National Comparison

• Nationally, RNs earned a median salary of $63,800 in 2009. In Georgia, the median salary was slightly lower, at $60,600. Nurses paid by an hourly wage averaged between $21.14 to $45.02 nationally, compared to Georgia's average hourly wages of $20.62 to $38.89.
  
  

Location

• Georgia has a large rural area with few major cities, causing a significant variation in pay rates depending on location. The vast majority of Georgia's hospitals and specialists are located in the metro Atlanta area. RNs working in metro Atlanta earned a median salary of $63,400 in 2009, while RNs working in rural areas of south Georgia earned a median salary of $51,400.
  
  

Specialty

• Because RNs are in high demand throughout all aspects of healthcare, many options exist for RNs to specialize in a particular area of medicine. Throughout Georgia, the highest-earning RN positions are found in surgical settings in metro Atlanta's hospitals, followed by private physician offices. The lowest-paying RN positions are found in nursing homes and hospice facilities.
  
  

Job Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for registered nurses is excellent. Job growth nationally is expected to be at 22 percent from 2008 to 2018.