Registered Nurse Salary
The degree of education, skills and geographic location will generally affect a registered nurse salary. In addition to their work experience and where they work, the RN salary will also be based upon the industry in which they practice. Registered nurses work in a wide variety of settings treating and educating patients and the public regarding medical matters. A registered nurse, or RN, also performs related duties such as keeping medical history records, assisting in performing and analyzing lab tests and counseling patients and their families.
Expected Occupational Growth
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities for registered nurses will continue to be excellent. Overall, a growth of 22 percent in the ten years between 2008 and 2018 is expected. A growth of almost 600,000 more RN’s is predicted within this time. But chances to earn a good registered nurse salary will not be the same in all areas and industries. Industries in which the highest growth rates are projected include:
-Physicians offices are predicted to grow 48 percent
-Projected growth for nurses who earn an RN salary from working in home medical care services is 33 percent
-Nursing care facilities will see a 25 percent employment growth
-A 24 percent increase is expected for nursing working in employment services
-Private and public hospitals should see an employment increase of 17 percent
States that Pay the Best Registered Nurse Salary
California pays an hourly mean RN salary of a little over $42.00 an hour or $87,400 yearly. Massachusetts pays $40.86 each hour or $84,990 per year. Registered nurse salary in Hawaii is $39.00 hourly, roughly $82,000 a year. Rounding out the top five highest paying states are Alaska and Maryland, paying $79,350 and $76,450 respectively.
The Top Paying Industries
Registered nurses working in the personal care services industry can expect an hourly mean wage of $41.57 per hour. The RN salary for a nurse who works for the Federal Executive Branch is about $38.13 hourly. Medicine and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities pay $36.00 an hour. Medical supplies and equipment manufacturers pay registered nurse about the same amount. Academic facilities, such as colleges and universities pay approximately $35.00 per hour for registered nurses.
National Estimates of Registered Nurse Salary by Percentage
The highest percentage of registered nurses in the country, ninety percent, earn over $45.00 an hour or $95,000 each year. The lowest, ten percent, earn $25.47 hourly or about $53,000 per year. The estimate for the median, or 50 percent, registered nurse salary is $31.00 or $64,690 a year.
Additional Information
Again, a registered nurse salary is affected by several things, including education level as well as length and depth of experience. While these figures reflect recent labor statistics, they do not include salaries for nurses who are self employed or work on a part time basis. In addition, some employees offer other incentives in addition to salary that are not included in these figures. These include such items as child care coverage, education benefits, flexible working schedules and bonuses.
