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Moving to Cali? Hope you like paying taxes.Comment -
Ya, taxes would be steep, looks like I'd fall in the 10.3% range. Currently not paying any state taxes, so that would be a hit. But my pay would go up more than that 10.3% + the COL differential, assuming I wanted to work in SF, which wasn't our original plan but the nurses there make good money.
UC SAN FRANCISCOEffective January 2015
Step
Years ofExperience
Nurse, Clinical 19140
Nurse, Clinical 29139
Nurse, Clinical 39138
Nurse, Clinical 49137
Hourly
Monthly
Hourly
Monthly
Hourly
Monthly
Hourly
Monthly
<6 mos
$57.87 $10,068.61
1.
6 mos
$60.75
$10,569.87
$63.54
$11,056.66
$66.70
$11,604.96
2.
1.5 years
$62.95
$10,953.51
$65.82
$11,452.96
$69.07
$12,017.55
3.
2.5 years
$65.20
$11,344.38
$68.20
$11,867.36
$71.56
$12,451.86
4.
3.5 years
$67.55
$11,753.35
$70.66
$12,294.42
$74.12
$12,897.02
5.
4.5 years
$69.98
$12,176.80
$73.18
$12,734.16
$76.75
$13,354.85
6.
7.5 years
$71.36
$12,417.48
$74.64
$12,987.50
$78.33
$13,629.91
7.
10.5 years
$72.80
$12,667.20
$76.15
$13,249.89
$79.89
$13,901.35
8.
15 years
$74.27
$12,922.35
$77.69
$13,517.71
$81.49
$14,180.03
9.
20 years
$75.73
$13,177.51
$79.23
$13,785.53
$83.11
$14,460.51
10.
25 years
$77.16
$13,425.42
$80.81
$14,060.59
$84.75
$14,746.43
11.
30 years
$78.72
$13,696.86
$82.41
$14,339.27
$86.47
$15,045.01
Shift Differential, On-Call and Charge Nurse Differential
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Eve
10%
10%
10%
10%
Night
16%
16%
16%
16%
Weekend
5%
5%
5%
5%
On-Call
50%
50%
50%
50%
Charge Nurse
-
$2.50/Hr.
$2.50/Hr.
$0.00
That "On-Call" pay at 50% of the hourly wage is pure gold.
Just for reference, I've been a nurse over 10 yearsComment -
SD is laid back as hell. Folks are just chilling and it's very hard to get any work done. Too damn slow for me. I lived there for a year and was bored to death surrounded by low achievers. I lived in LA for 13 years and it's much more upbeat but a lot of fake and shake people. If you're single and have money LA is the place. If you have a family or already married, San Diego is a better choice. If you're broke, living paycheck to paycheck, don't even think about California. I had a condo on the beach in Marina Del Rey. Best location in LA. You can walk right out to the beach/sand versus other areas like Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, etc., that is more tourist. I really miss listening to the ocean waves and not having to use AC or Heat. I also lived in the valley (Woodland Hills). It's much more family friendly but it's hot during the day and can be cold at night.
You can't get better weather than Southern Cal but it comes at a steep price. You are constantly nickel and dimed in Cali. Makes no difference rich or poor, you're going to pay for the weather. You also can't get much better woman either. But the first thing they're going to ask you is where do you live, what car do you drive and where do you work. Your answer will dictate if the conversation continues.
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Las Vegas isn't a bad option I think it's better than LA IMO people wise La people are well la people fake and shady ... Henderson people are real .Comment -
I live in LA now. It is fun but very expensive. It depends what you want. Nurses do make great money here. I hear great things about San Diego. My girlfriend is a nurse at CHLA. She loves it. Maybe try Santa Monica. That area is really fun.Comment -
How much do nurses make? Can't be more than 50 or 60k right? Unless a ton of overtime if it's more than that I'm going to become a nurseComment -
^^ I don't even think it's that much to be honest guess it depends my ex mother in law was a nurse for 20 years at cedar Sinai I think I don't remember here balling but I do remember here getting a ton of overtime hoursComment -
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Teaser go back and look at post #38, that is the pay scale for nurses at UCSF, it's all public because it's a bargained contract at what I believe is a state run hospital. RN's at UCSF with my level of experience are making over $70/hr, for FT. Plus health, Cal Retirement plan, dental, etc.... In addition, as SS pointed out, anything over 8hrs in Cali is OT. I would expect most RN's at UCSF are pulling in between 100k-125k.
And that ignores where I would make most of my money, On-Call. I work in a part of the hospital that has to have RN's on-call 12hrs every night, 365 days a year. You get 50% of your base hourly wage, then if you get called in, you go to 1.5X's your hourly rate. At my last job I averaged 24-30hrs/week of On-Call, so that would be around 26 hours per week at roughly $35/hr to just sit around. If I got called in, which you always do, then I would be making $125/hr for as long as I was there. But even if I didn't get called in, I would still be paid $35/hr for 12hrs, so $420/night to do nothing would be the minimum. I would do that 2-3 times per week, you can do that math. And that's all icing on the cake.
In Seattle, my base salary has me over 85k and I could make more anywhere in Cali.
Nurses in the midwest are underpaid, so probably closer to 50-60k for a FT RN without any call or OT.Comment -
lol kraken in LA, and people don't believe in stereotypes?Comment -
If you like wine, then you are golden. Frankly that's all I do when I am in Paso. There's not a lot going on there. Beach or hiking in SLO, wine tasting in Paso, and that's about it. SLO is a college town so you can probably find a few decent bars. There's a lot of really good food, just ask around. The locals will point you in the right direction.Comment -
Anything in Orange County would be much cheaper rent wise then LA. Now let's compare the two cities.
San Diego is more of a military town since the Navy and Marines are station their, and also many of them retire there. It's a very safe city, you won't have to worry about criminals that commonly plagues the streets of California. San Diego has only two decent beaches Pacific (PB) and the other Coronado beach, which is where the military retiree's hang out at. All the nice restaurant, bars, and nightlife are area located near the Gas Lamp District near the down town.
LA can be a dangerous city if don't know your surroundings and go wandering off in gang infested neighborhood to pump gas. Based on the beaches that I've been to, Hermosa beach, Huntington beach, and Santa Monica beach, all are are very nice, and filled with nice restaurant, dance clubs, and bars. Don't be surprise to see a Lamborgini or Ferrari driving down those streets. And then you have Hollywood, which is a nice area to eat at. If you like a ton a variety, the fast life, then LA easily blows away San Diego. If your the laid back type person, then San Diego is a better fit.
I wouldn't mine living anywhere near the LA area, Chino, Burbank, Valencia, Glendale and so on, verses San Diego.Comment