Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I work in nursing homes, and here in NJ LPNs get much more than $12 an hour, CNAs more than $9. My niece is an LPN and started at much much more than $12 an hour. She works in a hospital system btw. She started out as a floor nurse, now she teaches the computer doc system to new doctors and nurses. She is going back for her BSN though. Maybe the poster is from Mississippi or some other state down south like that pays lower wages than most. I do agree with the poster that most LPN jobs are in nursing homes, but nursing homes don't necessarily pay less than hospitals. I'm an OT, and in my field as well as PT, nursing homes pay much higher wages than hospitals.
NJ is one of the most expensive places to live in the country so it would make sense that they get paid more, but they still are not getting paid all that well for the cost of living in your area:
Average starting salary in NJ is $22.50/hour (46K/year). Compare that to say Missouri, which would be on the opposite end of the pay scale from NJ and they would need to make 33K for a comparable cost of living--average being $15.38. Both of these wages are the same once you factor in the cost of living. So, it's irrlevant what the actual wage is until you factor that in. The $27/hour in AZ is well above the wage for both of these places and I'm guessing a supply/demand issue?
CT I think has the highest $28 an hour but look at COL. Heard Texas offers the highest paid with the best COL. I am hoping I can do the LPN program ha while working 7p-7a 4xweek. Classes are 8a-3p M-F
CT I think has the highest $28 an hour but look at COL. Heard Texas offers the highest paid with the best COL. I am hoping I can do the LPN program ha while working 7p-7a 4xweek. Classes are 8a-3p M-F
I hate to be a wet blanket, but that plan is unrealistic. When are you going to sleep 2 days a week? (I'm assuming two of those days will be weekend.)
We're looking into moving to Mass after she finishes up with her LPN program. Can complete most of science pre reqs work full time in a part time nursing program. Only 2 part time nursing program's in current state be easier to go somewhere with more school's. Hopefull we can swing the rent.
The part time program's I found are three days a week 5-10 with clinicals on 2 Saturday's a month.
Back to doing CNA to ADN to MSN. Worried about pay cut and paying for school, but have until Fall 2017 to worry about that. Worried about what if I get wait listed then what. May do the LPN found a state program, but may be closed. They are talking about closing the state LPN program's in the state due to budget concerns again great ha.
Back to doing CNA to ADN to MSN. Worried about pay cut and paying for school, but have until Fall 2017 to worry about that. Worried about what if I get wait listed then what. May do the LPN found a state program, but may be closed. They are talking about closing the state LPN program's in the state due to budget concerns again great ha.
Again, talk to the school about financial aid. They will include your living expenses with your financial aid. In the long run it will end up costing less and give you a higher salary faster to go straight to the BSN program.
Just some quick numbers...if you are able to put away an extra $10,000 (reasonable 401K contribution with match from the hospital) just one year earlier, that money will turn into about $60,000 when you retire but taking out the max federal student loans of just under $30,000, paying off in 10 years is just under $36,000 so by taking that extra year will cost you about $55,000 in lost retirement savings, not to mention the lost year of working at a higher pay rate, and the lost year at the end of your career, probably totaling close to $100,000. Go the BSN route, given what it sounds like your current income is, you are both better off not working, getting financial aid from your schools, pooling your living expenses and just getting done with the program.
^^^^Appreciate the feedback. Went to a open house for a nursing program a few year's ago they recommend taking out $80,000 in loans to take $10,000 to pay off all my bill's, put $50,000 towards school, and the $20,000 for two year's to cover the car insurance/health insurance/gas/food/rent/car loan.
Looks like this thread is a couple months old but just a thought for anyone else considering Nursing school, you may want to consider the job satisfaction that nurses have. Being a RN is not all that its cracked up to be. there are a lot of nurses dissatisfied with their jobs and many that haved suffered burn out and have moved on to find other professions.
it is also difficult for new graduate nurses to find jobs (especially acute care) I don't like to see people in over their heads in debt in a job they find they don't like. I also worked as a CNA before becoming an RN (such as the OP) but that still did not clue me in to the "political" side of nursing.
Would like to know why the OP is not using his bachelor's degree?
BSN is definitely my goal most job's here require you to have it.
Trying to weigh out my options:
CNA > LPN > ADN > BSN/MSN Expected end date 2021
CNA > LPN > ADN Expected end date 2019
CNA > ADN Expected end date 2019
CNA > ADN > BSN/MSN Expected end date 2020
CNA > LPN > BSN Expected end date 2020
CNA > BSN Accelerated Expected end date Fall 2018
CNA > BSN Traditional route Expected end date 2020
I am a huge fan of the career ladder approach for non traditional and second career nurses. I don't know where you live, but now there are programs where LPNs can enter directly into a BSN program.
If at all possible, I'd cut out the ADN.
My husband's cousin was divorced and went back to school for her LPN. She had two years of college at a liberal arts college before she married. She had two children. She completed her LPN in 10 months - the waiting list at the local community college was over a year. Then she went to Helene Fuld School of Nursing and got her RN and ADN in another year. In two more years she earned her BSN from Long Island University in Brooklyn and went on for her MSN at Columbia. She is a nurse educator in New Jersey.
That was in the 80s. Now there are more flexible career ladder programs. However, one thing remains the same - the ADN at community colleges have long waiting lists and take at least 3 years once you are accepted.
I think it's a raw deal.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
