Nursing Pay and Benefits

No one goes into nursing just for the money, considering the mental and emotional resilience required to thrive in the industry. However, as with any other profession, nursing pay and total compensation must be competitive if medical facilities and long-term care residences hope to provide high-quality care and retain top talent.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just entering the nursing profession, you’ll want to understand what the average salaries are in a given nursing specialty and how they differ by region. Depending on your needs and financial goals, the value of an employer’s benefits — tuition reimbursement, for example — may be more important to you than the base salary.

Whatever your specific interest, the articles in this section will help you get a handle on your value in terms of pay and benefits so you can better manage your career. Here is some basic information about nursing pay and benefits.

Types of Pay for Nurses

The amount you earn will vary by region, experience, speciality, which type of license you hold, and other factors. For instance, a nurse practitioner salary is typically more than that of a registered nurse, while nurses in California typically earn more than their counterparts in Iowa.

The frequency of pay and worker classification also determine nursing pay. Some nurses are paid on a per diem basis, meaning they’re paid daily, while nurses work either as contractors or full-time employees (FTEs). Contractors are often referred to as 1099 workers, a reference to the tax form filed with the IRS (FTEs receive W2 forms).

Types of Benefits Offered to Nurses

When you’re looking through job postings and determining what you’d like in terms of compensation, salary or hourly wage is typically the first concern. That’s your bottom line in terms of covering your basic expenses, disposable income, and adding to your savings. However, an attractive and relevant benefits package can help seal the deal.

Here are just some of the benefits you might consider as part of your compensation as a nursing professional:

• Medical coverage
• Retirement / 401(k)
• Continuing education / upskilling opportunities
• Tuition assistance / reimbursement
• Childcare
• Paid parental leave
• Sign-on bonuses
• Relocation assistance

Get the Nursing Pay and Benefits You Deserve

You worked hard to become a nurse and should be proud of your achievement. Nurses are in demand and will be for the foreseeable future, so make sure you’re fairly compensated for your expertise, dedication, and perseverance.