How much of a raise you've received over the last two years is largely a function of whether or not you're paid by the hour
and where you live, according to the results of our latest biennial earnings survey. The vast majority of respondents—nurses
paid by the hour—enjoyed a 13% increase, on average. That compares favorably to the 10% increase they reported in each of
our last two surveys.
Income is up—unless you are on salary
|
Salaried nurses (typically those in management or administrative positions) did not fare nearly as well. Their pay remained
essentially flat compared to 2003. That may be because facilities facing a nursing shortage are allotting a bigger chunk of
their payroll budget to staff RNs in the hopes of attracting and retaining those at the bedside. Indeed, of the 44% of respondents
who said their employers had taken steps to retain nurses, slightly more than half cited bigger raises as a technique being
used.
Even among those paid by the hour, though, there's considerable variation. Nurses in the Far West and New England regions
saw their average hourly rate surge by more than 25%, while the average pay of RNs throughout the South remained flat or even
lost ground. The differences seem to go hand-in-hand with union membership, which was more prevalent in regions where hourly
pay soared.
Part timers surge ahead
|
These are just some of the highlights of our two-part earnings coverage, which will continue in the November issue with a
look at benefits. Findings are based on the results of a survey we mailed to 6,400 nurses; 1,884 replied, which gave us a
29% response rate. Unless otherwise stated, the information in this article applies to both full- and part-time RNs who work
in acute care hospitals.
Hourly or salaried: The gap between the two narrows
The average income for nurses paid by the hour is $53,595 a year—$6,150 more than in 2003. In contrast, those who receive
an annual salary make an average of $65,065, which is actually $60 less than the salary reported two years ago. The gap between
the two groups has shrunk considerably, going from $17,680 in 2003 to $11,470 this year. The overall average for hourly and
salaried nurses combined is $54,745, up $4,910 from our last survey.
Which settings pay best?
|
While hourly workers' earnings inched closer to that of their salaried counterparts, the difference between the average hourly
rate for full timers and part timers widened. Full-time RNs paid by the hour make $27.60—$1.75 per hour more than in 2003.
Part timers, who typically get a higher rate because they're unlikely to get health insurance or other employee benefits,
reported a bigger increase.
On average, RNs who work fewer than 36 hours per week earn $30.10 an hour. That's $2.85 more than in 2003. Part-time RNs now
make $2.50 more per hour than those who work full time—substantially higher than the $1.40 that separated the two groups two
years ago.
E-mail Alerts
RSS Feeds
Practice Tools
