Categories: Scrubs

Nursing salary projections for 2011

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We keep hearing the demand for nurses is expected to grow, but how much can we expect to earn in the coming year?

Look no further! Whether you’re a CNA in Delaware or an RN in California, we’ve rounded up salary projections for 2011 you don’t want to miss.

Find out what you could be earning.

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants

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Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants all provide basic patient care, such as feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, and moving patients between rooms. Employment for each is expected to grow 19% over the next eight years, a faster-than-average rate compared to the national average. The number of jobs is expected to grow by 2% in 2011 to total 1,552,600, with an annual median wage growth increase to $24,641.

According to the U.S. Institutes of Labor, the main reason for the growth is because the U.S. population that is moving into elderly homes is growing to record levels and is in greater need of physical and long-term care. In addition, the bad economy is forcing hospitals to discharge patients sooner than normal to less urgent patient care facilities where orderlies can take care of them.

Number of Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants Jobs: 1,469,800 (2008), 1,552,600 (2011), 1,745,800 (2018)

Median Hourly Wages: $11.56
Median Annual Wages: $24,040
Mean Annual Wage for 2011: $24,641

TOP 10 STATES IN 2010
Hourly Wage Annual Wage
AlaskaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $15.32Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $31,900
New YorkÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $15.15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $31,500
NevadaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $14.72Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $30,600
HawaiiÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $14.44Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $30,000
ConnecticutÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â $14.31Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $29,800
Rhode IslandÂ Â Â Â $13.84Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $28,800
MassachusettsÂ Â $13.68Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $28,500
DelawareÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $13.38Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $27,800
New Hampshire $13.30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $27,700
MarylandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $13.07Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $27,200

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

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Licensed practical and vocational nurses are needed in all types of healthcare environments, including hospitals and residential facilities. The former constitutes about 25% of all vocational nurse jobs in the U.S. Other types of facilities include community care facilities for the elderly, outpatient care centers and government agencies

Employment for this type of nursing has grown faster than the national average. The best job opportunities are in nursing care facilities and home healthcare services, with the overall number of jobs growing to nearly 1 million by the end of next year (2011). Just like other nursing jobs, the biggest demand for licensed practical and vocational nurses stems from the growth of the elderly population and the shift of after-surgery patient care from hospitals to nursing care facilities. In addition, the U.S. Labor Department says one of the biggest reasons for growth is the fact many of these types of nurses are exiting the workforce, leaving many highly needed jobs open.

Median annual wages of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses were $39,530 by end of last year. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are: Employment services ($44,690); nursing care facilities ($40,580); home health care services ($39,510); general medical and surgical hospitals ($38,080); and offices of physicians ($35,020).

Mean Hourly Wage: $19.66
Mean Annual Wage: $40,900
Mean Annual Wage for 2011: $41,900

TOP 10 STATES IN 2010
Hourly Wage Annual Wage
ConnecticutÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $25.34Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $52,700
New JerseyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $24.23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $50,400
Rhode IslandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $23.99Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $49,900
MarylandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $23.82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $49,500
MassachusettsÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $23.81Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $49,500
CaliforniaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $23.74Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $49,400
District of Columbia $23.16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $48,200
NevadaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $23.15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $48,200
New MexicoÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $22.89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $47,600
DelawareÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $22.88Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $47,600

Salary Projections for RNs–>

Registered Nurses

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There were 2.6 million nursing jobs in 2009 and about 60% of them were in hospitals. In 2011, there will be small increase of jobs from last year (0.5%), and unfortunately, an even smaller increase of the median wage of 0.2%, to $65,075.

The three main paths to becoming a registered nurse are attaining a bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Specialists like nurse anesthetists and practitioners need a master’s degree.

The median annual wage of registered nurses has gone up about $3,000 on average since May 2008. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of registered nurses were employment services, general medicine and surgical hospitals, offices of physicians, home health care services, and nursing care facilities.

Mean Hourly Wage: $30.65
Mean Annual Wage: $63,800
Mean Annual Wage for 2011: $65,075

TOP 10 STATES IN 2010
Hourly Wage Annual Wage
CaliforniaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $39.86Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $82,900
HawaiiÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $39.34Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $81,800
MassachusettsÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $37.39Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $77,800
MarylandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $36.38Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $75,700
New JerseyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $35.85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $74,600
District of ColumbiaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $35.36Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $73,500
AlaskaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $35.33Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $73,500
OregonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $35.30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $73,400
NevadaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $35.23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $73,300
New YorkÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $34.66Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $72,100

Popular Industries: Family medicine, hospital, medical office, health clinic

Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary

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Nurse educators play an important part in the healthcare business. They develop the educational programs for the professional development of nurses and RNs, which are becoming increasingly central in the caring of patients.

For 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor expects there will be a small increase (< 2%) in the number of new postsecondary teachers and that the annual wage will rise from $61,360 to nearly $63,000.

Mean Annual Wage: $61,360
Mean Annual Wage for 2011: $63,000

TOP 10 STATES IN 2010

Annual Â Wage
CaliforniaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $79,800
New JerseyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $77,000
ConnecticutÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $71,000
OregonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $70,900
HawaiiÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $70,700
FloridaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $70,600
Rhode IslandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $70,200
New YorkÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $69,000
MassachusettsÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $67,600
MichiganÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $67,400

Popular Industries: Education/college, education, secondary education, technical college, community nursing

Top Degrees: Master of Science, Nursing (MSN), Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BSN), and Master of Science (MS)

Wage Range Estimates of Specific Jobs:

Case manager RN: $65,000 to $165,000
CCU nurse: $48,000 to $62,000
Community health nurse: $35,000 to $56,000
Emergency room nurse: $42,000 to $67,000
Gerontology nurse: $38,000 to $92,000
Licensed practical nurse: $35,000 to $41,000
Nurse assistant: $21,000 to $27,000
Nurse midwife: $47,000 to $86,000
Nurse practitioner: $59,000 to $123,000
Nurse supervisor: $53,000 to $81,000
Registered nurse: $38,000 to $64,000
School nurse: $19,000 to $40,000

Editor’s note: All data used in this article comes from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Numbers are based on the most recent available data.

Related Reads:

The 411 on nursing degrees

10 questions to ask when negotiating salary

10 expert tips to increase your salary

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