Our Real Nurse Pay This Year (Down to the Hour)

The exact hours we worked and what we actually took home

Author

Jason Nunez
August 03, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Hi nurse,

In 2020, I worked 18 days straight because we were drowning in debt and scared of getting laid off.

Fast forward to today—and I mean this year, 2025—Monica and I are working fewer hours than ever… and still making more than we thought was possible as nurses.

But the numbers might surprise you.

Because here’s the part people forget when they chase big hourly rates:

What you earn doesn’t mean much unless you also track what you actually worked.

Here’s exactly how much we made so far in 2025:

Name

Total Hours Worked

Gross Pay (YTD)

Avg Weekly Hours

Avg Hourly Pay

Jason

522.48

$78,921.10

~20.1 hrs/week

$151/hr

Monica

606.29

$96,259.74

~23.3 hrs/week

$158/hr

Why our hourly rates are higher than just base pay:

🧍‍♂️ Jason (me)

  • Base + shift differential: $110/hr

  • So why does it average out to $151/hr?

Because that includes:

  • Vacation and sick leave (I still get paid when I don’t work)

  • Holiday pay:

    • If I work a holiday → I get 2.5x my base rate

    • If I don’t work → I still get 4 hours of straight pay (because I’m 0.5 FTE)

That’s how my checks stay consistent—even when I take time off.

🧍‍♀️ Monica (per diem)

  • Base rate: $142/hr

  • No PTO, some sick leave, no guaranteed hours

  • But when she does work, she makes it count

Here’s how:

  • Holiday shifts pay her 1.5x her rate for the entire shift → that’s $213/hr

  • She’s also picked up a few double-time shifts:

    • First 8 hours → $142/hr

    • Next 4 hours → $213/hr

    • Final 4 hours → $284/hr

Per diem nurses get few, if any, benefits. But Monica and our kids are covered under my health and dental insurance. She also accrues paid sick leave throughout the year and contributes to our company’s 401k, which includes a matching contribution.

Still, as a per diem nurse, nothing is guaranteed. But when you know how to work the system, you don’t need 40 hours a week to break six figures.

3 Lessons From Our Numbers This Year:

1. Flexibility is worth more than PTO
I created a schedule that allows me to work 5 days straight, then take 9 days off. Monica works nights because it works for our life, she makes more money doing it, and doesn’t have to work every day to earn a great salary. You can’t put a price tag on the freedom we get from only needing to work 20-23 hours per week.

2. Per diem isn’t “less than” travel nurses
Most people think per diem nurses are just side help and don’t earn more than travel nurses. But if you understand shift pay and pick the right ones, you can earn more than travel nurses without all the strings.

3. Don’t just look at your base rate
Most nurses only look at their hourly rate on paper. But what actually hits your bank account depends on where you work, when you work, and how you work the calendar.

If you don’t know your real earning potential yet…

You’re not alone. Most nurses don’t.

Features Available On The Map My Pay App

That’s why I built the Map My Pay app.

📲 It shows you:

  • Median salaries for nurses in 1,000+ U.S. cities

  • Your estimated after-tax income

  • What’s left after rent or mortgage

  • A hospital map that lets you see pay and cost of living city by city

You can even zoom in on a hospital and see what life looks like around that job—before you say yes to the offer.

You don’t need to work more hours.
You just need better information.

—Jason

Do you want to make more as a nurse?

I built the Nurses to Riches Accelerator to help you:

  • Relocate to Northern California the smart way

  • Secure a high-paying hospital job (we’re talking $200K+ a year)

  • Learn to calculate your real take-home pay

  • Work fewer hours—without sacrificing income

  • Start investing + paying off debt like a boss

I’ll even show you how to compare hospitals, filter by pay and shift type, and fast-track your move so you’re not spinning your wheels for another year.

Use code LOYALTY10 for 10% off the program

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