Salary
Average Salary: $65,470
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $2,733,000
It varies depending on location and exact type of work, but $60,000-$70,000 is in the right ballpark (source). Hope you're prepared to stomach working on a daily basis around people who are making three to five times that much. And no, we're not just referring to your really, really rich patients.
If you want to make more, there's always the nursing union (The California Nurses Association here in this state). It's a little tough to get into, but once you do, you're set. The pension'll add another $25,000 or so to your annual salary. Amazing how much more vomit you can put up with when you're making $100,000 a year.