NY Nurses To Get Pay Increase at State Agencies - Average of 4.5%

On October 14th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 6,500 nurses employed by the state would see a pay increase.  According to governor.ny.gov, New York State upgraded select nurse titles, the upgrades represent an average pay increase of 4.5 percent per title. New York, like many other states, saw an exodus of nurses, especially after COVID for a variety of reasons. Hochul hopes that this pay increase will help improve retention and recruitment. 

The starting salary for registered nurses will be brought up to $90,000 upstate and $108,000 downstate. The pay increases will benefit approximately 6,500 state employees across 15 agencies, including, 

• State University of New York

• Office of Mental Health

• Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

• Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

• Department of Health

• Office of Addiction Services and Supports

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“After more than two years on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19, New York nurses deserve more than our gratitude - they deserve fair and competitive pay,” Hochul said. “These wage increases reflect our state’s commitment to supporting our healthcare workers and will help us retain and recruit the next generation of nurses to keep New Yorkers safe.”

In addition to the base salary increase, nurses will also see updated shift pay for the evening and night shifts. There will be an increase of 7% of base pay for the evening shift, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. and an increase of 10% of base pay for the night shift, 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.

“New York State employs thousands of nurses, who provide critical services across our state agencies to protect the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers,” said New York Department of Civil Service Commissioner Timothy Hogues. “Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, the Department of Civil Service is working hard to implement changes to best support and retain our current public workforce and to ensure our compensation is competitive to attract the next generation of talent to public service careers.”

The significant pay increases are part of the Governor’s plan to help restore the healthcare workforce in New York. As part of the 2023 budget, Hochul is investing more than $10 billion in healthcare. This includes more than $4 billion to increase pay for healthcare workers. Full-time workers who remain in their positions for at least a year will be eligible for up to a $3,000 bonus. 

"After more than two years on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19, New York nurses deserve more than our gratitude - they deserve fair and competitive pay," Gov. Hochul, said.

To find out more about nursing careers in the state of New York, check out the state’s official website.