Governor announces pay increases for nurses working at state agencies
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a series of pay increases for nurse positions within New York State agencies to help improve recruitment and retention among the state’s healthcare workforce.
The increases, which account for the rising complexity of nursing tasks and high credential requirements for nurses, will bring the starting salary of registered nurses working the day shift to nearly $90,000 upstate and $108,000 downstate when coupled with pay differentials. The pay increases will benefit approximately 6,500 New York State employees located across 15 state agencies.
“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,” Governor 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.”
New York State upgraded select nursing titles, with the upgrades representing an average pay increase of 4.5 percent per title. Registered Nurse titles will also now be hired at the midpoint of the salary range. In addition, registered nurse titles will receive an updated shift pay to include an increase of 7 percent of base pay for the evening shift (4 p.m. to 12 a.m.) and an increase of 10 percent of base pay for the night shift (12 a.m. to 8 a.m.).
These pay increases are in addition to increased geographic pay differentials for registered and licensed practical nurse titles enacted earlier this year. In July, registered nurse positions located in Mid-Hudson and downstate locations received a $35,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 94 percent from the previous $18,000 differential. Registered nurse positions located in the rest of the state also received a $20,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 67 percent from the previous $12,000 pay differential.
In May, licensed practical nurse positions located in Mid-Hudson and downstate locations received a $13,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 550 percent from the previous $2,000 differential and positions located in the rest of the state received a $4,000 geographic pay differential, an increase of 100 percent from the previous $2,000 differential.
The salary increase is expected to have the greatest impact at the following agencies, which currently have the largest number of eligible positions:
- State University of New York – 3,381 employees
- Office of Mental Health – 1,663 employees
- Office for People with Developmental Disabilities – 674 employees
- Department of Corrections and Community Supervision – 518 employees
- Department of Health – 371 employees
- Office of Addiction Services and Supports – 120 employees
