When we look back at 2018, one thing is clearly obvious: ALL industries are struggling to attract and retain top talent, and within the healthcare industry, nursing jobs are no exception. Just like other industries, there is a gender pay gap affecting nurses, which is surprising when you think of the fact that females make up a majority of nursing positions.
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New research findings, released by Nurse.com in conjunction with OnCourse Learning, show that men in nursing earn more than $6,000 more a year than their female counterparts, according to a survey of more than 4,500 nurses across the country.
The Nursing Salary Research Report, which included registered nurses from all 50 states, showed men earn an average of $79,688 compared to $73,090 for women. Men make up almost 12% of the U.S. nursing workforce.
“Even taking into account total hours worked, years of nursing experience, age, education level and certification status, men still are making more money than women,” said Robert G. Hess Jr., PhD, RN, FAAN, Nurse.com by OnCourse Learning’s Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Executive, Healthcare. “And from our robust research, salary is the most important job factor for nurses across all demographics.”
Reaction to the Salary Gap
The fact that men earn higher salaries is something Brent MacWilliams, PhD, MSN, RN, APNP, APN-BC, President of the American Association for Men in Nursing, would like to see change.
“Traditionally, men have gravitated toward acute care, high-paid specialties and to management/administration, which are all higher paying,” he said. “Based on this survey, it seems clear men are being paid significantly more than women in the profession doing comparable work. I would call on employers to assess their current workforce for gender gaps and raise salaries to create parity.”
Negotiation Is Key
One important aspect of earnings is that men are more likely to negotiate their salaries, the survey found. While 43% of men “most of the time or always” negotiate, only 34% of women do so. “This could account for higher salaries for men in nursing, as well as other professions,” Hess said.
Millicent Gorham, MBA, FAAN, Executive Director of the National Black Nurses Association, said closing the pay gap is critical. “I want to see an equitable solution,” she said. “My main takeaway from this survey is that women need to learn to negotiate for everything.”
Attaining professional certifications is one way female nurses can close the salary gap. Survey results showed men with specialty certifications had a salary only $1,252 higher than certified female nurses.
How to Recruit More Nurses
If you’re looking to recruit more nurses, regardless of gender, one of the most important benefits your company can offer is the opportunity for training and development—and, of course, creating pay parity wouldn’t hurt.
According to the survey, 50% of overall respondents said pursuing higher education, certification, or training to boost salary was a consideration or goal. If your workers are looking to learn more, offering professional development as a company benefit will get the right people in the door.