Moreover, there are various other factors that have a direct bearing on the amount of salary drawn by registered nurse working in different establishments. These factors include the region where the RN is working, the area of expertise, the kind of organization, the experience of the registered nurse and the apparent shortage of nurses in the country.

The average salary of a registered nurse (RN) is in the range of $60,000 to $75,000. The wide difference in the upper and lower limits of the average range is simply on account of the fact that in some states, the cost of living is on the higher side and also due to the fact of chronic shortages of these prized professionals in certain States.

The type of department the registered nurse (RN) works in also influences the pay scale in a significant manner. An Emergency room nurse or an ICU surgical nurse gets a higher pay package, usually around $75,000 to $80,000 (further depending on continuing education credits in nursing and  experience). Registered nurse (RN) working in Anesthetic unit may not be paid as high as  one who is in charge of the labor and delivery room.

The demand for registered nurses in the country is forecasted to grow at the rate of 23 percent by the year 2016. There is an apparent shortage of RN in the country, as many nursing professionals do not continue the job after a certain period of time due to high level of stress and other related factors. This has led to an increase in demand for registered nurses (RN) and has a direct bearing on the salary offered to them.

In fact, some organizations are going as far as offering starting sign up bonus of up to $30,000 to the qualified and experienced registered nurses (RNs) in order to encourage them to join their hospitals. The federal government and the education and healthcare ministry are taking steps to increase the number of registered nurses (RNs) in the country.

Additional Resources:
RV vs LPN
Salary for RN