How Much Money Does a Practical Nurse Earn?

Posted On November 4,2015

A practical nurse, or PN, works directly under the registered nurse or physician. They care for sick, injured, disabled and convalescing patients. They work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, outpatient facilities, and for home health care services. They provide a wide-range of services to assist patients and physicians.

What you make as an PN depends upon two factors (1) geography and (2) where you work.

Geography

In Toledo or Northwest Ohio you can expect an annual salary between $38,427 and $46,224. However, when you add in all the extra benefits, like healthcare, pensions and paid time off, you can expect your total compensation package to increase by around $15,000 to $20,000.

• Your base salary should compose about 65-70% of your compensation package.
• Employer contribution to social security, disability and 401K matching should be about 10% of your total compensation. On a side note, pensions are being phased out and are generally now only offered by hospitals.
• Employer health insurance should equal about 10-12% of your compensation or around $6,500.
• Finally, most employers will offer a paid-time-off of around 10 to 14 days.

How much you can expect to earn is driven by geography while the mix of your package depends upon your employer.

Where You Work

Of course, your compensation also depends upon where you end up working. Generally speaking, PNs have a greater potential to earn more base salary working in a nursing care facility or in a home health care service. As a general rule, the larger the employer the larger benefits package. In 2014 hospital hires of PNs was either stagnant or decreased which continued the downward trend observed over the past 10 years. Conversely, nursing and home health care services are ramping up their hiring of PNs. It is possible to get a job in a hospital however it is important to temper your optimism with the economic reality.

Employment Services Firms

Employment Services firms provide temporary and permanent placement for unskilled, skilled and professional labor. Due to the last minute nature of the work you can expect a higher salary around $44,690. These companies offer the greatest flexibility for scheduling which is convenient for students or young families however the transient nature of the work means you probably will not get decent benefits.

Nursing Care Facilities

Nursing care facilities provides in-house medical care for the elderly and disabled. They provide higher salaries but fewer benefits than hospitals. You can expect your salary to be around $40,580

Home Healthcare Services

Home healthcare providers send nurses and medical assistants to the homes of elderly and disabled to provide regular assistance. They work similarly to a facility except that the patients remain living in their homes. As a home healthcare provider you can expect a salary around $39, 510.

Hospitals

Hospitals are on the lower-end with an average salary of $38,080. Generally hospitals have the most in added compensation, especially if it is attached to a campus. So pay attention to the 401k plan, pension plan, and additional benefits like financed education.

Physician’s Office

Offices have the lowest average salary at $35,020. It is hard to peg the total compensation package because it is dependent upon the doctor running it. A great boss can make up for a lower salary with unspoken benefits like a collegial atmosphere and flexible scheduling.

Come prepared to interviews, negotiations and reviews. Weigh your options and pay attention to the details and subtext during an interview. This is the key to getting the raise and compensation that you deserve.

Are you ready to get started on an exciting journey toward becoming a nurse? Athena Career Academy is here to help. Our experienced administration and teaching staff has years of nursing experience, and will equip you with the tools you need to succeed in a nursing career. Call today to schedule an informational appointment to learn more.

Athena Career Academy is located at:
5203 Airport Highway
Toledo, Ohio 43615
Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30AM to 4:30PM
Phone: (419) 329-4075