Want to see how your travel nurse salary stacks up in this unpredictable travel nurse job market?

How about making sure you're getting the higher compensation you should be in our challenging career?

You're in the right place to get all your questions answered about travel nurse pay.

Welcome to our interactive pay explorer - with auto-updates every month!

Since September 2019, we've been continuously tracking travel nurse pay packages.

View our full history of pay insights using the toggle in the right-hand corner of any of our graphs in this article.

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More than four million jobs analyzed and four years later, we're proud to bring you objective overviews on the travel RN job market you can't find anywhere else.

Get the full scoop in this ultimate guide:

How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?

Do travel nurses earn more money than full-time registered nurses? Overall, definitely!

Keep in mind: Travel nurses make higher salaries on average.

Your potential average annual income will depend on demand for your nursing specialty and where you work.

The averages you see below are measured across all specialties and locations nationwide for a general comparison.

Average Travel Nurse Salary vs Staff Nurse Salary

Travel NursesStaff Nurses
Hourly Rates$58.50$41.50
Weekly Pay$2,100$1,490
Annual Salary$100,000$86,070

The average hourly pay for full-time staff RN's in the U.S. is $41.38, or $1,490 per week, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics registered nurse occupational outlook.

The average hourly rate for travel nurses is $58.50, or $2,100 per week, according to the StellarNurse Ultimate Travel Nurse Salary Explorer.

The average hourly wage for a travel RN is $17 higher than staff nurse pay, and the average salary per week is $610 more .

Extrapolating to compare the average annual salary of a staff nurse vs travel RN pay, the difference is significant, with travel nurses' average annual salary potential reaching upwards to $15,000 more than staff nurses.

We calculated the average annual salary for travel nurses for only 48 weeks a year. Travel nurses usually need time off to organize and move between new assignments.

Why Do Travel Nurses Make So Much?

In short, high demand = higher compensation.

We're all aware many healthcare facilities nationwide are experiencing "nursing shortages". Registered nurses are retiring and/or leaving the bedside altogether, a trend sped up by the pandemic.

It's estimated that by 2025 the US will have a staffing gap of 200,000-450,000 nurses. In other words, 10-20% of direct-patient care nursing jobs will be unfilled.

With nursing skills like ours in high demand, we deserve higher pay. Not to mention the inherent stress we put up with in our challenging career.

Travel nurses earn more competitive wages by having the adaptable skills necessary to fill critical staffing needs and provide meaningful patient care in a pinch with minimal to no orientation.

These critical needs are often on less desirable shifts, so preparing yourself to work night shift would open up more travel nurse job possibilities.

Healthcare facilities entice nurses with more competitive wages due to the extra hardships we take on with the lack of job stability while searching for new jobs every 13 weeks. There's also the lack of a consistent job benefits package and the inconveniences of travel costs and time.

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Is Travel Nursing Worth It?

If you're looking to get more satisfaction in your nursing career, it could definitely be worth it.

It turns out it really is better to be a travel nurse than a staff nurse. A sweeping study analyzing feedback straight from our fellow nurses confirms it.

Travel nurses report higher satisfaction and less workplace stress in their jobs than permanent staff nurses.

Nurses working in travel nurse jobs are more satisfied than permanent staff nurses in key areas:

  • better job satisfaction
  • less work-related stress
  • feeling safer on the job
  • more employer support
  • higher compensation

Working in a travel nurse job isn't easy, but it could elevate your bedside nursing practice and give you more control in your nursing career.

You'll have to decide if the pros outweigh the cons for yourself. The standard contract is only 13 weeks, so I recommend every nurse give it a try.

Pro tip: You should definitely take the time to research what to expect before you commit to a travel nurse job.

Get A Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown

Understanding how travel nurses' higher wages breakdown will help you compare pay offers and spot the jobs that are worth your relocation.

Travel nurses are typically hired as contracted temporary employees of travel nursing agencies, getting paid on a weekly basis to work in a variety of healthcare facilities.

The most common travel nurse contracts offered are for hospital inpatient units in a healthcare facility. These contracts usually commit you to work:

  • 12 hours/shift
  • 3 shifts/week
  • 36 hours/week
  • 13 weeks total
  • 468 work hours total per contract

Our interactive pay explorer above standardizes all travel nurse wage data around the average 36-hour weekly pay packages.

See A Pay Package Example

Here's an average travel nurse pay package offer for a Medical-Surgical Nurse working 36 hours/week:

  • $400 M&IE (Meals & Incidental Expenses) - per Week
  • $3,200 Housing Stipend - per Month
  • $750 Travel Reimbursement - One Time payment
  • $30 Base Rate - Hourly pay rate

It's confusing! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Let's break this offer down to view your pay per week and per hour. Convert all parts of your travel nurse wages to a standardized hourly rate, then combine to calculate.

Your "M&IE" (meals & incidental expenses) payment is meant to cover your living expenses and daily (diem) meal costs on assignment.

Your housing stipend covers your temporary housing in your assignment location. Remember you should be maintaining housing in your permanent tax home, as well.

Many travel nursing offer travel reimbursements to help offset the higher cost of life on the road.

Pay Package OfferPay per Week (36 hrs)Hourly rates
$400 M&IE Weekly$400$11.11
$3,200 Housing Stipend Monthly$800$22.22
$750 Travel Reimbursement One-time$57.69$1.60
$30 Base Rate Hourly$1,080$30
Total Gross Pay (Pre-Taxes)$2,337.69$64.94

Be aware you may have more living expenses coming out of your travel nursing paycheck, based on what employment benefits package you accept:

  • Taxes based on your permanent tax home rates
  • Agency health insurance - health benefits can start at $20/week
  • Agency 401k retirement plans

Ask your agency what other benefits they provide and how those affect your pay package.

Taxable vs Tax Free Pay

Following on from our pay example above, your travel nurse pay is made up of a taxable hourly wage and tax free income.

Weekly Income per OfferTaxable?
$400 M&IE (Meals & Incidental Expenses)N
$800 Housing StipendN
$57.69 Travel ReimbursementN
$1,080 Hourly Base RateY
$2,337.69 Total$1,080 Taxed

Notice that more than half of this pay package is tax free pay. Ka-ching!

Your tax free stipends, or "Per Diem" pay, are based on daily maximum rates set by the government.  Check gsa.gov's Per Diem rates for your next contract location.

Travel nurses are eligible for Per Diem tax free stipends when working away from your permanent tax home. When receiving tax free pay you MUST duplicate living/housing expenses, required per IRS rules.

This means paying fair market prices for both your accommodation at your travel nursing assignment, AND maintaining your own housing at your permanent tax home.

Many agencies also offer travel reimbursements to help you get money back you spent on travel expenses moving between assignments.

Pro tip: You can still "travel nurse" while living in your own housing at your permanent tax home. The difference is your income will be fully taxed, and you won't be eligible for the the tax free travel nursing pay.

Highest Paying States for Travel Nurses

Which states are really worth the higher cost license fees? Our map shows the highest paying states for travel nurses over the past 12 months.

To view the highest paying states averages since September 2019, use the toggle in the right-hand corner of any of our graphs.

These averages would include crisis rate market fluctuations.

Last 12 months 

Map Chart: Top Paying Travel Nursing States

Highest paying states for travel nurses. Standardized to 36/hour week contracts to compare data accurately.

For more specific travel nurse salary by state, see our table below with detailed pay trends and job availability.

We've included the standard deviation. This shows you how 68% of pay offers spread above and below the average travel RN rates. Picture a bell curve.

For example, 68% of California travel nurse salaries are $2,537.01 +/- $681.08 = pay range of $1,855.93 - $3,218.09.

The 'job count' column gives you a snapshot of each state's job availability.

Highest Paying States for Travel Nurses

Last 12 months 
State Average Weekly Pay Weekly Pay St. Deviation# Jobs Observed
Alaska$2,433.14$550.9712,107
California$2,362.84$491.32136,935
Wisconsin$2,326.79$660.6161,387
New York$2,318.52$432.75104,196
Massachusetts$2,312.30$482.2676,237
Vermont$2,307.19$593.4321,702
North Dakota$2,262.76$508.3021,454
New Jersey$2,226.54$415.5840,879
Illinois$2,214.74$448.7864,275
Rhode Island$2,196.37$447.665,918
Connecticut$2,195.39$439.2117,345
South Dakota$2,184.86$508.3118,853
Oregon$2,178.35$430.7140,015
Maine$2,175.95$404.1629,115
New Hampshire$2,171.57$481.2530,032
Nevada$2,169.79$435.987,748
Washington$2,165.23$431.6667,414
Nebraska$2,162.32$402.0624,548
Idaho$2,160.39$348.2114,288
Montana$2,141.61$424.3020,731
West Virginia$2,141.27$431.9819,742
Minnesota$2,139.69$569.0823,370
Utah$2,130.06$404.474,856
Hawaii$2,126.50$458.6514,296
Wyoming$2,126.16$410.967,302
Arizona$2,123.57$403.9649,592
Ohio$2,118.32$407.5467,011
Colorado$2,116.81$415.0840,452
Iowa$2,109.39$381.2545,093
Kentucky$2,083.82$346.2726,243
Oklahoma$2,074.14$343.7229,045
Indiana$2,063.70$386.8845,085
District Of Columbia$2,063.63$369.925,196
Virginia$2,058.50$365.0561,044
Missouri$2,044.24$354.1539,175
Kansas$2,043.32$394.5323,282
Michigan$2,037.37$426.3344,017
Delaware$2,019.43$459.454,667
Pennsylvania$2,016.20$506.4756,772
Maryland$1,998.96$405.0434,053
New Mexico$1,944.06$420.8231,595
Louisiana$1,936.96$360.8514,477
Arkansas$1,915.53$431.588,394
Tennessee$1,909.23$304.7735,681
Georgia$1,909.20$359.8269,122
South Carolina$1,901.28$328.0129,889
North Carolina$1,896.05$352.7576,988
Florida$1,886.67$334.5144,378
Texas$1,878.06$357.7384,932
Mississippi$1,858.97$509.217,918
Alabama$1,789.67$325.6317,710
Table: Travel Nurse States by Highest Paying. Standard deviation explanation.

Curious what the market looked like pre-COVID19?

Below is a compilation of the states that offered the higher pay from September 2019 - March 2020. Compare this list to our above map and table to see what difference crisis rates made.

Top 5 Highest Paying States for Travel Nurses (Pre - Covid19)

  1. California Consistently has the best pay and the most jobs by a long shot. Both inside and outside of the pandemic.
  2. New Jersey Solid opportunities for both pay and job availability.
  3. Washington D.C. Great income, but fewer job openings.
  4. Alaska Decent pay and lots of jobs, despite reputation for low rates. Current rates lower than pre-covid19.
  5. Connecticut Regularly pays above average with frequent job openings.

Highest Travel Nurse Salaries by Metropolitan Area

Not sure which areas of the country pay great for travel nurses?

We've got a summary here to get you started. Get even more location-specific data on high paying opportunities using our interactive pay explorer.

Top 5 Highest Travel Nurse Salaries by Metropolitan Area

Go after high pay AND lots of job openings in these locations:

  1. California Holds 9 of our top 10 spots for highest-paying metro areas
  2. East Coast New York City-Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC
  3. Pacific Northwest Seattle-Tacoma, Portland
  4. Midwest St Louis, Chicago
  5. Arizona Phoenix, Tuscon

Pro Tip: Investing in a California license is worth your time and money if you're looking for LOTS of high-paying job options.

Highest Paying Travel Nurse Specialties

Feast your eyes on the largest travel nursing specialty comparison available including more than 130 specialties. Our interactive table shows nationwide pay averages including standard deviation for you to get an accurate overview of the highest paying specialties.

Last 12 months 
Travel Nursing Specialty Average Weekly Pay Weekly Pay St. Deviation# Jobs Observed
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA / CRNA)$6,610.61$1,484.4225
Cardiovascular / Cardiothoracic Surgery (PA / CV / CT Surg)$5,601.94$449.666
Physicist (Non-Healthcare / Phys)$5,495.20$1,086.45325
Perfusionist (Allied / Perf)$5,042.68$940.85345
Emergency Medicine (PA / ED)$3,562.70$864.664
Psychiatry - Mental Health (NP / Psych)$3,242.92$744.8017
Psychologist (Allied / CP)$3,188.50$973.7396
Family Nurse Practitioner (NP / FNP)$3,130.45$913.59122
Assistant Nurse Manager (RN / Asst RN Mgr)$3,086.81$566.4725
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (RN / CRNA)$3,052.61$2,561.19141
Dosimetrist (Allied / Dosimetrist)$3,005.02$612.85192
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (School Services / School)$2,979.59$1,921.7719
Lactation (RN / Lactation)$2,811.57$377.8132
Registered Nurse First Assistant (RN / RNFA)$2,759.78$774.243,180
Pediatric Oncology (RN / Peds Onc)$2,702.13$1,490.9389
Critical Care Flight / Transport Nurse (RN / Flight)$2,645.64$760.3445
Audiologist (Allied / Aud)$2,639.25$546.17152
Doctor of Pharmacy (Allied / PharmD)$2,638.98$491.804,625
Pathology Assistant (Allied / Path Asst)$2,601.83$522.58879
Special Procedures Technologist (Allied / Special Procedures Tech)$2,582.51$405.221,453
Interventional Radiology Technologist (Allied / IR Tech)$2,582.10$457.4122,327
Pediatric Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / Peds CVOR)$2,549.74$424.14104
Nurse Manager (RN / RN Mgr)$2,540.99$719.943,436
Director of Nursing (RN / DON)$2,535.22$669.731,328
Public Health (RN / Pub Hlth)$2,534.69$254.2517
Infection Control (RN / Infection)$2,533.91$515.76602
Multi-Modality Technologist (Allied / Multi-Modality Technologist)$2,524.27$310.881,027
Cardiovascular Cath Lab Technologist (Allied / Cardiac Cath Lab Tech)$2,500.63$413.9736,521
Pediatric Operating Room (RN / Peds OR)$2,483.19$582.32731
Administrative (RN / Admin)$2,475.19$577.37266
Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Allied / CNMT)$2,471.08$456.4913,477
School Psychologist, Certified (School Services / NCSP)$2,460.07$875.82118
Electrophysiology Lab Technician (Allied / EP Lab Tech)$2,459.10$396.264,314
Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / CVOR)$2,458.90$436.1316,387
Electrophysiology Lab (RN / EP Lab)$2,451.93$417.453,144
House Supervisor (Supervisor / House Sup)$2,441.73$469.201,758
Nurse Navigator (RN / RN Navigator)$2,440.47$343.1552
Cardiac Cath Lab (RN / Cath Lab)$2,437.13$383.0030,822
Special Procedures (RN / Special Procedures)$2,434.73$429.24232
Computed Tomography Technologist (Allied / CT Tech)$2,430.10$423.76119,183
Interventional Radiology (RN / IR)$2,427.17$382.808,861
Diagnostic Radiologist (Allied / Radiologist)$2,415.96$400.66488
Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / Peds CVICU)$2,401.98$345.39818
MRI Technologist (Allied / MRI Technologist)$2,400.11$410.9838,697
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (RN / CDI)$2,393.30$301.2754
Pediatric Hematology - Oncology (RN / Peds Heme/Onc)$2,381.08$327.82190
Radiology (RN / Radiology)$2,377.73$367.942,806
MRI Technician (Allied / MRI Tech)$2,377.45$380.8010,553
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (RN / PICU)$2,375.05$437.179,069
Echocardiograph Technologist (Allied / Echo Technologist)$2,373.99$372.197,969
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (School Services / BCBA)$2,368.01$757.7945
Echo-Vascular Technician (Allied / Echo/Vasc Tech)$2,361.87$592.311,876
Radiotherapist (Allied / Radiotherapy)$2,355.17$445.336,934
Clinical Nurse Coordinator (RN / CNC)$2,344.54$515.31154
Labor & Delivery (RN / L&D)$2,335.44$430.0264,263
Mammography Tech (Allied / Mammo Tech)$2,322.67$388.589,714
Surgical Oncology (RN / Surg Onc)$2,315.72$341.46151
Vascular Access Nurse (RN / PICC RN)$2,310.72$427.14155
Echocardiograph Technician (Allied / Echo Tech)$2,308.74$364.416,850
Vascular Technologist (Allied / RVT)$2,295.44$394.763,733
Admissions (RN / ADM)$2,292.65$242.5027
Cytotechnologist (Allied / Cyto)$2,292.62$413.921,123
Ultrasound Technologist (Allied / US Technologist)$2,273.66$384.7232,773
Hematology (RN / Heme)$2,272.85$296.88136
Pediatric Progressive Care Unit (RN / Peds PCU)$2,269.10$247.89505
Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / Peds PACU)$2,265.20$353.58246
Patient Care Coordinator (RN / PCC)$2,264.40$706.2593
Nurse Educator (RN / Education)$2,262.60$848.28627
Hematology / Oncology (RN / Heme / Onc)$2,262.18$333.67852
OB/GYN (RN / OB/GYN)$2,251.25$430.314,133
Wound Care (RN / Wound)$2,249.22$437.572,563
Bone Marrow Transplant (RN / BMT)$2,246.55$285.93931
Ultrasound-Sonography Technician (Allied / US/Sono Tech)$2,243.96$348.547,211
Coronary Care Unit (RN / CCU)$2,232.75$304.805,248
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / CVICU)$2,231.83$397.1617,823
Operating Room (RN / OR)$2,228.61$421.8559,743
Pediatric Emergency Department (RN / Peds ED)$2,227.77$357.962,450
Case Management (RN / CM)$2,222.17$400.7112,297
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RN / NICU)$2,216.36$407.8915,067
Transplant (RN / Transplant)$2,214.95$480.69639
Orthopedic Neurology (RN / Ortho / Neuro)$2,209.74$295.34207
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (RN / CTICU)$2,208.78$315.14558
Obstetric Ultrasound - Sonographer (Allied / OB/GYN US)$2,204.23$388.77160
Utilization Review (RN / UR)$2,199.57$350.04410
Infusion Therapy (RN / Infusion)$2,198.99$370.042,157
Pediatrics (RN / Peds)$2,197.75$404.617,489
Neurology Intensive Care Unit (RN / Neuro ICU)$2,183.20$312.344,004
Cardiology (RN / Cardio)$2,181.87$369.201,926
Burn Intensive Care Unit (RN / BICU)$2,166.67$462.45718
Cardiac Stepdown Unit (RN / CSDU)$2,164.90$283.77663
Float Pool (RN / Float)$2,162.77$358.992,000
Step Down Unit (RN / SDU)$2,161.85$293.2916,341
Direct Observation Unit (RN / DOU)$2,161.06$305.031,628
Postoperative (RN / Post-op)$2,155.70$295.4879
Oncology (RN / Onc)$2,152.44$367.6920,165
Same Day Surgery (RN / SDS)$2,150.71$330.647
Pain Management (RN / Pain Mgt)$2,144.84$277.0239
Postpartum (RN / PP)$2,144.50$464.065,272
Emergency Department (RN / ED)$2,137.85$346.87103,817
Nephrology (RN / Neph)$2,137.26$662.29219
Radiology Technologist (Allied / X-Ray Technologist)$2,136.69$423.6449,094
Medical Surgical Telemetry (RN / Med Surg Tele)$2,134.54$286.1559,586
Neurology (RN / Neuro)$2,133.70$363.215,327
Intensive Care Unit (RN / ICU)$2,131.04$354.2886,872
Surgical Intensive Care Unit (RN / SICU)$2,129.68$318.501,875
Urgent Care (RN / Urgent Care)$2,125.06$463.97317
X-Ray Technician (Allied / X-Ray Tech)$2,116.40$256.161,817
Home Health (RN / HH)$2,116.32$385.4718,392
Endoscopy (RN / Endo)$2,115.87$347.867,664
Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / PACU)$2,115.13$362.2220,004
Trauma Intensive Care Unit (RN / TICU)$2,113.50$349.481,432
Gastrointestinal Lab (RN / GI Lab)$2,110.91$309.591,716
Acute Care (RN / Acute)$2,102.85$350.913,858
Progressive Care Unit (RN / PCU)$2,092.89$305.0866,186
Certified Surgical First Assistant (Allied / CSFA)$2,090.36$482.712,360
Therapeutic Apheresis (RN / Apheresis)$2,085.66$355.3183
Telemetry (RN / Tele)$2,074.01$340.1670,961
Urology (RN / Urology)$2,073.65$309.33194
Research / Clinical Research (RN / Research)$2,071.92$387.77144
Dialysis (RN / Dialysis)$2,068.32$309.379,162
Ambulatory Care (RN / Amb)$2,056.75$406.911,901
Occupational Health (RN / Occ Health)$2,056.26$256.83257
Hospice (RN / Hospice)$2,053.88$342.786,549
Radiology Technician (Allied / Rad Tech)$2,053.37$376.0631,295
Stroke / Neuro (RN / Stroke / Neuro)$2,047.73$235.4174
Outpatient Clinic (RN / Outpatient)$2,046.06$414.004,860
Medical Surgical (RN / Med Surg)$2,042.89$341.00146,456
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Allied / LCSW)$2,041.20$421.664,748
Neurology Progressive Care Unit (RN / Neuro PCU)$2,040.36$290.971,585
Orthopedic (RN / Ortho)$2,039.83$312.895,246
CVOR Technologist (Allied / CVOR Tech)$2,034.26$349.8312,957
Perioperative (RN / Peri-op)$2,033.64$363.162,277
Special Education Teacher (School Services / Special Ed)$2,026.76$1,160.84642
Psychiatric - Mental Health (RN / Psych)$2,023.98$348.5317,312
Long Term Acute Care (RN / LTAC)$2,020.74$381.5410,973
Charge Nurse (RN / Charge)$1,988.67$372.18208
Nurse Resident (RN / RN Resident)$1,986.27$115.413
Physical Therapy (Therapy / PT)$1,983.16$342.90121,974
Speech Language Pathologist (Allied / SLP)$1,971.15$329.9729,892
Corrections (RN / Corr)$1,968.72$362.723,404
Respiratory Therapist (Allied / RT)$1,964.38$390.3046,627
Assistant Director of Nursing (RN / Asst. DON)$1,944.84$613.57223
School Nurse (RN / School Nurse)$1,940.75$363.00208
Obstetric Technician (Allied / OB Tech)$1,924.24$393.70745
Occupational Therapy (Therapy / OT)$1,909.45$329.3440,367
Long Term Care (RN / LTC)$1,892.87$344.0118,878
Electroencephalogram Technician (Allied / EEG Tech)$1,885.73$286.88835
Recreational Therapist (Therapy / RT)$1,871.35$466.5147
Electroencephalogram Technologist (Allied / EEG Technologist)$1,869.15$294.221,285
Polysomnographer (Allied / Sleep Tech)$1,844.91$304.181,459
Registered Dietician (Allied / RDCD)$1,840.54$301.52593
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (Allied / SLPA)$1,834.32$381.28132
Skilled Nursing Facility (RN / SNF)$1,816.53$507.439,603
Rehabilitation (RN / Rehab)$1,785.34$433.9914,295
Rehabilitation Therapy (Allied / Rehab Therapy)$1,781.80$398.26589
Medical Tech / Medical Laboratory Scientist / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Allied / MT / MLS / CLS)$1,773.58$457.3110,843
Operating Room / Surgical Technician (Allied / OR / Surg Tech)$1,759.48$383.5554,229
Antepartum (Allied / Ante)$1,698.35$411.6760
Histotechnician (Allied / HT)$1,685.57$374.941,045
Emergency Department (LPN / LVN / ED)$1,633.60$343.25154
Long Term Acute Care (LPN / LVN / LTAC)$1,597.81$280.8421
Paramedic (Allied / Paramedic)$1,592.54$299.43268
Telehealth (RN / Telehealth)$1,560.01$403.85126
Psychiatric - Mental Health (LPN / LVN / Psych)$1,555.28$264.09362
Endoscopy Technician (Allied / Endo Tech)$1,547.24$357.84967
Anesthesia Technician (Allied / Anesthesia Tech)$1,539.76$308.56448
Home Health (LPN / LVN / HH)$1,523.48$198.552,515
Hospice (LPN / LVN / Hospice)$1,512.71$259.58136
School Nurse (LPN / LVN / School Nurse)$1,502.69$258.6427
Outpatient Clinic (Allied / Outpatient)$1,475.86$211.67101
Telemetry (LPN / LVN / Tele)$1,466.42$289.89155
Electrocardiograph Technician (Allied / EKG Tech)$1,461.17$480.09136
Corrections (LPN / LVN / Corr)$1,437.03$294.702,804
Long Term Care (LPN / LVN / LTC)$1,436.00$229.7521,815
Outpatient Clinic (LPN / LVN / Outpatient)$1,388.49$488.833,216
Psychiatric - Mental Health Technician (Allied / Psych Tech)$1,379.29$491.09106
Telemetry Monitor Technician (Allied / Tele / Monitor Tech)$1,365.20$356.66530
Physical Therapy Assistant (Therapy / PTA)$1,359.52$253.1826,265
Emergency Department Technician (Allied / ED Tech)$1,338.68$337.85155
Medical Surgical (LPN / LVN / Med Surg)$1,338.12$260.472,469
Occupational Therapy Assistant (Therapy / OTA)$1,305.77$247.363,262
Pharmacy Technician (Allied / Pharm Tech)$1,304.35$349.13546
Dialysis Technician (Allied / Dialysis Tech)$1,298.55$195.19836
( / Rehab)$1,285.63$266.75397
Sterile Processing Technician (Allied / SPT)$1,268.23$258.294,287
LPN / LVN (LPN / LVN / LPN / LVN)$1,245.13$262.4215,703
Antepartum (RN / Antepartum)$1,204.45$515.521,227
Clerical (Non-Healthcare / Clerical)$1,204.27$631.0421
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA / CNA)$1,171.24$345.18162
Phlebotomy (Allied / Phlebotomist)$1,147.77$460.41423
Long Term Care (CNA / LTC)$1,124.69$236.17153
Medical Surgical (CNA / Med Surg)$1,122.09$200.6346
Patient Care Technician (Allied / PCT)$1,066.72$330.30525
Certified Medical Assistant (Allied / CMA)$1,045.05$376.541,120
Table: Travel Nurse Specialties

We removed specialties with very low job counts and supervisory roles. This keeps our data relevant to the travel nursing specialties with high pay AND regular job availability.

For a different view, we've got an interactive bubble chart displaying the highest paying travel nurse specialties by their job availability. Hover over the bubbles to identify the specialties.

Last 12 months 
Chart: Travel Nurse Specialties Bubble Chart

Not all nursing specialties have a regular high need for travel nurses. For example, RN's in Electrophysiology Lab (EP Lab) regularly have higher pay offerings, but don't have the plentiful job options that ICU or L&D nurses have.

Pro tip: If you aspire to work consistently as a travel nurse, gain experience in a specialty with higher job availability.

I repeat: Higher demand = Higher compensation.

How To Find the Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs

How can you cut through the lowball offers to find and land the best paying travel nurse salaries? We started StellarNurse to help you.

After analyzing the market for 4+ years, here's our best advice:

  • Use our interactive pay explorer to check pay trends, job availability and best agencies for your specialty
  • Check out the newest & highest-paying travel nursing jobs to get an objective overview on your best current opportunities
  • Message agencies anonymously on our StellarNurse jobs marketplace, focus on agencies that pay best and have lots of jobs for your specialty
  • Keep current state licenses for the locations that have your specialty's best pay and highest job availability
  • Breakdown pay packages to weekly or hourly income to accurately compare job offers
  • Prioritize high pay - above personal convenience, best locations, nicest recruiter or agency loyalty
  • Move fast for Crisis or Rapid Response rate offers

In a nutshell, stay flexible. The best offers are competitive and often need help fast. Be ready to adjust plans quickly, coordinate with a new agency or arrange travel to an unexpected location.

Bonus tip: If you like your agency, tell fellow travel nurses. Make an easy $500-$1,000. Every agency offers referral bonuses if a nurse you referred works with them too.

How To Find The Best Paying Travel Nurse Agencies

With more than 500 agencies posting travel nursing jobs daily it’s overwhelming to find which ones might be the best travel nurse companies for you.

After analyzing 4 million jobs over the past 4 years, we’ve organized our data to help you make informed decisions on which agencies to prioritize contacting first.

Find the best paying travel nurse agencies for your specialty and preferred locations. Use the filters to see which agencies have the most jobs available.

Last 12 months 
Agency Average Weekly Pay Weekly Pay St. Deviation# Jobs Observed
Nightingale Nurses$2,172.88$372.009,983
Ardor Health Solutions$2,034.82$389.129,906
RKA Recruiting$2,313.65$417.52974
Zack Group$2,071.25$548.769,671
AMN Healthcare Allied$1,986.28$455.939,559
Trusted Resource Associates (TRA)$2,261.56$432.83946
Siemens Healthineers$2,783.52$301.27935
Titan Medical Group$2,188.94$391.239,246
Jackson Therapy Partners$1,848.65$356.969,237
Voca Healthcare$2,103.33$464.019,208
Millbrook$2,614.41$357.8892
Reliable Nurse Staffing$2,224.63$366.589,046
Lahey Health$2,484.83$397.7190
Novo Connections$1,902.40$374.609
Vibra Travels$2,115.45$293.008,780
RTG Medical$1,999.68$417.088,745
Custom Healthcare Solutions$2,136.34$368.1685
Pulse Healthcare Services$2,330.99$589.94845
Phaxis$2,189.22$281.73842
Beyond Medical Staffing$1,984.02$395.35838
Sunbelt Staffing$2,491.90$357.93834
Skyline Med Staff$1,912.21$412.318,338
MSSI$2,380.38$395.71832
NuWest Group$2,106.91$435.508,220
Next Move, Inc.$2,103.04$335.078,200
Supplemental Health Care$1,853.15$466.4581,321
TactStaff$2,199.51$346.658,128
AB Staffing Solutions$2,234.85$495.57812
MARS Solutions Group$2,526.25$450.4880
Bestica$2,223.82$426.527,778
Trinity Health FirstChoice$2,469.69$389.87767
FlexCare Medical Staffing$2,231.72$367.277,629
Premier Medical Staffing$2,088.82$389.277,626
Triage Staffing$2,109.32$683.3476,051
VitalHire$2,174.41$441.33760
IntellaPro Staffing$2,259.94$514.2076
Lifeline Medical Staffing$2,027.24$411.02754
Alliance Medical Staffing$2,185.09$660.2874
Reliant Staffing Solutions$2,253.23$275.99725
Health Carousel$2,165.69$376.49716
Arrow Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting$2,044.05$385.357,065
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing$2,321.69$409.33691
TLC Nursing$2,102.04$505.216,708
Meda Health$2,241.49$380.576,681
HumanEdge$2,215.52$431.19666
Firstat Medical Staffing$2,313.88$586.81658
QS Nurses$2,043.50$372.54656
PS Companies$2,519.37$306.90652
Aureus Medical Group$2,141.25$402.3263,827
NURSES Etc. STAFFING$2,386.83$369.70616
Modern Healthcare Solutions$2,315.06$339.49610
Medasource$2,251.74$324.00602
GQR Healthcare$1,907.37$544.505,977
LanceSoft$2,335.00$453.2659,449
Raisso Inc.$2,367.74$294.36592
Prime Time Healthcare$2,420.00$360.835,829
Rock Medical Group$2,309.61$437.79579
Tallavera$2,422.94$295.4357
Vighter$2,319.85$343.23550
RNnetwork$2,036.82$608.235,449
Lucid Staffing Solutions$2,422.99$583.84544
Revolution Healthcare Services$2,181.62$469.185,127
United Staffing Solutions$2,293.31$469.47512
Host Healthcare$2,343.16$1,176.8850,017
Alto Healthcare Staffing$2,206.70$525.85500
Specialty Professional Services$2,017.48$377.80495
Genie Healthcare$2,119.87$444.2349,461
CrossMed$1,961.32$341.104,885
Malone Healthcare Solutions$2,311.14$365.064,784
SkyBridge Healthcare$1,910.38$355.024,738
Froedtert Health$2,281.40$365.99473
TotalMed$2,101.11$368.0546,769
Nurses 24/7$2,570.94$320.79465
Formation, Inc.$2,242.86$521.50455
Bluebird Staffing$2,129.82$362.63447
Health Specialists, Inc.$2,107.79$271.30433
Access Healthcare Staffing$2,184.20$414.1443,265
Insight Global$2,386.33$578.49428
Ethos Medical Staffing$2,101.51$392.234,224
RCM Healthcare Services$2,195.06$385.05421
Planet Healthcare$2,133.32$436.8841,145
Grady Works$1,948.62$244.8041
Pluto Healthcare Staffing$2,180.20$313.41408
Vastek Inc.$2,291.01$370.314,035
Source Medical Staffing$2,095.21$448.043,968
Excel Medical Staffing$2,229.55$510.683,952
MedPro Healthcare Staffing$2,142.54$375.5939,041
Open Door Personnel$2,003.55$263.1039
GrapeTree Medical Staffing$1,665.27$403.933,893
American Medical Staffing$1,810.81$419.743,826
Fiber Staffing$2,154.60$242.87375
OneStaff Medical$1,830.17$487.7437,191
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions$2,028.76$330.5936,845
Providence Health Care Staffing$2,148.61$597.673,624
Infojini Healthcare$2,413.21$465.71362
Nurses First Solutions$2,099.04$478.783,570
Cure Healthcare Staffing$2,350.78$342.573,505
CoreMedical Group$1,942.73$360.6535,033
FlexUp Direct$2,084.56$515.413,493
DT-Trak Consulting$2,709.88$450.49347
Cross Country Healthcare$2,077.16$476.7234,246
Critical Connection, inc$2,035.79$239.093,360
Go Healthcare$2,045.60$356.9333,450
Soliant Health$2,487.45$494.15334
National Staffing$1,708.59$337.82332
Stability Healthcare$2,179.26$377.5832,036
Gifted Healthcare$2,199.70$362.593,128
Lead Health$2,155.94$389.043,054
Medical Solutions$2,119.59$432.1330,345
Atlas MedStaff$2,258.90$472.193
Blu Medstaff$1,880.30$355.07295
SambaCare$2,186.28$472.682,914
White Glove Placement$2,494.90$313.27290
ADN Healthcare$2,246.20$373.3528,753
ARM Staffing$2,193.09$389.772,853
Med Ninjas$2,216.62$532.86285
Centra Healthcare$1,772.07$351.422,830
Health Carousel - Allied Travel$2,044.53$422.142,818
eTeam Inc$2,172.10$475.942,803
MedUS Healthcare$2,208.31$343.702,728
The Judge Group$2,541.10$377.642,611
LeaderStat$2,208.21$371.7525,866
Premier Healthcare Professionals$2,241.96$462.2525,769
Summit Medical Staffing$2,127.93$771.0825,691
Halcyon Nurse Staffing$2,181.89$413.24255
Remede Consulting Group, Inc.$2,281.81$322.142,546
American Mobile Healthcare (AMN)$2,279.23$446.832,539
Accountable Healthcare Staffing$2,056.29$306.642,486
MedWave Healthcare Staffing$2,079.14$584.922,480
Healthcare Staffing - IDR, Inc$2,053.94$446.1824,503
Thrive Staffing$2,118.35$425.902,442
Voyage Healthcare$2,202.92$321.472,437
Refined Medical Staffing$2,195.97$372.422,390
Excite Health Partners$2,742.06$448.15239
GHR Travel Nursing$2,189.13$313.5423,357
AHS Staffing$2,076.65$374.2323,282
TRS Healthcare$2,094.93$427.3723,074
Aequor Healthcare$2,099.78$351.1922,953
PRIDE Health$2,206.77$449.0422,478
Magnet Medical$2,176.19$414.5922,367
Nurse First Travel Agency$2,184.33$341.9222,025
Nurse Hustle$2,178.19$369.55220
ADEX Healthcare Staffing - US Travel Nursing$2,178.55$393.8721,976
Galaxy Healthcare$2,230.02$311.252,177
Innovent Global$2,366.57$507.53214
Travel Nurse Across America$2,124.96$346.7221,215
Synergy Medical Staffing$1,998.72$480.6420,218
Favorite Healthcare Staffing$2,609.01$522.92202
The Good Life MedStaff$2,208.06$437.912,004
Greenstaff Medical$2,645.58$469.3120
Plains Medical Staffing$2,064.94$355.9220
ALOIS Healthcare$2,122.58$394.0219,682
Peregrine Team$2,321.80$419.71195
Becker Health$2,295.95$350.64189
Northside Hospital Choice+Local$1,915.08$398.78188
Advantis Medical Staffing$2,016.55$388.2518,435
The Stepping Stones Group$1,928.06$322.63183
Catapult Healthcare$2,296.41$489.301,824
Anders Group$2,157.16$408.8317,976
GetMed Staffing, Inc.$1,793.12$423.5817,929
Destination Travelcare$2,158.21$326.631,771
Healthcare Support$2,121.06$396.4617,457
MedicalPeople Staffing, LLC$2,563.61$414.78174
KPG Healthcare$2,273.75$934.2617,382
3D Medical Staffing$2,219.69$394.591,735
Fastaff Travel Nursing$2,653.67$424.80171
City Mobile Group$2,140.31$421.871,691
Solomon Page$2,221.74$421.9616,004
PRN Healthcare$2,159.42$370.4815,994
Spire Workforce Solutions$2,308.54$342.641,594
Marshall Healthcare Staffing$2,124.27$558.721,587
Uniti Med$2,063.28$500.4215,848
Avani Healthcare Staffing$1,994.88$380.111,520
CareNational$2,395.38$327.64151
iDeal Personnel$2,151.30$426.511,448
SojouRN$2,328.64$529.99144
Travel Nurses Inc.$2,074.09$406.9114,319
RightPro Staffing$2,179.40$401.591,383
LRS Healthcare$2,141.96$356.6713,816
American Traveler$2,196.52$349.8213,749
Epic Travel Staffing (formerly Emerald Health)$2,104.24$343.4113,705
Concentric Healthcare Staffing$2,008.48$400.02135
MAS Medical Staffing$1,974.35$457.271,347
Fusion Medical Staffing$2,063.30$552.3313,171
CT Assist$2,568.81$1,004.3413
Seven Healthcare$2,335.06$437.741,276
Mindlance Health$2,311.06$550.00127
Coast Medical Service$2,177.99$365.9912,659
Cambay Healthcare$2,443.40$412.67126
Connected Health Care$2,245.56$456.521,258
Assured Nursing$2,015.80$435.2012,398
TheraEX Staffing Services$2,163.04$535.141,239
CareTeam Solutions$2,097.69$344.9112,334
Nationwide Therapy Group$1,744.81$545.1312,080
Consolidated Medical Travel$2,595.21$446.771,200
Professional Nursing Service$2,620.44$316.52120
B2B Staffing Services$2,206.73$565.551,191
Focus Staff$2,112.99$429.0811,759
Wellspring Nurse Source$2,215.64$394.4111,506
Aptiva Healthcare$2,615.00$394.61115
Medmasa$3,023.24$815.12112
Jackson Nurse Professionals$2,093.50$398.2111,174
Marvel Medical Staffing$1,926.21$371.6110,950
Prime HealthCare Staffing$2,004.25$361.4410,931
Sharp Medical Staffinglife$2,095.43$415.1110,930
trustaff$2,127.26$379.3210,694
Springboard Healthcare$2,388.03$343.8310,688
GLC On-The-Go$1,902.59$418.2010,612
Health Advocates Network$2,242.99$392.4010,430
Amare Medical Network$2,142.73$393.351,027
Table: Top Travel Nursing Agencies with Pay Transparency

Refer back to our interactive pay explorer for in-depth pay trends on the best travel nursing agencies for your specialty and locations.

StellarNurse answers three important questions you should consider in your travel nurse agency choices.

Which travel nurse agencies have:

  • The highest paying jobs for your specialty?
  • The most jobs available for your locations?
  • The benefits you’re looking for?

More questions you should consider when choosing a travel nurse agency are:

  • What sets this agency apart?
  • What agency resources are available if you have issues?
  • How responsive is this agency?

Furthermore, find unbiased reviews to guide your choices.

Since I prefer to read reviews directly from my fellow nurses, here's where I look:

Bonus tip: You can message recruiters anonymously on the StellarNurse jobs marketplace totally risk-free. Get all your questions answered before giving up your contact info.

Our Data Sources

All our data is publicly available on the named travel nursing agency's website or Google jobs listings.

Methodology

We'll be publishing more technical details on our GitHub in the near future.

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