Rural Nurses in Oregon Earn Higher Wages Thanks to Lower Cost of Living
A new study from Oregon reveals that nurses working in rural areas earn higher real incomes thanks to the lower cost of living compared to big cities like Portland. Details are in our news.
Oregon has released a new study showing that nurses in rural Oregon actually enjoy a higher standard of living thanks to their lower cost of living. Despite earning nominally less than their Portland-area counterparts, rural nurses have more purchasing power.
Living in Rural Areas Provides a Cost Advantage for Nurses
The report, based on a survey of nearly 1,800 registered nurses conducted by the Oregon Center for Nursing, notes that although rural nurses earn lower salaries, their net income is higher due to the lower cost of living. This puts employers’ efforts to fill nurse positions and the need to expand training opportunities in a new perspective, said study author Richard Allgeyer.
Regional Differences in Wages
The report details wage disparities among nurses in various regions of Oregon:
- Metropolitan Portland: Nurses earning $56 an hour earn the highest hourly wage of the region’s nurses.
- Eastern Oregon: Lowest paid at $44 per hour.
- Southwest Oregon and the Rogue Valley: They earn $49 and $51 per hour, respectively.
- East Cascades: From Hood River to Lake County, nurses earn $52 an hour.
However, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s cost-of-living calculations, rural nurses earn about 300% of a livable wage, compared to 264% for nurses in the Portland area.
Wage Differences by Work Environment
- Hospital Nurses: The highest paid group, earning $58.25 per hour or $121,163 annually.
- Public Health Nurses: The lowest paid group, earning $47.55 per hour or $98,898 annually.
- Residential Care and Nursing Home Nurses: They earn $49.86 per hour.
Education and Management Positions
- Executives: The highest earning group at $67 per hour or $140,221 per year.
- School Nurses: The lowest paid group, working on nine-month contracts and earning $48 per hour or $75,500 per year.
- Educators: The second lowest paid group, earning about $52 per hour or $80,624 per year.
Occupational Sustainability and the Workforce Crisis
According to the Oregon Employment Department, registered nurses are one of the hardest positions to fill in the state. Allgeyer notes that this situation, which they call the “vacancy crisis”, has become even more pronounced due to increased stress and turnover during the pandemic. She emphasizes that efforts to retain nurses are not only limited to salaries, but also factors such as workplace culture, appreciation and belonging are of great importance.
In Oregon, the nursing profession, especially in rural areas, offers a career path that is both financially and emotionally fulfilling. This study shows that policymakers and employers in the nursing field should focus on other factors besides wages, as this can increase the length of time nurses stay in the profession and improve the quality of health care.
