Complete Guide To Maximize Your Registered Nurse Salary
There are many reasons for wanting to become a registered nurse, and among them all, the registered nurse salary is certainly one important one. What does this tell you? It tells you that the registered nurse salary is certainly decent by any means, but you should also realize that there are plenty of other reasons as you why you might take up this profession.
Consider this fact. CNN recently carried out a survey recently of the fifty best jobs in the US at this time, and out of them, there were two nursing professions which featured in the topmost 15. The job of a nurse practitioner achieved the rank of #4, and the job of a nurse anesthetist was ranked at #15. This is certainly a huge achievement when you consider the fact that you can choose from hundreds of career options. This report from CNN was honestly not a surprise for most experts even, as they have been saying for a while now that there aren’t too many professions that are better than that of a registered nurse, particularly in today’s context.
Registered nurse salary – how much money can you make
So, how much money can you make as a registered nurse or RN. The Labor Statistics Bureau tells us that in the US at this time, a RN will make on an average about $67,720. This comes to slightly more than $5,500 every month. Now you will surely agree that this is an extremely decent income by any standards. It does not matter which part of the country you are living at, with this registered nurse salary, you will surely be able to lead a comfortable lifestyle. That’s great news, particularly in these troubled times when most people are worried about keeping their jobs and just trying to make both ends meet.
Of course one reason for this is that you are in the medical or the care giving industry here, which is recession-proof, because, people must still seek treatment no matter what the economic condition is. And another reason is the nature of the services delivered by a RN. Medical professionals as well as the patients all agree that the services of a nurse are really very important. In fact, the efficiency showed here can make a huge difference in the ultimate result of the treatment delivered. This is an area where a good nurse can make a huge difference.
Anyway, according to the statistics, the average hourly registered nurse salary is today $32.56. Interestingly, it now seems that the pay is actually increasing, which is rarely the case in most other professions now. In fact, the experts are already saying that the registered nurse salary is likely to go up by anything between 20% and 30% in the next 5 years or so. True, the future looks even better for people who are in the nursing profession. And that’s one more reason why you might want to take up this profession.
But do remember here that, this is just the average salary. It does not mean that all nurses will earn this money. However for every person who earns less than the average, you will find somebody who earns more. So this means that you can even earn about $70,000 every year in this profession. In other words, if you are just starting off, then you will certainly earn much less. But just try to get some experience on the job, put in a few years of dedicated service, and you can be sure that your registered nurse salary will begin to go up steeply soon enough.
Your starting salary could in fact be as low as $28,000. Every hour you could end up making just $16.50. But don’t let this worry you at all. If you are doing a good service, you are sure to get noticed soon. Your salary is bound to go up then. Your experience will also come in handy here.
You will be happy to know that with knowledge and experience, your registered nurse salary could be as high as $113,000 annually. And there are some nurse anesthetists who make as much as $157,000 yearly. That’s a lot of money you will agree.
Certifications and specializations
There are some other things that you can do to increase your registered nurse salary. For instance, you could go for a certification or area of specialization. For this of course, you have to join a training program and get trained. Before doing this, you have to think hard and decide what you should go for. Look around you, and you will realize the specific area where certifications and specializations can help you. Perhaps you can go for specializations about working with kids or seniors. These are just two suggestions. There are plenty others that you can choose from. You are the best judge here because you are the pro.
If you have these certifications and specializations, you are sure to get a higher registered nurse salary even in your present job. If you don’t then just look for a hospital or clinic that requires people with these specific knowledge and skill-sets. As the person with training, you can make a key difference, and that’s why the management will recognize your potential and offer you a higher registered nurse salary. The importance of education can never be underestimated.
Your salary depends on your location
The salary that you draw depends to a great extent on the place where you are located. For instance, if you are working in just a small town in Kansas or Tennessee, you should certainly expect less than what you can earn in a famous hospital in NY or in San Francisco. But then, your cost of living is also going to be less in smaller places. So don’t worry about your location too much. It is just that if you are working in a busier and more happening place, then you will be attending to more patients, and this will give you more experience. This aspect is important as this will help you grow in your profession, which is important to get higher registered nurse salary.