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 going back to September 2019 using the toggle in the right-hand corner of any of our graphs in this article.

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More than 9 million jobs analyzed and 5 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$60$45
Weekly Pay$2,158$1,620
Annual Salary$103,500$93,600

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

The average hourly rate for travel nurses is $60, or $2,158 per week, according to the StellarNurse Ultimate Travel Nurse Salary Explorer.

The average hourly wage for a travel RN is $15 higher than the median hourly staff nurse pay, and the average travel nurse salary per week is $538 more than staff nurses.

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 $10,000 more than staff nurses.

We calculated the average annual salary for travel nurses for only 48 weeks a year. Travel nurses need time off to move between assignments, secure & onboard to new jobs or spend time at their tax homes.

Why Do Travel Nurses Make So Much?

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.

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Is Travel Nursing Worth It?

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.

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)_/¯

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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$2,431.56$553.3910,515
California$2,386.88$498.90121,197
Vermont$2,365.82$589.2120,260
New York$2,333.13$434.0693,381
Massachusetts$2,331.42$488.2975,216
Wisconsin$2,327.71$715.6956,817
North Dakota$2,302.54$507.3718,651
Connecticut$2,247.94$467.3715,024
South Dakota$2,234.69$504.4816,264
Illinois$2,227.87$451.5859,236
New Jersey$2,219.18$432.6831,994
Rhode Island$2,215.29$469.075,349
Oregon$2,208.43$435.7732,425
New Hampshire$2,202.96$474.0828,122
Washington$2,200.16$421.7858,003
Nebraska$2,199.42$394.0621,855
Minnesota$2,173.58$575.7320,608
Idaho$2,172.53$365.3711,165
West Virginia$2,164.77$424.4418,883
Utah$2,163.91$419.914,075
Montana$2,154.57$415.0118,683
Wyoming$2,153.67$419.577,177
Hawaii$2,150.74$457.0013,315
Arizona$2,150.06$392.5046,249
Maine$2,148.31$414.2423,700
Iowa$2,146.26$389.1942,899
Nevada$2,140.26$441.417,053
District Of Columbia$2,131.08$394.585,031
Ohio$2,123.20$409.8357,992
Colorado$2,113.35$419.6639,158
Kentucky$2,095.72$350.0123,768
Oklahoma$2,090.66$347.6325,870
Delaware$2,085.58$433.954,020
Virginia$2,077.61$373.9456,465
Pennsylvania$2,074.14$490.7849,753
Indiana$2,073.36$395.3239,516
Michigan$2,068.05$431.5040,401
Missouri$2,058.91$361.0936,701
Kansas$2,038.04$420.3822,744
Maryland$2,024.88$394.1530,208
Arkansas$1,968.01$435.658,132
Louisiana$1,958.87$367.4812,460
Tennessee$1,933.87$320.5728,920
South Carolina$1,928.40$340.7228,993
North Carolina$1,925.13$350.6575,584
Georgia$1,924.96$361.6164,529
New Mexico$1,919.45$434.4429,059
Florida$1,900.84$343.6844,538
Texas$1,888.34$363.2879,699
Mississippi$1,885.07$481.417,149
Alabama$1,806.40$325.4116,462
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)$6,451.91$2,234.668
Cardiovascular / Cardiothoracic Surgery (PA / CV / CT Surg)$5,601.94$449.666
Physicist (Non-Healthcare / Phys)$5,525.86$1,112.51315
Perfusionist (Allied / Perf)$5,218.88$812.14378
Emergency Medicine (PA / ED)$3,981.60$261.893
Psychologist (Allied / CP)$3,438.40$859.9753
Family Nurse Practitioner (NP / FNP)$3,227.67$1,190.2511
Dosimetrist (Allied / Dosimetrist)$3,045.40$566.26184
Assistant Nurse Manager (RN / Asst RN Mgr)$2,970.59$577.2520
Visual Impairments Teacher (School Services / School)$2,789.26$1,744.7724
Lactation (RN / Lactation)$2,778.45$397.9822
Registered Nurse First Assistant (RN / RNFA)$2,765.54$800.082,382
Doctor of Pharmacy (Allied / PharmD)$2,677.10$473.144,411
Critical Care Flight / Transport Nurse (RN / Flight)$2,654.58$676.3946
Interventional Radiology Technologist (Allied / IR Tech)$2,622.55$445.4120,409
Special Procedures Technologist (Allied / Special Procedures Tech)$2,606.60$385.951,381
Pathology Assistant (Allied / Path Asst)$2,600.96$561.84677
Audiologist (Allied / Aud)$2,599.91$592.43140
Infection Control (RN / Infection)$2,597.47$656.65446
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (RN / CRNA)$2,579.50$2,459.19134
Nurse Manager (RN / RN Mgr)$2,578.47$711.822,807
Administrative (RN / Admin)$2,569.28$498.42212
Cardiovascular Cath Lab Technologist (Allied / Cardiac Cath Lab Tech)$2,549.98$423.8035,028
Director of Nursing (RN / DON)$2,546.63$766.231,006
Nurse Navigator (RN / RN Navigator)$2,544.96$342.4045
Electrophysiology Lab Technician (Allied / EP Lab Tech)$2,512.00$387.044,118
Multi-Modality Technologist (Allied / Multi-Modality Technologist)$2,495.91$314.05446
Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Allied / CNMT)$2,484.48$424.2712,474
House Supervisor (Supervisor / House Sup)$2,484.07$487.171,440
Electrophysiology Lab (RN / EP Lab)$2,482.83$454.862,634
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (RN / CDI)$2,481.77$274.9145
Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / CVOR)$2,476.66$441.9515,597
Cardiac Cath Lab (RN / Cath Lab)$2,471.10$387.5230,828
Pediatric Operating Room (RN / Peds OR)$2,464.83$495.17689
Pediatric Oncology (RN / Peds Onc)$2,463.43$1,176.2777
Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / Peds CVICU)$2,461.04$329.48734
Computed Tomography Technologist (Allied / CT Tech)$2,456.51$437.69102,557
Interventional Radiology (RN / IR)$2,456.00$388.748,568
Pediatric Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / Peds CVOR)$2,437.97$440.0391
Special Procedures (RN / Special Procedures)$2,435.69$433.64130
Patient Care Coordinator (RN / PCC)$2,430.25$592.3487
Diagnostic Radiologist (Allied / Radiologist)$2,421.00$342.35343
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (RN / PICU)$2,419.54$470.268,513
MRI Technologist (Allied / MRI Technologist)$2,414.75$413.1433,442
Radiotherapist (Allied / Radiotherapy)$2,406.54$465.748,374
Radiology (RN / Radiology)$2,393.86$347.951,697
Labor & Delivery (RN / L&D)$2,380.38$433.2664,764
MRI Technician (Allied / MRI Tech)$2,379.54$372.0511,211
Echocardiograph Technologist (Allied / Echo Technologist)$2,373.19$351.936,074
Echo-Vascular Technician (Allied / Echo/Vasc Tech)$2,368.26$727.161,595
Mammography Tech (Allied / Mammo Tech)$2,366.07$391.329,709
Vascular Access Nurse (RN / PICC RN)$2,336.04$488.39158
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (School Services / BCBA)$2,328.11$739.6571
Cytotechnologist (Allied / Cyto)$2,323.62$423.89896
Pediatric Hematology - Oncology (RN / Peds Heme/Onc)$2,323.33$330.86281
Nurse Educator (RN / Education)$2,320.76$926.52514
School Psychologist, Certified (School Services / NCSP)$2,320.32$672.51203
Clinical Nurse Coordinator (RN / CNC)$2,317.04$459.20129
Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / Peds PACU)$2,309.58$355.08200
Wound Care (RN / Wound)$2,306.78$436.032,372
Echocardiograph Technician (Allied / Echo Tech)$2,305.25$339.186,188
Vascular Technologist (Allied / RVT)$2,290.64$394.743,192
Admissions (RN / ADM)$2,290.63$267.1338
OB/GYN (RN / OB/GYN)$2,276.11$411.883,781
Ultrasound Technologist (Allied / US Technologist)$2,273.35$395.2726,645
Pediatric Progressive Care Unit (RN / Peds PCU)$2,268.78$237.00475
Surgical Oncology (RN / Surg Onc)$2,262.91$314.89100
Coronary Care Unit (RN / CCU)$2,258.37$309.304,107
Case Management (RN / CM)$2,256.98$413.9711,292
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / CVICU)$2,256.54$404.0217,086
Utilization Review (RN / UR)$2,255.39$402.74392
Pediatric Emergency Department (RN / Peds ED)$2,252.04$387.992,054
Orthopedic Neurology (RN / Ortho / Neuro)$2,247.51$259.98110
Hematology (RN / Heme)$2,247.47$280.01121
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RN / NICU)$2,246.15$399.9814,824
Operating Room (RN / OR)$2,237.91$421.5158,732
Obstetric Ultrasound - Sonographer (Allied / OB/GYN US)$2,230.92$453.14156
Ultrasound-Sonography Technician (Allied / US/Sono Tech)$2,222.55$336.827,395
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (RN / CTICU)$2,218.96$314.44532
Float Pool (RN / Float)$2,214.22$351.221,600
Hematology / Oncology (RN / Heme / Onc)$2,212.26$328.75811
Bone Marrow Transplant (RN / BMT)$2,207.75$286.84759
Burn Intensive Care Unit (RN / BICU)$2,207.47$457.83562
Infusion Therapy (RN / Infusion)$2,203.64$386.972,105
Cardiology (RN / Cardio)$2,202.54$355.031,429
Pediatrics (RN / Peds)$2,202.35$377.616,888
Neurology Intensive Care Unit (RN / Neuro ICU)$2,201.78$307.823,636
Same Day Surgery (RN / SDS)$2,186.79$297.399
Transplant (RN / Transplant)$2,185.15$393.04422
Urgent Care (RN / Urgent Care)$2,179.13$403.36284
Nephrology (RN / Neph)$2,172.63$825.61151
Step Down Unit (RN / SDU)$2,170.36$282.9615,021
Direct Observation Unit (RN / DOU)$2,168.72$296.281,305
Cardiac Stepdown Unit (RN / CSDU)$2,159.27$294.412,199
Surgical Intensive Care Unit (RN / SICU)$2,153.67$342.311,580
Intensive Care Unit (RN / ICU)$2,149.62$363.4179,601
Postpartum (RN / PP)$2,149.15$447.054,968
Oncology (RN / Onc)$2,146.48$369.7616,626
Emergency Department (RN / ED)$2,144.12$345.9497,389
Neurology (RN / Neuro)$2,143.94$402.194,326
Pain Management (RN / Pain Mgt)$2,140.25$294.0830
Radiology Technologist (Allied / X-Ray Technologist)$2,136.53$423.9644,971
Medical Surgical Telemetry (RN / Med Surg Tele)$2,129.21$284.4654,277
Endoscopy (RN / Endo)$2,129.03$364.366,848
Postoperative (RN / Post-op)$2,129.01$273.3870
Gastrointestinal Lab (RN / GI Lab)$2,119.29$318.741,459
X-Ray Technician (Allied / X-Ray Tech)$2,117.63$260.221,945
Therapeutic Apheresis (RN / Apheresis)$2,112.62$313.9461
Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / PACU)$2,110.81$369.8719,722
Ambulatory Care (RN / Amb)$2,110.38$377.781,435
Home Health (RN / HH)$2,108.87$401.7618,601
Acute Care (RN / Acute)$2,108.61$346.183,731
Trauma Intensive Care Unit (RN / TICU)$2,105.14$374.831,193
Progressive Care Unit (RN / PCU)$2,098.41$314.5256,650
Dialysis (RN / Dialysis)$2,089.19$295.398,433
Certified Surgical First Assistant (Allied / CSFA)$2,083.42$388.212,321
Hospice (RN / Hospice)$2,081.42$361.075,842
Telemetry (RN / Tele)$2,080.77$349.0759,335
Outpatient Clinic (RN / Outpatient)$2,068.77$375.114,158
Radiology Technician (Allied / Rad Tech)$2,067.51$398.0524,158
Charge Nurse (RN / Charge)$2,054.35$385.72161
Occupational Health (RN / Occ Health)$2,051.68$253.10227
CVOR Technologist (Allied / CVOR Tech)$2,047.38$369.5511,742
Medical Surgical (RN / Med Surg)$2,043.62$346.60120,770
Research / Clinical Research (RN / Research)$2,041.81$381.21164
Perioperative (RN / Peri-op)$2,036.93$341.812,008
Psychiatric - Mental Health (RN / Psych)$2,029.81$346.1415,232
Long Term Acute Care (RN / LTAC)$2,029.49$385.1311,089
Orthopedic (RN / Ortho)$2,022.59$285.093,856
Neurology Progressive Care Unit (RN / Neuro PCU)$2,019.74$293.241,368
Physical Therapy (Therapy / PT)$2,017.61$340.54115,899
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Allied / LCSW)$2,003.99$444.894,361
Respiratory Therapist (Allied / RT)$1,999.62$390.5545,746
Speech Language Pathologist (Allied / SLP)$1,990.37$327.8028,763
Corrections (RN / Corr)$1,968.47$320.813,539
Obstetric Technician (Allied / OB Tech)$1,954.71$402.15703
Urology (RN / Urology)$1,946.32$326.91175
Stroke / Neuro (RN / Stroke / Neuro)$1,942.35$256.1582
Assistant Director of Nursing (RN / Asst. DON)$1,936.88$636.72214
Special Education Teacher (School Services / Special Ed)$1,933.64$1,084.27873
Occupational Therapy (Therapy / OT)$1,932.35$333.7340,050
School Nurse (RN / School Nurse)$1,925.10$386.02200
Electroencephalogram Technologist (Allied / EEG Technologist)$1,898.58$299.001,091
Polysomnographer (Allied / Sleep Tech)$1,886.39$270.681,467
Electroencephalogram Technician (Allied / EEG Tech)$1,885.52$278.00819
Long Term Care (RN / LTC)$1,884.15$349.9319,180
Skilled Nursing Facility (RN / SNF)$1,872.06$507.817,266
Recreational Therapist (Therapy / RT)$1,871.33$345.4468
Long Term Acute Care (LPN / LVN / LTAC)$1,870.70$128.7510
Registered Dietician (Allied / RDCD)$1,860.47$268.86692
Rehabilitation (RN / Rehab)$1,832.15$400.0711,692
Rehabilitation Therapy (Allied / Rehab Therapy)$1,818.11$378.291,015
Psychiatry - Mental Health (NP / Psych)$1,788.64$205.073
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (Allied / SLPA)$1,785.68$336.67236
Medical Tech / Medical Laboratory Scientist / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Allied / MT / MLS / CLS)$1,781.03$477.319,960
Operating Room / Surgical Technician (Allied / OR / Surg Tech)$1,764.44$403.6144,525
Antepartum (Allied / Ante)$1,718.88$170.6614
Emergency Department (LPN / LVN / ED)$1,714.53$509.69102
Vaccinations (RN / Vax)$1,709.88$345.325
Histotechnician (Allied / HT)$1,646.33$344.28578
Paramedic (Allied / Paramedic)$1,627.40$316.68297
Telehealth (RN / Telehealth)$1,626.41$424.32127
School Nurse (LPN / LVN / School Nurse)$1,537.24$283.1941
Psychiatric - Mental Health (LPN / LVN / Psych)$1,532.33$255.92299
Endoscopy Technician (Allied / Endo Tech)$1,530.62$344.35965
Home Health (LPN / LVN / HH)$1,529.08$188.332,405
Hospice (LPN / LVN / Hospice)$1,518.39$243.18137
Anesthesia Technician (Allied / Anesthesia Tech)$1,488.46$303.64483
Outpatient Clinic (Allied / Outpatient)$1,485.32$266.7233
Clerical (Non-Healthcare / Clerical)$1,480.80$773.616
Telemetry (LPN / LVN / Tele)$1,480.50$358.11129
Emergency Department Technician (Allied / ED Tech)$1,454.65$426.61116
Corrections (LPN / LVN / Corr)$1,449.90$259.752,645
Long Term Care (LPN / LVN / LTC)$1,434.93$234.4020,306
Electrocardiograph Technician (Allied / EKG Tech)$1,420.89$399.86163
Outpatient Clinic (LPN / LVN / Outpatient)$1,389.43$395.772,428
Physical Therapy Assistant (Therapy / PTA)$1,371.65$253.2526,895
Medical Surgical (LPN / LVN / Med Surg)$1,346.50$250.841,889
Occupational Therapy Assistant (Therapy / OTA)$1,345.08$242.072,530
Telemetry Monitor Technician (Allied / Tele / Monitor Tech)$1,343.27$363.38547
Pharmacy Technician (Allied / Pharm Tech)$1,336.66$437.17539
Antepartum (RN / Antepartum)$1,314.56$576.18863
LPN / LVN (LPN / LVN / LPN / LVN)$1,291.19$261.3312,786
Dialysis Technician (Allied / Dialysis Tech)$1,273.39$193.77925
Psychiatric - Mental Health Technician (Allied / Psych Tech)$1,251.49$283.5164
Sterile Processing Technician (Allied / SPT)$1,247.09$255.634,031
( / Rehab)$1,236.76$262.72228
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA / CNA)$1,180.30$377.96101
Medical Surgical (CNA / Med Surg)$1,139.92$330.6429
Long Term Care (CNA / LTC)$1,103.18$236.0097
Phlebotomy (Allied / Phlebotomist)$1,086.60$426.24469
Patient Care Technician (Allied / PCT)$1,031.92$257.95525
Certified Medical Assistant (Allied / CMA)$1,019.66$363.94874
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
Health Carousel$2,155.42$344.14993
TactStaff$2,354.86$369.92990
Alliance Medical Staffing$2,062.19$602.9198
RightPro Staffing$2,201.92$401.86971
Fusion Medical Staffing$2,173.64$821.239,686
Springboard Healthcare$2,424.11$349.369,646
Consolidated Medical Travel$2,557.84$413.91955
Vibra Travels$2,100.19$298.629,454
Avani Healthcare Staffing$2,034.65$363.12939
Specialty Professional Services$1,938.96$439.22937
Malone Healthcare Solutions$2,310.98$343.099,286
Trinity Health FirstChoice$2,488.67$383.20926
Bestica$2,219.32$437.359,123
MAS Medical Staffing$1,976.92$344.28912
3D Medical Staffing$2,239.64$371.49901
MedicalPeople Staffing, LLC$2,669.40$399.4290
Ardor Health Solutions$2,009.54$380.448,955
Jackson Therapy Partners$1,834.14$347.068,711
Sharp Medical Staffinglife$2,035.46$383.938,669
Titan Medical Group$2,180.51$394.298,662
GQR Healthcare$1,907.32$523.618,613
RCM Healthcare Services$2,127.34$493.2285
Reliable Nurse Staffing$2,236.04$376.418,456
Becker Health$2,373.29$360.2584
Northside Hospital Choice+Local$1,857.31$366.0484
Trusted Resource Associates (TRA)$2,286.73$431.00830
NuWest Group$2,058.11$414.248,181
Siemens Healthineers$2,783.76$296.79816
Sunbelt Staffing$2,489.41$389.11804
MARS Solutions Group$2,526.25$450.4880
MSSI$2,427.89$408.06788
Raisso Inc.$2,351.97$311.94781
Supplemental Health Care$1,887.55$443.7377,232
Fastaff Travel Nursing$2,302.33$401.55760
Skyline Med Staff$1,870.45$419.497,509
CrossMed$1,972.35$343.407,439
Zack Group$2,049.44$599.657,159
Reliant Staffing Solutions$2,283.63$281.31710
Rock Medical Group$2,229.40$526.5671
Meda Health$2,247.59$395.036,925
Next Move, Inc.$2,102.22$338.676,923
Medmasa$3,112.25$846.7568
AB Staffing Solutions$2,280.69$502.60671
Triage Staffing$2,113.94$729.9565,091
Health Advocates Network$2,236.94$411.146,413
Alto Healthcare Staffing$2,194.48$513.80640
United Staffing Solutions$2,273.77$484.55639
PS Companies$2,492.04$286.63638
Medasource$2,248.52$324.87625
NURSES Etc. STAFFING$2,361.96$367.92589
Prime Time Healthcare$2,423.20$354.095,860
LanceSoft$2,373.70$469.2358,390
Pluto Healthcare Staffing$2,176.74$319.15573
Formation, Inc.$3,074.22$412.5957
Marshall Healthcare Staffing$2,228.73$501.37569
Lahey Health$2,511.04$386.6656
TLC Nursing$2,159.28$380.415,331
Tallavera$2,420.76$306.1652
FlexCare Medical Staffing$2,294.38$350.515,098
Modern Healthcare Solutions$2,362.49$363.61502
VitalHire$2,204.54$429.26494
SkyBridge Healthcare$1,842.22$361.054,922
Nurses 24/7$2,600.75$319.99481
Marvel Medical Staffing$1,881.61$364.784,772
Genie Healthcare$2,123.52$433.9347,317
Custom Healthcare Solutions$2,179.41$372.1947
MedPro Healthcare Staffing$2,151.36$372.2845,229
Ethos Medical Staffing$2,177.23$383.374,383
Host Healthcare$2,416.76$1,273.9343,554
QS Nurses$2,039.06$363.16422
Source Medical Staffing$2,112.71$481.964,193
ARM Staffing$2,214.64$382.494,107
Critical Connection, inc$2,031.61$240.854,051
Insight Global$2,364.59$602.00403
Arrow Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting$2,052.60$410.873,953
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions$2,046.34$330.6837,824
American Medical Staffing$1,773.07$418.673,779
GrapeTree Medical Staffing$1,661.14$408.763,753
Revolution Healthcare Services$2,156.72$458.713,744
Nurses First Solutions$2,018.75$468.343,730
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing$2,319.34$424.65366
Stability Healthcare$2,205.79$384.3835,631
MedWave Healthcare Staffing$2,084.90$583.153,488
Excel Medical Staffing$2,282.95$499.823,478
Catapult Healthcare$2,467.34$531.23340
Infojini Healthcare$2,416.49$492.89340
Cross Country Healthcare$2,086.52$474.2933,900
Blu Medstaff$1,830.13$355.75339
The Judge Group$2,523.57$412.013,376
Planet Healthcare$2,143.60$433.7933,603
Go Healthcare$2,053.62$355.9333,137
Access Healthcare Staffing$2,201.87$421.6231,884
Beyond Medical Staffing$1,902.67$378.80315
Cure Healthcare Staffing$2,393.23$356.783,099
TotalMed$2,096.81$366.5730,797
Nomad Health$2,195.56$321.463,053
Favorite Healthcare Staffing$2,552.54$516.88304
CoreMedical Group$1,927.17$390.8730,293
Aureus Medical Group$2,114.14$425.5429,939
Phaxis$2,192.53$318.97294
White Glove Placement$2,494.90$313.27290
National Staffing$1,688.96$391.2829
The Good Life MedStaff$2,208.54$416.512,889
Soliant Health$2,546.40$539.12288
Fiber Staffing$2,166.81$218.42277
AHS Staffing$2,088.02$387.6527,469
Medical Solutions$2,128.42$447.6127,053
Froedtert Health$2,334.92$314.93265
Accountable Healthcare Staffing$2,110.47$346.53263
Centra Healthcare$1,771.91$360.322,596
Grady Works$1,855.02$207.8125
SambaCare$2,139.19$504.432,458
HumanEdge$2,163.75$433.922,441
Innovent Global$2,395.10$527.24240
Healthcare Staffing - IDR, Inc$2,124.35$430.7623,992
Excite Health Partners$2,619.43$453.51239
trustaff$2,155.29$383.4323,889
LeaderStat$2,239.56$369.1923,455
PRIDE Health$2,223.71$463.2523,309
GHR Travel Nursing$2,204.04$331.4422,828
Voyage Healthcare$2,240.11$297.842,227
ADN Healthcare$2,258.79$372.6922,068
Solomon Page$2,271.10$430.4121,967
Junxion Med Staffing$2,131.06$403.362,185
TRS Healthcare$2,139.54$420.1021,844
Travel Nurses Inc.$2,113.33$383.1421,813
OneStaff Medical$1,863.82$479.6321,523
Magnet Medical$2,185.61$404.4421,140
Vastek Inc.$2,271.16$349.602,101
Gifted Healthcare$2,185.49$344.652,039
American Mobile Healthcare (AMN)$2,187.46$449.822,030
GetMed Staffing, Inc.$1,790.22$415.4319,920
ALOIS Healthcare$2,152.50$375.9419,918
Travel Nurse Across America$2,107.92$338.7619,576
Peregrine Team$2,321.80$419.71195
Connected Health Care$2,178.22$413.231,948
DT-Trak Consulting$2,794.34$563.06193
Galaxy Healthcare$2,251.30$361.931,903
Nurse First Travel Agency$2,195.67$347.6218,703
Halcyon Nurse Staffing$2,232.76$493.11187
Lead Health$2,117.99$401.421,869
KPG Healthcare$2,238.14$843.0918,333
Health Carousel - Allied Travel$2,139.29$439.401,783
CareNational$2,411.20$338.56177
MedUS Healthcare$2,213.13$340.381,753
FlexUp Direct$2,107.04$471.441,743
Healthcare Support$2,104.02$392.9917,179
Assured Nursing$2,073.64$454.7417,137
Summit Medical Staffing$2,143.02$695.6316,888
ICONMA$2,447.44$369.74168
Thrive Staffing$2,103.65$431.921,659
Synergy Medical Staffing$1,951.52$500.7716,491
Aequor Healthcare$2,116.54$368.6416,135
Uniti Med$2,053.31$525.7616,093
GLC On-The-Go$1,913.30$441.5715,945
Refined Medical Staffing$2,216.09$385.281,590
Seven Healthcare$2,347.03$467.781,574
Aptiva Healthcare$2,712.06$732.38157
Remede Consulting Group, Inc.$2,398.16$366.061,565
ADEX Healthcare Staffing - US Travel Nursing$2,177.43$397.8715,534
Amare Medical Network$2,143.96$388.311,553
Nationwide Therapy Group$1,833.98$525.0615,281
Premier Healthcare Professionals$2,257.86$483.0415,228
Wellspring Nurse Source$2,259.11$401.1015,193
Destination Travelcare$2,230.60$344.161,488
Premier Medical Staffing$2,136.05$357.1014,674
PRN Healthcare$2,223.98$376.9414,657
RKA Recruiting$2,337.75$410.881,453
The Stepping Stones Group$1,929.14$291.55145
Spire Workforce Solutions$2,327.94$349.281,438
Novo Connections$1,905.69$419.2014
Coast Medical Service$2,206.17$355.6713,883
American Traveler$2,244.83$356.7813,747
Lucid Staffing Solutions$2,266.88$678.061,359
Anders Group$2,168.16$451.3713,479
LRS Healthcare$2,109.61$327.7013,214
eTeam Inc$2,251.05$539.291,321
Epic Travel Staffing (formerly Emerald Health)$2,191.69$368.6513,200
SojouRN$2,312.94$538.72130
Providence Health Care Staffing$2,269.40$587.371,277
iDeal Personnel$2,329.78$446.561,272
Concentric Healthcare Staffing$2,044.63$398.921,262
B2B Staffing Services$2,221.70$570.521,259
Voca Healthcare$2,197.80$434.6411,621
Bluebird Staffing$2,128.32$366.96115
CareTeam Solutions$2,120.59$338.8811,472
Nightingale Nurses$2,152.02$383.9111,349
TheraEX Staffing Services$2,244.00$698.531,103
Advantis Medical Staffing$2,046.60$378.1811,027
Focus Staff$2,138.07$438.0510,950
Jackson Nurse Professionals$2,074.46$392.1610,800
Lifeline Medical Staffing$2,018.17$403.171,064
Pulse Healthcare Services$2,612.24$533.151,056
Prime HealthCare Staffing$2,041.42$339.0810,284
AMN Healthcare Allied$1,938.03$445.3610,022
Millbrook$2,669.71$391.25100
CT Assist$3,074.94$779.0310
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.

Dropping the Mic 🖐🎤

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