Do nurses get paid more in the ?

Question

I'm just wondering because I'm thinking of moving to Chicago sometime in the future.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Chances are Australia has more of a national health care model than the United States.  Most likely patterned after what is in Great Britan or Canada.  Consequently, like any centralized government program pay is never what it is in an "open market" like the U.S.

Answer 2

The cost of living in the US can vary wildly from one city to another, even within the same state.  Hospitals pay their registered nurses pretty well, especially in a city like Chicago where there are lots of hospitals and universities with nursing schools.  But the drawback is the cost of living is also high.  In other cities, nurses might not get paid as much in absolute dollars, but their rent and car insurance and groceries and other expenses are lower.  So it's fairly comparable from city to city when cost of living is factored against salary.

I don't know what nurses get paid in Australia or how the cost of living compares to the US.