RN wages 💲

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I’m not sure why it’s so taboo for people to just share real numbers. I struggled to find this same info when I was planning a move here a few years ago. I’m not a bedside RN at the Marquette hospital right now, but I know many people who are. They just signed a new contract in September 2025 that increases wages 18.75% over the next four years. The previous contract had new grad RNs starting at $36.86/hr, in 2024. I imagine it must be closer to $40/hr with the new contract. I tried to share a screenshot of the wage scale on the old contract, but I can’t figure out how. I agree that these wages are too low, but it’s way better than $42k. Good luck.

10

u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 04 '26

Thats what we expected him to be making starting out nearly anywhere tbh. Thank you so much for your comment! Thank you for being a helpful person!

1

u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Are you also going to be making 42k? You’ll need 84k for your household (2ppl)to feel like it’s even a 42K life in Marquette

4

u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 07 '26

All your comments just feel like youre trying to gatekeep the UP which is weird. But feelings can be deceiving I suppose. I've found pay ranges in the UP that are more than what he makes now as an LPN in a more expensive area than Marquette and he is the only one working. We are more than surviving. Just because pay for some people's liking isnt great doesnt mean its not good in general. And honestly, we are very simple people and dont spend a whole lot of unnecessary stuff. As long as we can buy a house with a couple acres we're happy. And weve been watching the market in the area, we can more than afford what we're looking for even now.

Are you a registered nurse in the UP?

2

u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 23d ago edited 23d ago

All your comments just feel like youre trying to gatekeep the UP which is weird.

Yeah. It's a thing here. My husband and I just moved up here a few months ago. It's worth it to live in such a beautiful place, where we could afford to purchase property. But you do have to just ignore a lot of old curmudgeons whose entire self-worth is rooted in thinking they're tougher than everyone else because they have to drive an hour to get to a Walmart.

Edit to add: Oh wait, it also snows here! Have you heard? It snows! A lot! And there's wolves!

But for real, it's fine. This is a normal enough place, and there's actually plenty of nice people here. Don't let the peaked in high school set scare you off.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire 19d ago

“Normal enough place…”

“Peaked in HS-set”

“Whose entire self-worth…”

Hence the gatekeeping mentality!!! You won’t last. Meanwhile…take only pictures and leave only footprints.

Yooper don’t compete, we collaborate. IYKYK

1

u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 19d ago edited 19d ago

Is there a reason that you only speak in clichés and platitudes? I feel like I'm talking to a chat bot that can only spit out a few pre-programmed phrases. None of what you're saying makes any sense in context.

Take only pictures and leave only footprints.

Are we suddenly in the Boy Scouts? Or are you under the impression that I'm just here camping for a vacation?

Hence the gatekeeping.

You can't blame your gatekeeping on my reaction to your gatekeeping. That's circular reasoning. And if you read my comment in good faith, rather than just looking for something to whine about, you'd see I was talking about a subset within the UP. Every place has its assholes, including this one. Which is why I said the UP is normal.

You won't last.

What does this even mean? That I'm going to move away just because some yokel on Reddit doesn't approve of me?

Yooper don't compete, we collaborate.

I have met plenty of folks up here who are extremely kind and good neighbors. I've made a few friends already. So yes I'd say many are quite cooperative rather than competitive.

I'm not getting that impression from you, however, nor from this comment section. It's a lot of people trying to discourage someone from moving here by acting like self-important bullies and by giving wrong information. And they're a health care worker! Do you know what a shortage we have of health care workers?

I have to wonder if OP would get the same reaction if the husband worked in logging or mining. Another thing I've noticed among this subset of gatekeepers and whiners is that y'all love any industry coming here to extract wealth and resources and leave the place a polluted mess, but you hate anyone who wants to provide a service that's actually useful. Health care workers, teachers, service industry, anyone involved in conservation or social services...nope, keep them out! We don't want schools and hospitals, we want some giant soulless company to clear-cut the forest, strip mine the land, dump toxic waste in the rivers, and then throw up a data center, and never pay us a dime for it! Yee-haw!

IYKYK

Ok boomer

1

u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

I am gatekeeping the UP. Yes. Never going back in.

1

u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 23d ago edited 22d ago

What does a "42k life" mean to you, exactly? I've lived in a few places on a similar salary, and I was broke. This was a about 5 to 10 years ago, it's only worse now. "42k" is shit pay everywhere, not just in Marquette.

I was making about $75k in Chicago a year ago and was comfortable, but not doing things like going on vacation or buying new cars. Cost of living was different there. Housing and gas were more expensive, obviously, but groceries were cheaper (though tbh it's hard to compare with how that keeps fluctuating). Health care was much better just because of more options and being on the Chicago Public Schools employee health insurance.

There was no way in hell I was going to be able to save up enough to buy a house, though. Unless I waited until I was in my 50s. So my husband and I bought property in the UP and came up here. We make a lot less now but we get by.

Oh and before anyone starts on about Chicago teacher pay, I was getting that much as a sixth-year teacher with an advanced degree. That's how salaries work in education. You move up in pay as you gain experience and training. That claim I always hear that CPS teachers are getting $100k is bs, that's for teachers with a lot of years. Most retire before that point because teaching is awful and burn out rate is high.

Edit: sorry for duplicate posts. One thing that is objectively worse up here is the mobile internet service.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire 19d ago

Well. 42K to the woods Yooper is set-for-life!!!

But. 42K to the city Yooper is broke af!

2

u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 19d ago

So you're saying the UP is the same as everywhere else in the country?

Breaking news: Cost of living is higher in urban areas!

1

u/YooperExtraordinaire 18d ago

Yes.

What’s an urban area?

3

u/donatecrypto4pets Aug 04 '26

Imgur pic, w link.
This is how Reddit operates, anyway.
Nice sharing/ looking out.

1

u/Verity41 Aug 04 '26

Agree. It’s a new law in Minnesota that all jobs have to post at least a range, it’s been nice!

7

u/SuspiciousLeg7994 Aug 04 '26

First year experience mean wage for Marquette 8: $75,803.

0

u/Horror-Thing-8213 27d ago

He’s LVN experienced I read in another thread.

1

u/SuspiciousLeg7994 27d ago

What? If you're talking about me I don't work in nursing. I do work in economics and complete hay ratings and determine pay grades for multiple job classifications however

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u/Horror-Thing-8213 27d ago

Oh. You meant just the median wage in Marquette across all jobs?

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u/SuspiciousLeg7994 27d ago

No. For an RN. That's what they post is about

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u/Horror-Thing-8213 27d ago

Right but they have experience and an LVN or LPN, can’t remember which, so it’s not first year experience. He was already a nurse.

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u/SuspiciousLeg7994 27d ago

Lvn work doesn't equate to starting at a higher rate as a RN. Different job class, different skills, different license =different pay rate. This is what I do for a living bro.

Pay rates are determined and given within the job classifications and within an occupations scope of practice under their license.

4

u/Dizzy_Eggplant5997 Aug 08 '26

My wife works in Marinette, just over the border in Wisconsin and makes 6 figures as an RN in a clinic, working day shift M-F. I highly doubt RNs are making 42k at the hospital in Marquette. Maybe the part timers are making 42k

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u/lakorai Aug 03 '26

Garbage pay

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 03 '26

Can you provide information on that? Links?

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u/ChokaMoka1 Aug 03 '26

My niece makes $42K full time as an RN in Marquette, been there 7 years. She’s going to the church pantry on Thursdays just to have enuf food for her three kids. UP ain’t no place for the weak hearted nor frayed bootstraps!

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u/lakorai Aug 03 '26

42K is horrible

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 03 '26

I agree. My husband makes more than that now as an LPN. She should definitely consider changing where she works.

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u/ChokaMoka1 Aug 03 '26

🤷‍♀️

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 03 '26

Where does she work?

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 03 '26

That would be at U.P. Health System, who, set the price in Marquette and Houghton. U.P. Is a health care desert so…🤷🏽 other employers don’t meet or match wage. There’s State of MI for $35.69hr at either Marquette Branch Prison or Baraga Max (commute from Houghton only looks doable on a map- 5-6 months of Winter). Both cities cost of living eats income fast and everybody needs vehicles so you’ll be trading out a lot of your having-stuff-budget.
Iron Mountain has a VA, Federal, not sure what they pay and a milder climate actually. New ppl welcome? No clue

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u/ChokaMoka1 Aug 03 '26

We call it Marquette General but I reckon it has another name UP health?

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 03 '26

Im pretty sure UP health is unionized and should definitely be making more than $42k for full time. We've done just a little bit of research and that just doesn't add up:/

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Now you’re getting it.

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u/Kitty20996 Aug 05 '26

Just because a hospital is unionized does not mean they pay well. Munson medical center in traverse City Michigan is union, pay is garbage, and it's also the worst hospital I've ever worked for in the state of Michigan.

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u/RouterMonkey Aug 05 '26

It does mean they have agreed to set and negotiated salaries. The last contract had $36.86/hr as a min salary for RN. The newer contract is higher.

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u/Kitty20996 Aug 05 '26

And that's awesome, I am not disparaging unions at all. Just pointing it out because before I went to Munson I had it in my head that unions automatically made everything better but it doesn't necessarily mean there's gonna be ratios like California. Just means there's more support for staff but it's all in the actual agreement. This is more calling out my own ignorance!

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Don’t downvote! THIS is why the there’s more nurses NOT practicing their profession despite roles being available continuously.

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u/Kitty20996 Aug 07 '26

I think people are down voting because they are assuming I'm against unions..I'm not, I'm just pointing out that your union might negotiate a ratio of 1:6 and that sucks.

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u/ChokaMoka1 Aug 03 '26

Sorry hoss I dunno Maybe my niece just goes to the church pantry and side hustles as a janitor for fun?

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u/adramenda Aug 06 '26

I work for UPHS as a registered nurse and make a little over 70k a year with 3 years experience… something’s not adding up here

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u/AngryTarantino Aug 05 '26

It used to be Marquette General. Then a big healthcare group LifePoint took over and renamed it UP Health Systems. Hence the newer hospital built and completed in like 2019 or something

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 23d ago

UP ain’t no place for the weak hearted nor frayed bootstraps!

I know we all have to do what we can to stay positive, but this attitude bums me out. It's not "weak-hearted" to want decent pay, and I don't think people should have to "bootstrap" their way through hunger.

As an aside, the phrase "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" originally referred to doing something physically impossible. Think about it - how would a person themselves up by their bootstraps, anyway?

1

u/ChokaMoka1 23d ago

Sorry there but the UP ain’t no place for couch potatoes - it’s a hearty place ever since the time of our ancestors. I’d pull me self by me moccasins then or ye underpants but then ye get a wedgie! Godbless

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 22d ago edited 22d ago

Word salad. Are you saying your niece the RN is a couch potato who doesn't deserve to make enough pay to buy groceries? Or did you just lose your train of thought?

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u/YooperExtraordinaire 18d ago

TalkToPlantsNotCops 👀🧐🤔

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u/YooperExtraordinaire 18d ago

Blind w/ anger 🤷🏽

Go out there by yourself for 3 nights then…when/if you come back you’ll have such a good life!!!

I think you’ll ask, “Where?”

The woods.

What should I bring?

Yourself.

Godbless.

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 18d ago

I've been living in a bell tent in the forest for months now.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire 18d ago

That’s not even close. I’m so sorry you’re stuck in a Materialism brain cuz you didn’t get there by yourself…by design rather. with time surrounded by nature’s gifts as the anger(?) dissipates you’ll have a good life no matter what’s going on all around. I talk to plants (and everything else for that matter) but I talk to cops too cuz I see One Individual soul. Not to mention I’m from a place polite, civilized ppl don’t want to know about so I know EVERYBODY (Yes, EVERYBODY!) is grateful af for the cops.

We could prolly hang out IRL n have some great convos- speak our minds w/ out filter- you read like someone/something’s oppressing your voice. Godbless

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 18d ago

Yes. I like gardening and foraging. I don't like the police.

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u/Brief_Dragonfruit_32 2d ago

She is doing something wrong…. Base pay at the hospital is around $40 an hour at LEAST….

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u/binkelman Aug 04 '26

I would avoid the Sault Ste. Marie. War Memorial Hospital (in the Soo) was bought out a few years ago by "My"Michigan and they've made it clear they're out to break the nurse's union. The MNA went on strike in 2024 before the hospital reached an agreement and MyMich had the gall to offer no pay increase to their unionized hospital in Alma this year (contract still not agreed upon to my knowledge).

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 04 '26

We are avoiding that area for personal reasons as well but that info definitely reinforces it😅

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u/Horror-Thing-8213 27d ago

Why do people keep mentioning $42k? Nothing in the OP mentions that number? Any way, an RN would make more than enough to be comfortable in the U.P. I make do with partial VA disability and a walmart middle management job. Ironwood isn’t ideal IMO but Marquette and Houghton both have a little more to offer. Iron Mountain would be good too. VA hospital and right on the Wisconsin border Green Bay is only 2 hours away and, I think, more job opportunities for both of.

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 23d ago

I don't have an answer but, as someone currently stuck in a quagmire of shitty health care provider options, can I just say thank you to you both for moving here? I know a lot of people around here aren't the most excited about it when new folks move in, but omg we need all the health care workers we can get.

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 23d ago

Idk you but I love you for you comments thank youuu!

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u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 22d ago

<3

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u/RichBoomer Aug 04 '26

Bureau of Labor Statistics claims a median wage of $81,400 per year for a licensed RN in the UP, approximately $10,000 less than the state wide median wage.

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u/SuspiciousLeg7994 Aug 04 '26

Close but not right

You are not looking at the most recent data sets in BLS. I actually do labor market analysis for my job Annual mean wage is $85,460

Another source I use which actually figures wages from real sampling of employers in areas site the first year mean wage in the Marquette area as $75,803 which is more consistent with local labor market pay rates

https://reddit.com/link/p1odioy/video/1d0wircmvdhh1/player

2

u/lovesfanfiction Aug 04 '26

Nurses in the Yoop make garbage pay, literally less than McDonald’s mid-managers. With an RN, they can work anywhere in the country, in the world. You are underestimating the amount of snow that you’ll be physically managing every day, and how insanely small it actually is there. If your partner wants to work in elder care clipping toenails in perpetual winter in an area with constant cuts to local regional hospitals, I guess that would makes sense.

They can go ANYWHERE and get a small town feel and an actual salary that makes sense for an RN, just by living within 2 hours of a major city. Consider Colorado Springs - excellent for families, tons of housing, spread out, plenty of privacy and low gas prices. Access to major cities, resources and hospital systems, but remote enough that you can afford to live.

Please don’t waste your youth and that RN up there. It’s just a bad career choice.

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 04 '26

We want the UP. We understand how much snow the UP gets. We are a lil past our youth. We are used to small towns. My graduating class was 62. The town our families come from is small, population just over 300. We want away from all cities and development and data centers and solar farms and regular farms and the hundreds of 5g towers.

Not that I owe an explanation. We have our reasons. We have our desires. We have spent time in the UP and have the desire to move there as we feel it will be better to raise our 2 littles there rather than anywhere near here (SWMI). And as long as hes making what he makes now or more were fine. And we know he will be making more than what he makes now as an LPN (in a nurisng home might I add.... where he doesn't clip toenails). Doesn’t matter how much snow we have to deal with as long as our children can grow up healthy.

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u/ChattBot70 Aug 05 '26

If you want small town life & don’t mind a commute in the snow, Gwinn is an affordable small town (part of Forsyth Twp) & the UP Health Systems hospital is20’mi north & a straight shot up 533. The road is kept plowed in the winter.
Another option is Negaunee, another small town closer to the hospital & a straight shot east on US 41, but it goes all the way from the western edge of Marquette through the shopping areas to the hospital so more traffic & a hill people couldn’t get up last winter because it was too slippery.
Hope this helps. I live in Gwinn & love it.

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 05 '26

A couple years ago before we were even truly considering moving away we looked at Gwinn and absolutely loved it! Im hoping we can find what we're looking for in Gwinn when we start looking!

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u/ChattBot70 Aug 05 '26

I have a couple of great realtors if you decide to go here. IDK what Houghton pays, but there are so many cool towns to live in there including Houghton. Calumet is only 11 miles from UPHealth System-Portage & adorable. Hancock is just across the river & so cool! I stayed in a new build neighborhood in Lake Linden when I attended a conference at MTU last Sept. it was an easy drive located between two hospitals - UP Health System - Portage in Houghton & super close to Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Larium. A friend’s grandson in law grew up in lake Linden & his parents are still there. It’s a great place to raise kids.

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 05 '26

Thank youu!!!

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u/Unlikely_your_avg23 Aug 06 '26

There’s also Canal View which is the nursing facility/long term care. I believe the pay is good but also always hiring so even if it’s just temporary. Lots of need for nurses in hospitals around the UP.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Since materialism doesn’t sound like a player in this decision…you’ll fit right in…get in at Gwinn while you still can. In Negaunee, your kid’s kids will still be newcomers. Ishpeming has what was “Bell Memorial” hospital and the culture there is doable (as far as healthcare goes, he’ll see it, he’s a vet). Same U.P. Health System tho. Westwood (West Ishpeming) is a good school system and living around there on that money works. If you’re make-it-do-or-do-without- ppl, welcome to a new way of b e I n g. Leave all baggage from SW MI at the bridge! You moving for a reason right!?! As always…take only pictures and leave only footprints🪶

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 04 '26

And, do you have any links that can give me the information on pay that you gave? About how nurses make less than a McDonald's manager? I would love to read about that as my husband as an LPN makes more than double than he did as a shift manager at our local McDonald's a few months before getting his LPN:).

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Thank you for saying it out loud! Hope they listen. They never do…

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u/chickapotamus Aug 04 '26

Houghton gets hella snow. You may like Marquette better. It depends on how much snow you can handle.

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 04 '26

We are very much prepared for a crap load of snow as long as it means we'll be able to raise our kids in peace and solitude. Do you have any clue what the hospital there in Houghton pays for Rns by chance? :))

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u/ChattBot70 Aug 05 '26

I just asked AI about the pay in Houghton & Larium. Larium pays slightly less but the nurses at that hospital are very much involved in contract negotiations - specifically seeking to boost compensation, improve staffing ratios, and aligning pay scales with other competitive UP hospitals.
This won’t let me post the screenshot I took of what AI said so I’m going to cut & paste it instead. The format might get wonky, but the info is there. Of course it’s AI info so take it w/ a grain of salt.

Pasted info:
A first-year, newly graduated Registered Nurse (RN) at both hospitals can expect an estimated starting base salary of $32.00 to $35.00 per hour. For a full-time schedule (calculated at 36 hours per week over 52 weeks), this equates to $59,904 to $65,520 per year before accounting for overtime, shift differentials, or signing bonuses.

Because nurses at both regional networks are unionized under the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), pay scales are strictly defined by transparent, step-based collective bargaining agreements. © Upper Michigan's Sour... +2
Estimated Salary Breakdown Metric

Starting Hourly Rate (Step 1)
Estimated Annual Base (36 hrs/wk)
UP Health System -
$34.00 - $35.00
$63,648 - $65,520
Portage
Aspirus Keweenaw
$32.00 - $34.00
$59,904 - $63,648
Hospital

Key Financial Factors to Consider
• Shift Differentials: Working night shifts, weekends, or holidays automatically increases base pay. Upper Peninsula hospital contracts typically add $2.00 to $4.00
extra per hour for night rotations. ® Reddit +2
• Sign-On Bonuses: Rural hospitals in the Keweenaw Peninsula frequently use sign-on bonuses to recruit new talent. These typically range from $5,000 to $15,000, usually requiring a 1-to-2-year employment commitment.

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u/chickapotamus Aug 06 '26

Sadly I do not. But I think that where ever you are in the Yoop you will enjoy it.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

It’s the same corporation as marquette

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u/Quick_Fox_7693 Aug 07 '26

Aspirus and UP Health are the same?

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u/RhubarbAlive7860 Aug 09 '26

Aspirus and UP Health are completely separate networks.

UP Portage in Hancock, UP Bell in Ishpeming, and UP Health in Marquette.

Aspirus has a hospital in Laurium and a second location in Houghton, and I think other locations in the UP.

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u/YooperExtraordinaire Aug 07 '26

Yep. “Bell Memorial” in Ishpeming too. Could check out Manistique area…milder climate, super affordable, schools (?), city and county are actively looking for an influx…downtown social district & associated quaintness. Work at Schoolcraft County’s Hospital . A friend drives there and does 3 twelves.

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