Salary: Nurse salaries have grown considerably since 2000

A new analysis says that salaries have been steadily increasing over the past decade. According to an analysis from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Health Professions, the payout for registered nurses has increased by roughly $20,000 annually.

According to Becker’s ASC, in the year 2000, “a full-time registered nurse, one who works 36 hours or more per week, earned an average salary of $43,906. In 2010, after accounting for inflation and adjusting to 2010 dollars, nurses had an average salary of $63,944.”

The new report indicates that several factors have helped salaries grow, including inflation and an older, more experienced workforce. It also cited that wage hikes could be influenced by an “increasing nursing shortage,” but we never can tell how many nurses really believe that’s going on. Spend any short amount of time on nursing message boards, and it often feels like there are more than a few people–especially new grads–out of work.

What do you think about this increase in pay? Have you seen that reflected in your own career in the last several years? Do you think it will only continue to get better? Give us your thoughts in the comments!

Source: Becker’s ASC