Determining your Nursing Salary

Whether you just graduated from college or have several years of experience, understanding what you’re worth is important. There are three components that weigh heavily on your nursing compensation: experience level, geography and education level.

Experience level. According to payscale.com, those with less than 5 years of nursing experience can expect to earn $21.90-$23.56 hourly. However, those with 5 years to 19 years of experience can expect earnings to be boosted to $26.88-$30.35 hourly. And those with 20 years or more of experience will earn $30 or more an hour.

Geography. Your pay rate will depend heavily on your geographic location. For example, nurses earn an average of $24.51 hourly in Ohio, while nurses in California earn an average of $33.75 an hour.

Education level. Those who earn a Master of Science Degree in Nursing can expect a boost in pay, up to $20,000 more per year in some cases.

Also, don’t forget to partner with a staffing firm when launching your job search. Companies like Clinical One can help you find positions that meet your income and professional goals.