#62: My Nursing Salary Progression (15 Years) & Money Trap to Avoid

#62: My Nursing Salary Progression (15 Years) & Money Trap to Avoid

Author: Ellaine Maala November 10, 2025 Duration: 20:22

Achieving Financial Freedom as a Nurse: A 15-Year Journey of Salary Progression and Smart Investing    

 

Ellaine, a nurse practitioner and founder of Nursing FlowSheet, discusses her 15-year journey towards financial freedom and the importance of combining income growth with investing. She shares her personal salary progression from a bedside ICU nurse earning $28 per hour to a nurse practitioner making $250,000 to $270,000 annually. Ellaine emphasizes that merely increasing income is not sufficient—investing wisely is crucial to building wealth. She offers practical advice on avoiding lifestyle creep, using raises purposefully, and tracking expenses. Ellaine also advocates for job switching as a significant income lever in nursing, supported by data showing that job switchers earn more than those who stay put. Lastly, she stresses investing in assets, particularly the stock market, to combat inflation and secure financial freedom.    

00:00 Introduction: The Journey to Financial Freedom

00:39 The Reality of Chasing Income

00:56 Key Truths About Income and Investment

01:20 My Salary Progression as a Nurse

11:03 The Importance of Job Switching

14:08 Avoiding the Salary Trap

18:23 The Power of Investing

19:23 Conclusion: Building Financial Freedom    

FREE INVESTING CLASS: Enroll Here

 Scrubs and Stocks Podcast is a podcast hosted by Ellaine Maala, RN, NP who is a finance educator, nurse, and owner of NursingFlowsheet LLC, which is a finance and career blog for nurses. This podcast is created to help nurses build wealth through investing in the stock market, real estate or in their own businesses.

Nurses deserve options whether they want to retire early or work until retirement.

If you want to connect with Ellaine, follow her on:

Instagram: @nursewhoinvests

TikTok: @nursewhoinvests

Blog: nursingflowsheet.com , nursewhoinvests.com

Download my free investment cheatsheet

 


Ellaine Maala, a registered nurse and finance educator, hosts the Wealthy Nurse Podcast: Money, FI, Investing for Nurses. She speaks from a place of genuine understanding, navigating the unique financial pressures and irregular schedules that come with a nursing career. This isn't about generic money advice; it's a focused conversation on building security and freedom specifically for healthcare professionals. Episodes delve into practical strategies for investing in stocks and real estate, alongside exploring entrepreneurial paths for nurses looking to create their own businesses. The dialogue centers on achieving financial independence-whether that means designing an early exit from traditional work or gaining the confidence to continue in a beloved career without monetary stress. Through straightforward discussions and relatable stories, this podcast provides a resource for nurses ready to transform their financial knowledge into tangible wealth. It’s a space where clinical expertise meets financial literacy, all aimed at expanding what’s possible for nurses beyond their shifts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 73

Wealthy Nurse Podcast: Money, FI, Investing for Nurses
Podcast Episodes
#52: What is a COMFORTABLE NURSING SALARY?! [big announcement inside] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:36
Understanding Nursing Salaries: Comfortable Range and Tips for Financial Success Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we dive into nursing salaries in the United States and discuss what constitutes a 'comfortable' salary.…
#51: 4 Nursing Career Mistakes that Keeps you STUCK and UNFULFILLED [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:26
Here are the FOUR mistakes most nurses make in their career (and I've made as well) and why they are STUCK or does not like their job as nurses. Nursing is a great profession and I absolutely love my job although there w…
#49: the FOUR accounts you need to be a WEALTHY nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:24
One of the best ways to do this is by setting up the right financial accounts. I talked about the four accounts that will help you build a solid financial foundation and create long-term wealth. If you want to learn abou…
#47: A lesson about taking CALCULATED RISKS in life and money [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:18
This may not be my typical style of video, but I want to talk about why you need to take risks in life in general (AND INVESTING) and how this can help you see your full potential. A lot of people say that investing in t…
#46: 7 WAYS to Increase Your Income as a Nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:38
How to Increase your Nursing Salary and earn as much as $300k or MORE In this video, I talked about ways on how you can increase your income with your nursing degree. These are all things I HAVE DONE personally to increa…
#44: Redefining what being a WEALTHY NURSE really means [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:36
December 2, 2024 Episode 44: #44: Redefining what being a WEALTHY NURSE really means It's time to redefine what FINANCIAL FREEDOM means for nurses. If you're a nurse who is feeling stuck in the grind of bedside nursing a…
#43: Six SIMPLE Steps to Financial Freedom as a Nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:43
Episode 43: November 18,2024: 6 SIMPLE Steps to Achieve Financial Freedom as a Nurse In this video, I talked about the steps to achieve financial freedom as a nurse working full time. You deserve to have the option and t…