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 updates every month!

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

Travel nurse salary trends from now back to 2019, toggle right to move between insights 'last 12 months' and 'since 2019'.
All the charts in this article default to "Last 12 months" but you can toggle right to see "Since 2019" travel nurse salary insights.
Travel nurse salary trends from now back to 2019, toggle right to move between insights 'last 12 months' and 'since 2019'.
View our full history of pay insights going back to September 2019 using the toggle in the right-hand corner of any of our graphs in this article.

More than 10 million jobs analyzed and more than 5 years later, we're proud to bring you objective overviews on the travel RN job market you can't find anywhere else.

How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?

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

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.

To view travel nurse salary averages for specific specialties use the interactive pay explorer at the top of this article.

To get full details on how much travel nurses can make check out my guide: How much do Travel Nurses make?

A smiling travel nurse in sneakers and scrubs sits on a counter with her laptop, pondering her travel nurse salary.
I'm Veronica, RN & StellarNurse founder. This travel nurse salary guide should make finding fair pay a breeze as you peruse current pay packages perched on your kitchen counter. ;)

Average Travel Nurse Salary

The average travel nurse salary has been higher than the median staff nurse salary as long as I've been tracking travel nurse salary ranges - since 2019.

Let's check how the current average travel nurse salary compares to the median staff nurse salary.

Average Travel Nurse Salary vs Staff Nurse Salary

Average Pay🚗 Travel Nurses🏥 Staff Nurses
Hourly Rates$60$45
Weekly Pay$2,158$1,620
Monthly Income$9,417$7,800
Annual Salary$103,584$93,600

Travel Nurses on average make $60 per hour, $2,158 weekly pay, $9,417 monthly income or $103,584 annual salary, according to pay package data aggregated by StellarNurse.com.

The median for full-time staff RN's in the U.S. is $45 hourly pay, $1,620 per week, $7,800 per month, or $93,600 annually according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics registered nurse occupational outlook.

Why Do Travel Nurses Make So Much?

Nurse in blue scrubs beside copy that answers 'why do travel nurses make so much?' by listing high skill and readiness to work.
Travel nurses make so much because they're adaptable to new work environments, fill critical staffing gaps & require minimal orientation. This is why you need 1-2+ years minimum experience to start travel nursing.

In short, high demand = higher compensation.

We're all aware healthcare facilities nationwide are experiencing a nursing retention gap. The hospital industry in particular is failing to retain registered nurses in full-time positions with the unsafe and unsustainable working conditions nurses are expected to work in.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 189,100 openings for registered nurses each year through 2034, much higher than average for all other US occupations.

With our nursing skills in high demand and our working conditions being high-risk, we deserve higher pay. As National Nurses United rightfully states, nurses are regularly put in dangerous working conditions including:

  • Intentional low RN staffing levels imposed by hospital managers
  • Inadequate occupational health and safety protections
  • Increasing levels of violence in the workplace
  • Insufficient stock of critical medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE)

We travel nurses earn our 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 zero orientation and staffing support.

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.

Is Travel Nursing Worth It?

Illustration of multiple hands offering money to a thoughtful nurse, highlighted by phrase 'is travel nursing worth it?'
You'll need to decide for yourself is travel nursing is worth it for you. But a recent sweeping study definitely shows travel nurses are happier in their jobs than staff nurses!

There's good news!

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

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.

Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown

Understanding a travel nurse pay breakdown will help you compare pay package offers and spot the jobs that are worth your relocation.

Travel nurses get paid weekly and make higher wages on average as contracted temporary employees of travel nursing agencies, and 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.

Travel Nurse Pay Package Breakdown 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
  • $780 Travel Reimbursement - One Time payment
  • $30 Base Rate - Hourly pay rate

It's confusing! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Graphic of travel nurse pay package example and travel nurse salary with gross pay $2,340 for 36 hours per week.

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.

How does a Travel Nurse Pay Package breakdown?

Pay Package Offer - 13 weeksWeekly Pay - 36 hrs/wkHourly Rates - 468 hrs/contract
$400 Weekly M&IE - Meals & Incidental Expenses$400$11.11
$3,200 Monthly Housing Stipend$800$22.22
$780 One-time Travel Reimbursement$60$1.66
$30 Hourly Base Rate$1,080$30
Total Gross Pay (Pre-Taxes)$2,340 pay per week$65 per hour - "Blended Rate"

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.

Travel nurse salary shown in a travel nurse pay breakdown, 36 hours for $2,340 per week pay, $65 per hour blended rate.

What's your Travel Nurse "Blended Rate"?

Your "blended rate" is your travel nurse pay package offer broken down into a pre-tax hourly pay rate.

Calculating your 'blended rate' travel nurse pay makes it easier to compare pay packages and to clarify your pay expectations.

The standard travel nurse contract is for 468 hours; spread across 36 hours per week, 13 weeks per travel nurse assignment.

You can calculate your blended rate by breaking down all compensation components of your pay package offer into hourly rates.

Divide all the parts of your pay package into your contracted work hours - usually 468 hours for a standard 36-hour work week over a 13-week travel nurse contract.

This blended rate is a pre-tax estimation. This will depend on your personal tax situation, and how much of your pay package are fully taxed.

Gettting tax-free money is one of the biggest benefits of travel nursing!

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 Pay Package OfferWhat's Taxable?
$400 M&IE (Meals & Incidental Expenses)NO ❌
$800 Housing StipendNO ❌
$60 Travel ReimbursementNO ❌
$1,080 Hourly Base RateYes
$2,340 GrossOnly $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$2,457.28$527.359,835
California$2,406.29$504.66109,604
Vermont$2,361.36$584.7919,120
New York$2,356.24$437.9584,826
Massachusetts$2,344.68$476.6068,414
North Dakota$2,315.21$481.1016,307
Wisconsin$2,304.13$660.8054,163
Connecticut$2,287.01$482.6514,051
South Dakota$2,264.26$497.5015,078
Rhode Island$2,247.69$469.714,346
Illinois$2,245.25$434.1657,331
Oregon$2,240.77$443.4327,875
New Hampshire$2,231.84$461.3227,385
New Jersey$2,230.41$447.8227,027
Nebraska$2,229.97$387.3720,084
Washington$2,217.02$412.8148,028
Utah$2,212.67$396.293,569
Minnesota$2,208.92$550.1118,726
West Virginia$2,198.77$397.7419,933
Hawaii$2,191.83$426.8113,194
Arizona$2,182.28$378.5941,576
Idaho$2,171.63$396.008,595
Montana$2,169.99$406.2117,201
District Of Columbia$2,165.72$380.685,985
Nevada$2,163.61$407.576,746
Iowa$2,161.25$385.9839,148
Wyoming$2,158.82$396.426,981
Pennsylvania$2,155.42$448.3242,678
Colorado$2,146.60$430.2437,110
Ohio$2,143.10$402.9051,446
Maine$2,136.78$416.5319,945
Delaware$2,124.72$465.533,655
Kentucky$2,109.98$349.9621,373
Michigan$2,109.67$445.5533,946
Virginia$2,106.12$376.9250,950
Oklahoma$2,097.26$343.0623,926
Indiana$2,089.51$380.3633,613
Missouri$2,073.65$341.7835,769
Maryland$2,047.59$390.5328,422
Kansas$2,040.65$405.8222,744
Louisiana$1,999.96$367.4812,187
Arkansas$1,997.55$391.808,662
South Carolina$1,962.71$351.1427,448
North Carolina$1,960.17$342.6972,861
Tennessee$1,952.82$328.1425,492
Georgia$1,938.55$363.9161,817
New Mexico$1,923.81$433.9527,623
Florida$1,918.43$342.1244,752
Texas$1,906.38$381.3776,276
Mississippi$1,877.49$387.827,181
Alabama$1,843.58$301.1016,597
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 Medical Assistant (Allied / CMA)$973.81$234.05602
Physicist (Non-Healthcare / Phys)$5,439.34$1,137.02322
Cardiovascular / Cardiothoracic Surgery (PA / CV / CT Surg)$5,330.42$414.243
Perfusionist (Allied / Perf)$5,241.23$987.24436
Emergency Medicine (PA / ED)$3,981.60$261.893
Psychologist (Allied / CP)$3,284.92$1,178.4952
Dosimetrist (Allied / Dosimetrist)$2,991.30$469.67185
Assistant Nurse Manager (RN / Asst RN Mgr)$2,986.15$693.1111
Audiologist (Allied / Aud)$2,820.66$753.28178
Assistant Director of Nursing (RN / Asst. DON)$2,769.07$767.1969
Doctor of Pharmacy (Allied / PharmD)$2,729.28$505.724,497
Registered Nurse First Assistant (RN / RNFA)$2,722.69$716.061,840
Pathology Assistant (Allied / Path Asst)$2,674.37$556.67498
Interventional Radiology Technologist (Allied / IR Tech)$2,664.52$417.6118,525
Nurse Manager (RN / RN Mgr)$2,634.86$673.332,441
Family Nurse Practitioner (NP / FNP)$2,632.04$299.477
Special Procedures Technologist (Allied / Special Procedures Tech)$2,593.14$434.63709
Cardiovascular Cath Lab Technologist (Allied / Cardiac Cath Lab Tech)$2,586.02$412.1134,696
Administrative (RN / Admin)$2,569.39$542.49187
Director of Nursing (RN / DON)$2,566.02$640.71903
Patient Care Coordinator (RN / PCC)$2,558.95$472.4158
House Supervisor (Supervisor / House Sup)$2,538.68$471.241,417
Electrophysiology Lab Technician (Allied / EP Lab Tech)$2,534.71$383.193,898
Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / Peds CVICU)$2,519.68$367.07686
Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / CVOR)$2,518.17$442.0815,766
Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Allied / CNMT)$2,508.08$417.9611,637
Infection Control (RN / Infection)$2,505.10$672.70366
Interventional Radiology (RN / IR)$2,502.89$418.029,224
Cardiac Cath Lab (RN / Cath Lab)$2,502.22$378.1730,195
Electrophysiology Lab (RN / EP Lab)$2,500.57$372.972,552
Critical Care Flight / Transport Nurse (RN / Flight)$2,487.54$238.0834
Special Procedures (RN / Special Procedures)$2,470.56$304.8790
Computed Tomography Technologist (Allied / CT Tech)$2,466.71$414.2790,205
Pediatric Operating Room (RN / Peds OR)$2,466.39$410.74978
Diagnostic Radiologist (Allied / Radiologist)$2,462.97$317.52275
Nurse Educator (RN / Education)$2,460.89$869.14383
Radiotherapist (Allied / Radiotherapy)$2,460.69$433.309,258
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (RN / PICU)$2,459.79$491.848,445
Visual Impairments Teacher (School Services / School)$2,456.78$1,820.4323
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (RN / CDI)$2,454.28$262.6057
Radiology (RN / Radiology)$2,439.71$318.301,717
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (School Services / BCBA)$2,433.75$577.16186
MRI Technologist (Allied / MRI Technologist)$2,427.97$402.6730,567
Pediatric Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / Peds CVOR)$2,419.31$397.1055
Mammography Tech (Allied / Mammo Tech)$2,413.18$394.099,617
Labor & Delivery (RN / L&D)$2,406.90$433.2761,220
MRI Technician (Allied / MRI Tech)$2,388.11$357.2911,151
Echocardiograph Technologist (Allied / Echo Technologist)$2,379.91$333.294,948
Admissions (RN / ADM)$2,371.12$265.4928
Echo-Vascular Technician (Allied / Echo/Vasc Tech)$2,358.61$622.781,554
Pediatric Oncology (RN / Peds Onc)$2,350.51$891.5248
Same Day Surgery (RN / SDS)$2,343.60$253.205
Wound Care (RN / Wound)$2,332.81$435.242,161
Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / Peds PACU)$2,330.47$439.22267
Vascular Access Nurse (RN / PICC RN)$2,322.94$460.71224
Utilization Review (RN / UR)$2,322.16$445.45357
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (RN / CRNA)$2,312.21$2,243.79137
Surgical Oncology (RN / Surg Onc)$2,311.67$281.58120
Cytotechnologist (Allied / Cyto)$2,310.42$397.42591
Nurse Navigator (RN / RN Navigator)$2,305.12$342.9845
Pediatric Hematology - Oncology (RN / Peds Heme/Onc)$2,302.51$332.54360
Echocardiograph Technician (Allied / Echo Tech)$2,297.85$335.215,413
Pediatric Progressive Care Unit (RN / Peds PCU)$2,292.99$252.01377
Case Management (RN / CM)$2,286.46$447.159,496
OB/GYN (RN / OB/GYN)$2,285.31$411.303,495
Therapeutic Apheresis (RN / Apheresis)$2,285.29$396.5373
School Psychologist, Certified (School Services / NCSP)$2,283.38$520.48438
Ultrasound Technologist (Allied / US Technologist)$2,274.08$383.4121,711
Vascular Technologist (Allied / RVT)$2,273.57$386.102,423
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / CVICU)$2,273.53$394.2216,445
Pediatric Emergency Department (RN / Peds ED)$2,273.34$424.951,532
Coronary Care Unit (RN / CCU)$2,264.38$314.433,121
Cardiology (RN / Cardio)$2,261.63$367.84937
Float Pool (RN / Float)$2,260.02$318.521,252
Clinical Nurse Coordinator (RN / CNC)$2,252.91$429.70121
Operating Room (RN / OR)$2,252.11$400.0460,209
Obstetric Ultrasound - Sonographer (Allied / OB/GYN US)$2,246.55$495.95166
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RN / NICU)$2,244.85$397.5115,634
Lactation (RN / Lactation)$2,237.57$336.2932
Hematology (RN / Heme)$2,233.20$273.2287
Pediatrics (RN / Peds)$2,226.45$369.686,433
Ultrasound-Sonography Technician (Allied / US/Sono Tech)$2,224.64$332.896,705
Infusion Therapy (RN / Infusion)$2,222.93$350.292,121
Nephrology (RN / Neph)$2,222.13$778.05160
Charge Nurse (RN / Charge)$2,221.30$452.30122
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (RN / CTICU)$2,220.84$310.26509
Transplant (RN / Transplant)$2,219.70$487.77246
Urgent Care (RN / Urgent Care)$2,213.44$406.59223
Orthopedic Neurology (RN / Ortho / Neuro)$2,209.53$291.2242
Burn Intensive Care Unit (RN / BICU)$2,206.79$446.44385
Neurology Intensive Care Unit (RN / Neuro ICU)$2,202.75$289.263,019
Bone Marrow Transplant (RN / BMT)$2,194.24$269.54683
Direct Observation Unit (RN / DOU)$2,193.41$302.09970
Surgical Intensive Care Unit (RN / SICU)$2,188.18$366.301,238
Pain Management (RN / Pain Mgt)$2,186.20$408.7049
Hematology / Oncology (RN / Heme / Onc)$2,183.58$323.90988
Ambulatory Care (RN / Amb)$2,179.38$361.051,263
Step Down Unit (RN / SDU)$2,174.19$271.2912,452
Intensive Care Unit (RN / ICU)$2,160.09$358.5470,559
Neurology (RN / Neuro)$2,149.70$393.683,824
Endoscopy (RN / Endo)$2,143.55$383.216,381
Emergency Department (RN / ED)$2,142.85$343.9392,719
Radiology Technologist (Allied / X-Ray Technologist)$2,141.84$402.6236,510
Oncology (RN / Onc)$2,138.50$343.3214,181
Postpartum (RN / PP)$2,136.22$431.954,741
Gastrointestinal Lab (RN / GI Lab)$2,128.85$331.281,204
Cardiac Stepdown Unit (RN / CSDU)$2,128.84$291.093,503
Postoperative (RN / Post-op)$2,128.14$336.6153
Hospice (RN / Hospice)$2,126.78$383.195,581
Research / Clinical Research (RN / Research)$2,126.56$434.9093
Acute Care (RN / Acute)$2,125.52$357.523,075
Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / PACU)$2,121.24$370.6720,348
X-Ray Technician (Allied / X-Ray Tech)$2,118.22$259.401,868
Dialysis (RN / Dialysis)$2,116.52$293.437,323
Public Health (RN / Pub Hlth)$2,112.39$247.043
Certified Surgical First Assistant (Allied / CSFA)$2,110.48$341.222,399
Home Health (RN / HH)$2,106.92$378.4218,907
Progressive Care Unit (RN / PCU)$2,105.10$321.1847,715
Medical Surgical Telemetry (RN / Med Surg Tele)$2,101.12$289.0860,212
Trauma Intensive Care Unit (RN / TICU)$2,099.53$346.651,033
Radiology Technician (Allied / Rad Tech)$2,093.94$432.9618,021
Telemetry (RN / Tele)$2,092.04$338.7449,001
Outpatient Clinic (RN / Outpatient)$2,081.84$348.424,041
CVOR Technologist (Allied / CVOR Tech)$2,063.54$356.5010,324
Occupational Health (RN / Occ Health)$2,050.20$274.92192
Home Health (Allied / HH)$2,047.04$382.678
Psychiatric - Mental Health (RN / Psych)$2,043.26$337.1314,754
Medical Surgical (RN / Med Surg)$2,042.42$350.1195,053
Physical Therapy (Therapy / PT)$2,041.66$325.01120,801
Respiratory Therapist (Allied / RT)$2,036.29$376.0641,795
Perioperative (RN / Peri-op)$2,036.28$364.331,583
Long Term Acute Care (RN / LTAC)$2,030.11$341.2111,101
Orthopedic (RN / Ortho)$2,024.95$273.942,949
Speech Language Pathologist (Allied / SLP)$2,013.69$323.7531,573
Urology (RN / Urology)$2,012.75$340.89197
Neurology Progressive Care Unit (RN / Neuro PCU)$2,009.71$296.591,080
Telehealth (RN / Telehealth)$2,000.96$301.07101
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Allied / LCSW)$1,983.13$452.353,390
Corrections (RN / Corr)$1,980.61$318.163,982
Occupational Therapy (Therapy / OT)$1,968.55$325.6642,728
Stroke / Neuro (RN / Stroke / Neuro)$1,966.25$311.1482
Recreational Therapist (Therapy / RT)$1,959.02$282.4389
Obstetric Technician (Allied / OB Tech)$1,957.49$411.22637
Rehabilitation (RN / Rehab)$1,942.74$355.4110,215
Special Education Teacher (School Services / Special Ed)$1,942.10$1,003.601,043
Skilled Nursing Facility (RN / SNF)$1,933.49$438.756,145
Registered Dietician (Allied / RDCD)$1,909.69$241.94823
Clerical (Non-Healthcare / Clerical)$1,904.45$924.9210
Polysomnographer (Allied / Sleep Tech)$1,893.55$296.451,501
Long Term Care (RN / LTC)$1,887.76$341.0218,103
Rehabilitation Therapy (Allied / Rehab Therapy)$1,886.48$385.141,359
Electroencephalogram Technologist (Allied / EEG Technologist)$1,866.43$265.32991
School Nurse (RN / School Nurse)$1,863.23$351.37183
Electroencephalogram Technician (Allied / EEG Tech)$1,853.88$262.20735
Emergency Department (LPN / LVN / ED)$1,799.98$548.8652
Medical Tech / Medical Laboratory Scientist / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Allied / MT / MLS / CLS)$1,791.10$470.199,159
Psychiatry - Mental Health (NP / Psych)$1,788.64$205.073
Outpatient Clinic (Allied / Outpatient)$1,775.56$461.5015
Operating Room / Surgical Technician (Allied / OR / Surg Tech)$1,775.53$382.8932,147
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (Allied / SLPA)$1,743.94$294.56342
Paramedic (Allied / Paramedic)$1,686.64$344.98252
Histotechnician (Allied / HT)$1,638.51$286.46362
Antepartum (RN / Antepartum)$1,612.09$654.79305
Hospice (LPN / LVN / Hospice)$1,591.47$291.52131
Endoscopy Technician (Allied / Endo Tech)$1,566.90$322.511,035
School Nurse (LPN / LVN / School Nurse)$1,557.68$257.6650
Vaccinations (RN / Vax)$1,557.30$61.604
Psychiatric - Mental Health (LPN / LVN / Psych)$1,556.18$239.25284
Emergency Department Technician (Allied / ED Tech)$1,537.97$446.9185
Home Health (LPN / LVN / HH)$1,535.83$192.971,881
Long Term Acute Care (LPN / LVN / LTAC)$1,521.86$180.726
Telemetry (LPN / LVN / Tele)$1,521.83$354.3663
Anesthesia Technician (Allied / Anesthesia Tech)$1,483.82$294.85542
Long Term Care (LPN / LVN / LTC)$1,461.82$240.8417,854
Corrections (LPN / LVN / Corr)$1,450.88$235.472,457
Electrocardiograph Technician (Allied / EKG Tech)$1,447.65$429.98142
Outpatient Clinic (LPN / LVN / Outpatient)$1,403.99$343.252,551
Pharmacy Technician (Allied / Pharm Tech)$1,387.36$480.29524
Occupational Therapy Assistant (Therapy / OTA)$1,387.30$262.382,290
Physical Therapy Assistant (Therapy / PTA)$1,386.63$222.1928,593
Medical Surgical (LPN / LVN / Med Surg)$1,379.27$261.831,179
Telemetry Monitor Technician (Allied / Tele / Monitor Tech)$1,363.27$353.38510
LPN / LVN (LPN / LVN / LPN / LVN)$1,335.79$276.728,295
( / Rehab)$1,320.17$281.84179
Dialysis Technician (Allied / Dialysis Tech)$1,251.19$189.10798
Sterile Processing Technician (Allied / SPT)$1,244.42$253.023,863
Medical Surgical (CNA / Med Surg)$1,212.52$340.3032
Long Term Care (CNA / LTC)$1,118.39$188.28100
Phlebotomy (Allied / Phlebotomist)$1,101.71$312.56492
Psychiatric - Mental Health Technician (Allied / Psych Tech)$1,090.83$267.9553
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA / CNA)$1,041.51$341.42119
Patient Care Technician (Allied / PCT)$1,029.59$250.79385
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:

  • Find your top paying agencies & locations using our interactive pay explorer
  • Find your highest-paying travel nursing jobs upfront & compare pay packages easily to get an objective overview on your best, most updated job options
  • Vet agencies with high paying jobs you like without worrying about spam on StellarNurse.com
  • Get a compact state license & maintain state licenses for your highest-paying locations
  • Compare job offers using your "blended rate" quick calculations breaking pay down to weekly or hourly income
  • Prioritize best pay over agency or location - be flexible!
  • 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
Prime HealthCare Staffing$2,067.74$330.699,966
SojouRN$2,267.72$469.0498
Focus Staff$2,151.77$414.129,585
Springboard Healthcare$2,463.85$356.829,403
Avani Healthcare Staffing$2,085.11$369.54918
GQR Healthcare$1,982.15$526.889,157
Trinity Health FirstChoice$2,511.71$354.71908
Specialty Professional Services$1,971.34$439.62907
Pulse Healthcare Services$2,628.88$384.49895
RKA Recruiting$2,361.64$370.82895
Upstate Works$2,083.57$492.8789
Jackson Therapy Partners$1,850.53$350.838,886
Jackson Nurse Professionals$2,112.73$408.208,855
United Staffing Solutions$2,332.72$441.63882
Trusted Resource Associates (TRA)$2,367.82$416.99859
MSSI$2,448.57$395.61854
Destination Travelcare$2,276.59$348.62852
DT-Trak Consulting$2,753.27$500.2285
CareTeam Solutions$2,151.26$363.268,410
Vibra Travels$2,095.68$341.288,291
eTeam Inc$2,188.73$566.54829
MedUS Healthcare$2,242.86$348.20821
Prime Time Healthcare$2,406.51$391.718,055
Ethos Medical Staffing$2,154.17$378.018,030
Halcyon Nurse Staffing$2,600.51$586.6080
MARS Solutions Group$2,526.25$450.4880
Novo Connections$1,887.08$458.898
OneStaff Medical$1,993.57$493.997,961
Bestica$2,237.55$422.027,952
Summit Medical Staffing$2,123.97$555.997,951
Health Carousel$2,175.75$329.04779
Sunbelt Staffing$2,491.78$399.42754
Nomad Health$2,184.42$369.557,497
Ardor Health Solutions$1,948.83$360.147,393
NuWest Group$2,004.42$387.077,276
MAS Medical Staffing$1,990.65$376.40725
Nightingale Nurses$2,154.36$411.277,203
Medical Talent$2,278.56$387.21718
Formation, Inc.$3,119.99$553.5071
AB Staffing Solutions$2,355.50$510.88702
Tallavera$2,200.29$474.137
SkyBridge Healthcare$1,831.51$343.946,945
Skyline Med Staff$1,873.05$446.406,920
Advantis Medical Staffing$2,078.45$355.386,745
Supplemental Health Care$1,922.75$420.7567,042
LanceSoft$2,381.02$491.3866,277
Thrive Staffing$2,173.91$380.56655
Meda Health$2,252.00$397.166,540
Pluto Healthcare Staffing$2,179.62$315.79642
NURSES Etc. STAFFING$2,326.23$346.44625
Siemens Healthineers$2,781.95$332.90609
Triage Staffing$2,111.11$733.4460,556
Reliable Nurse Staffing$2,236.75$373.795,930
Consolidated Medical Travel$2,571.95$406.01586
Premier Healthcare Professionals$2,248.17$467.375,778
Critical Connection, inc$2,004.56$315.535,681
Reliant Staffing Solutions$2,328.78$339.55566
Health Advocates Network$2,176.48$405.555,450
MedPro Healthcare Staffing$2,159.70$370.8953,349
FlexUp Direct$2,145.89$459.55518
TLC Nursing$2,109.79$393.605,162
Grady Works$1,797.24$253.6951
Zack Group$2,071.02$644.905,055
PS Companies$2,467.74$279.54504
Medasource$2,204.48$409.03500
The Judge Group$2,434.07$448.424,915
Raisso Inc.$2,354.21$331.92477
Genie Healthcare$2,143.18$414.0747,505
MedicalPeople Staffing, LLC$2,815.74$424.8547
Modern Healthcare Solutions$2,404.36$344.54460
MedWave Healthcare Staffing$2,130.79$557.634,563
The Good Life MedStaff$2,166.47$390.604,470
Seven Healthcare$2,215.19$527.804,211
Host Healthcare$2,378.17$1,109.4541,324
Alto Healthcare Staffing$2,167.32$408.84408
Connected Health Care$2,144.58$410.594,059
trustaff$2,154.20$384.1940,506
HumanEdge$2,152.10$422.953,923
TNAA and TotalMed$2,116.76$365.2338,927
Nurses 24/7$2,580.87$316.24381
Custom Healthcare Solutions$2,193.32$351.0938
ARM Staffing$2,249.36$359.963,753
Medmasa$2,941.38$621.5637
American Medical Staffing$1,775.72$415.103,652
Favorite Healthcare Staffing$2,453.81$498.19365
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions$2,064.64$331.6235,936
Marshall Healthcare Staffing$2,255.09$485.56357
ICONMA$2,446.75$374.80342
Cross Country Healthcare$2,146.68$459.6433,904
FlexCare Medical Staffing$2,341.63$331.313,353
Stability Healthcare$2,246.45$390.1933,413
Junxion Med Staffing$2,092.34$400.573,211
Healthcare Staffing 24/7$2,249.94$345.373,160
SambaCare$2,122.30$492.823,106
Northside Hospital Choice+Local$1,757.96$400.6731
Blu Medstaff$1,910.24$434.81308
Next Move, Inc.$2,094.14$327.163,065
TactStaff$2,351.85$375.33302
VitalHire$2,265.84$467.83299
Travel Nurses Inc.$2,095.24$362.6228,808
CoreMedical Group$1,891.02$422.4828,335
RightPro Staffing$2,287.60$369.69278
Excite Health Partners$2,526.31$464.82277
Aptiva Healthcare$2,650.44$630.65274
Vastek Inc.$2,229.82$320.38274
Centra Healthcare$1,788.09$374.342,718
AHS Staffing$2,096.83$387.8527,156
Scout Nurse Staffing$2,217.86$587.4427
Premier Medical Staffing$2,154.95$320.5326,989
Innovent Global$2,461.00$780.61263
GHR Travel Nursing$2,221.93$354.8825,742
Solomon Page$2,300.34$427.3525,585
TRS Healthcare$2,154.48$417.3425,033
ProMed Staffing Resources$2,458.13$418.96247
LeaderStat$2,271.33$357.1324,556
Infojini Healthcare$2,422.05$514.88245
Lucid Staffing Solutions$2,215.33$592.752,403
Source Medical Staffing$2,199.59$480.802,400
Health Carousel - Allied Travel$2,070.93$394.542,368
Excel Medical Staffing$2,398.31$386.072,342
American Mobile Healthcare (AMN)$2,183.45$432.022,323
GetMed Staffing, Inc.$1,814.68$390.4022,782
Assured Nursing$2,094.32$450.3222,613
Insight Global$2,289.89$527.65226
Cure Healthcare Staffing$2,415.52$385.462,238
Go Healthcare$2,061.55$356.6422,203
Nurses First Solutions$1,988.16$443.322,182
Titan Medical Group$2,195.67$425.432,165
Catapult Healthcare$2,387.63$575.12212
Gifted Healthcare$2,162.20$308.592,113
Healthcare Staffing - IDR, Inc$2,195.17$406.3221,009
Revolution Healthcare Services$2,202.41$429.922,089
White Glove Placement$2,343.22$501.61208
GrapeTree Medical Staffing$1,795.29$410.182,071
Medical Solutions$2,131.93$437.4320,559
Froedtert Health$2,277.89$362.71205
GLC On-The-Go$1,993.04$425.1819,979
Fiber Staffing$2,176.50$230.50195
RCM Healthcare Services$1,835.35$320.21192
Access Healthcare Staffing$2,231.79$422.5618,957
Concentric Healthcare Staffing$2,130.78$412.461,884
Alliance Medical Staffing$2,001.90$559.07188
Soliant Health$2,557.83$551.68187
ALOIS Healthcare$2,164.74$376.8718,683
Healthcare Support$2,094.04$387.5318,323
Uniti Med$2,043.04$573.9918,284
PRIDE Health$2,228.13$440.9318,108
Voyage Healthcare$2,255.67$293.541,784
CareNational$2,411.20$338.56177
TheraEX Staffing Services$2,408.59$730.601,760
Phaxis$2,126.00$362.01176
Malone Healthcare Solutions$2,301.75$332.4717,230
Becker Health$2,229.87$312.0217
Wellspring Nurse Source$2,262.07$391.6716,813
Aequor Healthcare$2,117.50$371.1016,733
Coast Medical Service$2,227.13$352.3616,616
Nationwide Therapy Group$1,883.26$505.1716,543
AMN Healthcare Allied$1,979.09$452.6916,008
Bluebird Staffing$2,032.77$490.82160
Amare Medical Network$2,143.96$388.311,553
Epic Travel Staffing (formerly Emerald Health)$2,256.69$380.5115,431
Spire Workforce Solutions$2,223.71$393.931,525
Arrow Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting$2,095.68$376.921,519
Voca Healthcare$2,269.27$405.2714,849
Planet Healthcare$2,182.20$464.2214,794
ADN Healthcare$2,246.58$374.3614,551
CrossMed$2,017.83$364.7014,350
LRS Healthcare$2,142.64$336.4514,224
Remede Consulting Group, Inc.$2,378.97$408.291,412
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing$2,555.70$360.2214
Marvel Medical Staffing$1,932.85$391.971,395
Lifeline Medical Staffing$1,999.70$375.761,362
Synergy Medical Staffing$1,951.40$498.7213,328
Refined Medical Staffing$2,209.66$376.611,318
B2B Staffing Services$2,238.58$617.131,291
The Stepping Stones Group$1,923.63$304.79127
Magnet Medical$2,213.62$416.1712,687
Galaxy Healthcare$2,258.44$375.321,205
Lahey Health$2,372.13$612.3612
KPG Healthcare$2,194.25$604.2211,859
American Traveler$2,264.50$352.0811,851
iDeal Personnel$2,312.85$464.271,127
Anders Group$2,179.58$460.0711,201
Millbrook$2,654.86$398.98112
PRN Healthcare$2,257.95$381.8711,154
ADEX Healthcare Staffing - US Travel Nursing$2,250.87$364.6811,015
Nurse First Travel Agency$2,220.99$353.8711,003
CT Assist$3,333.52$320.5111
Fusion Medical Staffing$2,382.22$1,098.5810,621
Fastaff Travel Nursing$2,290.05$388.671,001
QS Nurses$2,011.33$388.4410
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:

  • High pay you deserve
  • Jobs available you want
  • Benefits you need
  • Responsive & transparent recruiters

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 helpful 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 AND block spam here at StellarNurse.

Use your private email, free with your StellarNurse profile. Turn off your private email anytime to block spam.

Our Data Sources

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

Thanks for Reading 🤗

Smiling nurse in navy scrubs stands confidently in front of plain background with StellarNurse logo, promoting travel nurse support.

Thanks for reading my Ultimate Travel Nurse Salary Guide - the article that started it all!

I began aggregating travel nurse salaries back in 2019 to help my own travel nursing job search.

Now I've compiled all these juicy travel nurse pay insights to help you

  • Make pay comparisons easily
  • Find the best deals fast & to
  • Make objective decisions based on real data.

From 2019 to now, I'm on a mission to make travel nursing money more transparent for us nurses. And to bring you objective pay insights nobody else wants to show you!

Stick around! Next you should check out:

Reach out to me ➡️ Veronica - I'm a travel nurse too and I love to chat about all things travel nursing. 💕