Ask a Nurse: How Do I Negotiate a Higher Salary?

In our Ask a Nurse series, experienced nurses provide an insider look at the nursing profession by answering your questions about nursing careers, degrees, and resources.

Great question. Yes! It is possible to negotiate a higher salary as a new nurse. There is no rule book that says you can’t. No one will scold you or punish you if you negotiate. As a matter of fact, according to the 2019 Job Seeker Nation Survey report from Jobvite, your potential employer expects it.

The gender pay gap in nursing is real. Women make up 87% of the nursing workforce, but get paid 10 cents less than male nurses. That’s about $7,297 a year. Imagine losing $7,297 every year?!

If you are Black/African American, Hispanic or Latino/a, and/or Indigenous, you make even less. That’s why negotiating a higher salary for yourself needs to happen — especially if you are a woman and/or a minority. Negotiating your salary is one way to close the gender pay gap.

Christopher Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, says everything in life is a negotiation. Learning how to negotiate will only improve your life. This is how you should look at salary negotiation.

When you’re negotiating your salary as a new nurse, this means you and your potential employer are figuring out, and finally agreeing, on a salary amount. In return, you work for the employer.

Negotiating isn’t only about your salary. You can negotiate:

It’s important to negotiate your salary because you are letting your employer know how valuable you are to the company. It lets them know:

Life isn’t all about money, but, if you are a woman, getting paid less to do the same job as your male counterpart also isn’t right. Negotiating is important because you are playing an active role in one day ending the gender pay gap.

Negotiating can feel scary. You may even feel embarrassed to ask for a higher salary. Let’s face it: Some of us were taught to be happy with what we are given.

Learning how to negotiate doesn’t have to be stressful. See below for a few steps you can take before negotiating.

When you give a counteroffer, which means coming up with your own offer, make sure the number is realistic and goal oriented. Have a number in your head based on your research, personal needs, and future career goals. Focus on the value you bring to the company.

Whether you provide a counteroffer in person or in an email:

At the end of the day, it’s your decision to accept or decline the position. Be confident and professional, but don’t:

If your offer isn’t accepted, that’s okay. You don’t know what other projects the facility is working on or their budget. If you really want to work for the facility, ask what you need to do to reach that salary, how long it may take, and how often are employee performances and salaries reviewed. Based on their answers, make your decision.

Michelle Obama says resiliency is a muscle. You have to practice to become stronger and not shut down if things don’t go your way. This concept is the same for negotiating. If you don’t get exactly what you offered, or your counteroffer wasn’t accepted, don’t give up.