The Average Salary of Beginning Nurses

Future job prospects for nurses are excellent.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job opportunities are excellent for nurses. Because of a high demand for nurses, salaries are expected to rise. At this time, nurses make up the largest healthcare occupation, with 2.6 million jobs in the United States as of October 2010.

Salaries for Beginning Nurses

According to Salary Wizard, salaries for beginning licensed practical nurses (LPNs) start at about $32,000 in Orlando, Fla., and about $38,000 in Los Angeles, Calif., as of October 2010. The beginning salaries of registered nurses (RNs) also vary with location, but another factor in pay rate is the area of specialization the RN enters into. Beginning salaries for nurses working in a doctor’s office or hospital emergency room are about $53,000; in intensive care units and operating rooms, about $56,000; and in obstetrics, about $51,000. Many employers offer sign-on bonuses, tuition for continuing education, flexible work schedules and other benefits to attract qualified candidates.

Educational Requirements

Typically, LPNs can fulfill their educational requirements in one to two years. RN programs include bachelor’s degrees or associate’s degrees, plus a diploma from an approved nursing program. All nursing programs include clinicals — that is, time spent working with patients. Specializations such as nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner require a master's degree. In general, the more education you receive, the higher your salary will be.

Nursing Specialists

Nurse specialists with master's degrees start out with higher salaries. A beginning nurse anesthetist makes about $135,000, according to Salary Wizard. A nurse-midwife starts out at about $76,000, and beginning nurse practitioners make about $74,000 annually.

Nature of Nursing

Average salaries for beginning nurses cover routine duties such as treating and educating patients and providing support to patients and their families. RNs also record symptoms and medical histories, perform diagnostics tests and analyze results, administer medication, and provide followup care as needed. Additional training that qualifies nurses for specialized duties such as renal dialysis may result in higher beginning salaries.

Salaries for Experienced Nurses

Beginning nurses can expect to receive higher salaries after gaining a bit of experience. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, average salaries for nurses with some experience working in hospitals are about $63,000, while those working for private businesses are about $68,000. Those who work in physician’s offices average about $59,000; in home healthcare, $58,000; and in nursing care facilities, about $57,000.

References

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurses