Location

• Because the cost of living is high, nurses working in large cities will generally earn more than those who work in rural areas with small populations. PayScale reports that nurses working in New York and Los Angeles can expect to earn more than other large cities. New York City nurses earned salaries between $51,427 and $76,439 in 2010, while Los Angeles nurses earned between $49,957 and $77,662.
  
  

Experience

• Nurses with less than one year of experience can expect to earn considerably less than those with five to 20 years of experience. Working in a hospital setting as a Certified Nurse's Assistant or in a volunteer position can help aspiring nurses gain experience in the field while still in school.
  
  

Work Setting

• Nurses working in hospital settings and in employment services generally make more money than those who work in physician's offices, nursing homes, and in home health care. Hospital nurses and employment services nurses on average earn between $63,880 and $68,160, while the latter groups earn salaries ranging from $57,060 to $59,210, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures in 2008. Starting salaries for graduate nurses with no experience will most likely range between $38,294 and $52,399, according to PayScale in 2010.