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Nursing jobs are an increasingly popular choice for students and employees looking for work in the medical field. Nursing jobs are always needed, are growing at a faster than average pace, and offer most potential employees a steady modest income. People who are entering into a nursing career are often interested in how much money they will make as a nurse. There are a lot of different factors which determine the nurses salary of a nurse and because of these factors, nursing is occupation with a wide range of salaries.

A nurses salary depends on four major factors: location, experience, education and place of employment. Each of these factors influences the average salary of a nurse, and it’s important for potential nurses to take these factors into consideration when they decide to begin a nursing career.

Location:

A nurse’s location is one of the biggest factors which will influence her average income. The average cost of living, the demand for nurses and the current state of the area’s economy will all have effects on nursing income. The cost of living can raise or lower the average salary of a nurse. Nurses living in states which have a higher cost of living will subsequently have a higher annual salary. Conversely, nurses living in areas which have a lower cost of living will have a lower annual salary. For example, states with a higher cost of living such as Michigan, Arizona, and California report higher average nurse’s salaries than states with a lower cost of living, such as Kentucky, Kansas and Iowa. The average annual income of a nurse in California is $87,840, while the average income of a nurse in Iowa is about $50,000. While the average nurse’s salary in California is much higher than in Iowa, cost of living must be taken into consideration: a nurse living in California will have to spend more money than a nurse living in Iowa to maintain the same standard of living.

Experience:

The amount of experience a nurse has will also affect her average income. A nurse with more experience will often make a higher nurses salary than a nurse with no or little experience. The nurses with the most experience tend to be those that are in the top wage percentile. For example, nurses with over 10 years of experience report an average hourly salary of $23.00 to $45.00, compared to the average hourly wage of nurses with 4 years of experience or less, which is $15.00 to $30.00.

Education:

The type of certification and education a nurse has will help determine the average income they receive. Nurses with more education and certification in more than one field have an increased change of a higher income than a nurse with only one type of certification or less education. Obtaining certification in areas such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Critical Care, Pediatric Advanced Life Sport (PALS) and other medical certifications will increase the amount of employment opportunities available to a nurse and increase the chance for promotion and a higher salary. Employers are increasingly on the lookout for nurses who are experienced in more than one area of medical health, particularly in clinic settings where some roles previously held by physicians and physician’s assistants are frequently being given to nurses.

Place Of Employment:

The type of medical setting a nurse works in will also affect their salary. Different places of employment have different average salaries for nurses, and knowing which areas tend to pay better will increase the chances for a higher nurse’s salary.

General medical and surgical hospitals employ about 29% of nurses nationwide and pay an annual mean wage of $68,610. Physician’s offices and clinics, which employ about 10% of nurses nationwide, pay an annual mean wage of $70,530. Home Health Care services, which account for almost 14% of nursing jobs nationwide, pay an average of $63,850 annually. Nursing Care facilities pay an average annual wage of $59,990. Outpatient Care centers, which employ about 15% of nurses nationwide, pay an average annual wage of $67,550. Nurses working in more private and specialized sectors tend to make more than nurses working at General Hospitals and Physician’s clinics. For example, the average nurse’s salary in the Personal Care Services industry is $86,470. Nurses working in the Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing industry also have a higher average salary, which is $79,530 annually.

A List of Nationwide Median Nurse’s Wages by Percentile

Percentile – Hourly Wage (Annual Wage)

10% – $21.24 ($44,190)

25% – $25.47 ($52,980)

50% – $31.10 ($64,690)

75% – $37.99 ($79,020)

90% – $45.47 ($95,130)

Conclusion:

A nurses salary will largely depend on where they live, where they work, their experience and their education. It’s important for anyone interested in determining what their average wage might be to take all of these factors into consideration, as doing so will help them better guesstimate what their annual income is going to be. For example, someone with a ten years of medical experience under their belt who is entering into the orthopedic specialist nursing field in Michigan can expect to receive a higher annual income than a nurse working their first medical job at a general hospital in Kansas.

However, it’s important to remember that average wages are just that: average. There are nurses who make less than is expected for their location/experience/education/place of employment, and there are nurses who make more than is generally expected. This guide is intended to give you a general idea of what to expect when researching a nurse’s salary.