started on nights making around $40/hr. I hesitate to say specifically what I make now but it's over double what you've listed here at one job and approximately triple at another job. But there are many factors that contribute to that pay. And, as someone else mentioned, it's not all about pay. Trust me when I say working in an area that you love with a great team is significantly more important than the amount you make. Finally, I do remember starting as a new grad thinking it would take me forever to get a "comfortable" wage. But honestly, the time passed quickly.

Bear in mind that a lot of the variation in salaries you’ll see has to do with where you’re located in the country and how specialized your specialty is. By the time I finished my 3-month residency in postpartum, I worked nights and was making $38.50 before any differentials. But this was in what’s called the “baby factory” throughout all of the U.S.. My next job, I ended up charging the largest unit with the most admissions in a psychiatric hospital, and I only made $32/hr with differentials thrown in. And I had my 1st college degree in psychology before I went back for BSN! If you can get away with it (because many hospitals/companies will terminate you if they can prove you’re sharing info), ask those you trust who you work with if they’ll tell you what they make. Offer to share your salary first and they usually will. The more open we nurses are with one another about what we’re making at our hospitals, the more we know what level of pay we should be advocating for personally.

When I started in the O.R. back in 2018 in Tacoma WA I was making $32 something an hour. You're doing fine. Blink a couple times and it'll be $50 an hour before you know it. Moral of this story - delete tiktok lol

It’s hard to compare because it depends where you live. I got my first job with an associates degree in nursing in Tucson, Arizona 1997 and I made $13 an hour. Quickly went to $15 an hour. Price of living very good. To do travel nursing you Need to have at least a year of experience on your particular type of unit. Keep in mind there’s no orientation they expect you to be on the floor and ready to roll.. However, it’s a good option down the road if you want to travel. Don’t compare your pay to what other people make until you find out the cost of living. 20 years of experience, I live in LA and I make about $73 an hour. Keep in mind I can barely rent an apartment here. Gas is about four dollars and gallon. Just take a look at the whole picture. It seems to me in a place like Dallas, Texas. You will start making more money pretty quickly what I hear out here in California is that Texas is actually a really good place to live. And trust me everybody’s leaving California.

Ggghh

Also, use Google searches/CHATGPT/glass door to research average salaries in your area and nationwide! It's such a great tool!

hi! i work at a hospital in san diego, started at around $55 an hour, now getting $60 an hour with 1.5 years of experience

$30.14/hr in Florida on a Cardiac Care (MedSurge) unit as a new-grad. Got shift differentials only for working nights and weekends but I wasn’t critical care so that was expected.

I work tele floor in Ca and I make 55.00 just over 2 years. I think you should come here.

In Los Angeles the pay range for nurses is around $39-77/hr. 13 week assignments usually pay around $2200-2700/week for 36 hrs. A really good per diem company out here will pay up to $1000/shift but the work isn't consistent. You have to take in to account the cost of living too.

I worked in med surg in a suburb of Cincinnati. I have been a nurse for 10 months I’m a full time staff nurse pay is $34.45 but I get a pay raise in July. Not sure yet what percentage we will get.

Hey, I’m a ICU nurse and I recently was working in JC TN making essentially the same exact rate as a new grade nurse with similar pay raise a year in. I ended up switching to a PRN position in Nashville at $50 an hour but no benefits, PTO, and your the first to float or get put on call. I would say yes it’s possible to make a higher pay rate as a nurse but there’s usually an underlying reason why you make more, examples being traveling, PRN, float pool, ect… but if you like where you are that’s worth a lot too. Just have to weigh all the pros and cons. Nice thing is you could always try and it and if you don’t like it switch back! If you leave on good terms they will always hire you back!

Most of the high pay jobs that you have seen on tik tok are contracted nurse positions and most are out of state . You are a new nurse and pay will be higher as you gain years experience. And pay also varies with departments worked such as ER , ICU , & trauma nurses are paid more than med/surg nurses . Surgical nurses also paid higher. You should be getting a differential for pm shift and night shift and for weekends . Nurse anesthetist are highest paid btw and nurse practitioner next highest paid nurse. Something to think about . So get your experience!
I did work in Houston Texas for HCA healthcare. I did the every weekend program . I was the highest paid nurse!
I also received a 20k sign on bonus too!

Arlene RN
25 years

That is good pay depending on surrounding hospitals, but my big question is how long have you been in nursing?
As ER is considered critical care, it should be significantly higher than non-critical areas in your facility

Don't compare yourself to TikTok, especially if you aren't in a traditionally higher pay area. It'll just make you resentful. For clarity, new grads in NJ make $43 plus differentials (night shift +$6, weekends +3).

Just leave find yourself the best,
I think the nurses that come after getting pay higher
Me as an LPN Florida, I get pay 35hr I don't take less than 30 from no one

New grad $49.32h smaller community hospital in CA

I am 20 yrs RN now doing home health & hospice for last 6 months in rural eastern WA state. New to hospice.
I did wound care for 8 yrs in outpt clinic. I'm in WSNA union, my hourly pay is $58. plus I get mileage and I take call once a week. If I end up going out to see pt as a call out, I get a few bucks more per hr.

No not fair

Please don’t compare yourself to others on TikTok. Some of them live in places where the cost of living is higher. I Iive in Tennessee and my base pay is 31.50 for days. Night differential is 3.50 and weekends are $6.

I think for the area it is fine. In CT new grads can start at 38 ish. I make 65$ an hour but I have 37 years experience and am in CT. Congratulations on your success! Love ED nursing.:)

33.92 is what I was making in the 1990s. These are slave wages and your administration knows it. Their salaries are public. Any CEO or CNO wage is public information. They steal money from nurses because in general it’s traditionally a female profession. Unionize and be prepared to strike. Those administrators will be crying baby tears after 5 minutes trying to do your job, and the script needs to be flipped. Control of women’s bodies and salaries is putting us right back in the 1950’s. They are USING YOU.

started med surg about 6 years ago at 25 an hour , almost to 40 an hour now with 5 years icu experience. in tampa fl.

Yes, good pay to start, will be stagnant for a minute, small raises, unless you move around but that’s nursing.

Go do some travel nursing and enjoy the different states so much to see . Your young don’t stay stuck in 1 ER. Start packing go visit Colorado, California , Hawaii !!

I just received my RN license and just got a job offer at a nursing and rehab facility ( no differential) at $38/hr. . So no I don’t think it’s fair what they are paying you move around or go do some PRN shifts thru a travel nursing agency they should have some local contract work in your area. Hope that helps! 💖💖

No!!! that was a starting nursing salary 25 years ago .. are YOU
RN OR LPN??

I started out in 2007 and I was making 34 hr. I feel thats low pay. But not sure in Texas

I started medsurg back in 2020 at $49.50/hr in NYC. I feel like that’s no fair to you 👀 regardless of cost of living being lower in Texas.

So are you a newer nurse or just 15 months in ER? Do you work night shift and there's no differential? it's a little low for Dallas and even a little too low of you are a newer nurse of 15 months experience. I think around $35-36 base is average.

That sounds fair for the market, but we deserve more. I have 15 years in nursing and my base at one ER is $50/hr flat. Located in Denver.

What state are you in?