What's Inside ⤵️
Travel Nurse Salary trends: From now back to 2019!
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?
What Is an Average Travel Nurse Salary?
Why Do Travel Nurses Make So Much?
Is Travel Nursing Worth It?
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
The Highest Paying States for Travel Nurses
The Highest Paying Travel Nurse Specialties
How to Find the Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs
How To Find The Best Paying Travel Nurse Agencies

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 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$2,442.05$548.2510,623
California$2,390.29$498.15120,615
Vermont$2,371.55$596.1520,355
New York$2,336.25$434.4593,227
Massachusetts$2,333.42$486.3075,894
Wisconsin$2,325.08$712.8257,035
North Dakota$2,309.27$514.7618,407
Connecticut$2,262.46$474.7915,014
South Dakota$2,243.21$498.8116,258
Illinois$2,229.22$452.3559,273
New Jersey$2,222.03$437.0930,908
Rhode Island$2,218.21$473.105,357
New Hampshire$2,212.15$465.5128,603
Oregon$2,211.40$432.9931,873
Nebraska$2,209.96$391.1621,574
Washington$2,200.87$421.8556,296
Minnesota$2,179.92$574.0320,472
Utah$2,173.75$418.464,015
Idaho$2,170.32$371.6910,898
West Virginia$2,169.87$422.2619,399
Hawaii$2,162.33$458.6513,221
Arizona$2,155.82$390.7746,470
Wyoming$2,155.49$412.377,128
Montana$2,154.14$402.2718,571
Iowa$2,151.01$388.4642,664
Nevada$2,145.37$431.867,074
Maine$2,144.77$409.9223,214
District Of Columbia$2,138.71$386.535,341
Ohio$2,124.23$405.7857,292
Colorado$2,116.11$425.1039,194
Kentucky$2,095.54$347.0523,584
Pennsylvania$2,094.37$481.6148,100
Oklahoma$2,085.50$343.2825,526
Delaware$2,084.09$443.253,989
Virginia$2,080.11$371.2456,596
Michigan$2,078.80$434.0339,650
Indiana$2,074.01$388.8138,689
Missouri$2,061.28$356.8437,306
Kansas$2,035.71$414.6523,396
Maryland$2,030.07$390.9230,222
Arkansas$1,977.57$433.948,358
Louisiana$1,966.06$369.3612,476
Tennessee$1,937.49$316.2128,653
South Carolina$1,933.03$339.9429,006
North Carolina$1,931.57$348.7876,218
Georgia$1,929.94$361.0065,081
New Mexico$1,918.23$434.7528,920
Florida$1,904.87$343.4644,893
Mississippi$1,890.38$484.587,216
Texas$1,889.36$366.2281,088
Alabama$1,811.04$321.7216,223
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)$5,520.15$1,104.20321
Perfusionist (Allied / Perf)$5,200.31$901.02397
Emergency Medicine (PA / ED)$3,981.60$261.893
Psychologist (Allied / CP)$3,439.21$833.4445
Dosimetrist (Allied / Dosimetrist)$3,038.32$526.68189
Family Nurse Practitioner (NP / FNP)$2,983.44$919.2610
Assistant Nurse Manager (RN / Asst RN Mgr)$2,954.75$588.5919
Visual Impairments Teacher (School Services / School)$2,789.26$1,744.7724
Registered Nurse First Assistant (RN / RNFA)$2,758.62$811.792,201
Doctor of Pharmacy (Allied / PharmD)$2,685.46$473.704,461
Audiologist (Allied / Aud)$2,681.17$594.28146
Critical Care Flight / Transport Nurse (RN / Flight)$2,645.09$654.2050
Interventional Radiology Technologist (Allied / IR Tech)$2,628.43$438.2920,163
Lactation (RN / Lactation)$2,617.53$416.5927
Pathology Assistant (Allied / Path Asst)$2,608.62$553.43664
Special Procedures Technologist (Allied / Special Procedures Tech)$2,602.32$385.891,244
Infection Control (RN / Infection)$2,593.07$651.25445
Nurse Manager (RN / RN Mgr)$2,590.00$718.412,673
Cardiovascular Cath Lab Technologist (Allied / Cardiac Cath Lab Tech)$2,559.89$425.2535,402
Administrative (RN / Admin)$2,556.17$492.97210
Director of Nursing (RN / DON)$2,523.93$767.18973
Nurse Navigator (RN / RN Navigator)$2,521.74$340.5548
Electrophysiology Lab Technician (Allied / EP Lab Tech)$2,514.55$380.734,207
Multi-Modality Technologist (Allied / Multi-Modality Technologist)$2,498.32$308.70340
House Supervisor (Supervisor / House Sup)$2,493.94$481.251,394
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (RN / CDI)$2,491.71$243.5956
Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Allied / CNMT)$2,490.92$422.2512,513
Electrophysiology Lab (RN / EP Lab)$2,482.78$452.362,676
Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / CVOR)$2,480.71$439.3215,792
Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / Peds CVICU)$2,478.22$333.26674
Cardiac Cath Lab (RN / Cath Lab)$2,476.51$382.8731,399
Pediatric Operating Room (RN / Peds OR)$2,476.00$473.32735
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (RN / CRNA)$2,467.47$2,408.49133
Interventional Radiology (RN / IR)$2,460.94$390.298,776
Pediatric Cardiovascular Operating Room (RN / Peds CVOR)$2,460.01$422.3885
Computed Tomography Technologist (Allied / CT Tech)$2,458.19$433.31100,865
Special Procedures (RN / Special Procedures)$2,455.82$398.30132
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (RN / PICU)$2,433.61$472.548,592
Patient Care Coordinator (RN / PCC)$2,420.50$583.1286
MRI Technologist (Allied / MRI Technologist)$2,417.61$413.2433,140
Radiotherapist (Allied / Radiotherapy)$2,415.80$455.368,772
Public Health (RN / Pub Hlth)$2,413.59$618.363
Diagnostic Radiologist (Allied / Radiologist)$2,412.05$331.50329
Radiology (RN / Radiology)$2,406.45$343.781,673
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (School Services / BCBA)$2,391.57$708.3771
Labor & Delivery (RN / L&D)$2,389.26$436.2864,516
MRI Technician (Allied / MRI Tech)$2,381.61$370.3011,309
Mammography Tech (Allied / Mammo Tech)$2,377.22$400.239,924
Echocardiograph Technologist (Allied / Echo Technologist)$2,374.27$342.005,925
Echo-Vascular Technician (Allied / Echo/Vasc Tech)$2,368.70$720.371,623
Pediatric Oncology (RN / Peds Onc)$2,357.56$996.6275
Vascular Access Nurse (RN / PICC RN)$2,335.47$480.59166
School Psychologist, Certified (School Services / NCSP)$2,331.08$675.17202
Nurse Educator (RN / Education)$2,326.68$866.60501
Cytotechnologist (Allied / Cyto)$2,320.66$416.56876
Wound Care (RN / Wound)$2,319.71$435.742,405
Admissions (RN / ADM)$2,309.93$272.5840
Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / Peds PACU)$2,306.96$350.73208
Echocardiograph Technician (Allied / Echo Tech)$2,305.12$339.506,177
Pediatric Hematology - Oncology (RN / Peds Heme/Onc)$2,304.82$328.33312
Clinical Nurse Coordinator (RN / CNC)$2,300.95$453.03127
Vascular Technologist (Allied / RVT)$2,288.84$388.323,134
Pediatric Progressive Care Unit (RN / Peds PCU)$2,285.54$234.27473
OB/GYN (RN / OB/GYN)$2,278.18$408.683,780
Ultrasound Technologist (Allied / US Technologist)$2,270.38$387.3326,015
Pediatric Emergency Department (RN / Peds ED)$2,267.96$396.442,004
Case Management (RN / CM)$2,261.36$421.0211,105
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (RN / CVICU)$2,259.86$398.1617,298
Coronary Care Unit (RN / CCU)$2,258.76$307.054,033
Surgical Oncology (RN / Surg Onc)$2,257.69$294.67103
Utilization Review (RN / UR)$2,254.25$416.07378
Hematology (RN / Heme)$2,252.98$273.81112
Operating Room (RN / OR)$2,245.84$422.8158,919
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (RN / NICU)$2,242.93$399.6414,852
Orthopedic Neurology (RN / Ortho / Neuro)$2,240.48$273.5799
Same Day Surgery (RN / SDS)$2,235.05$319.2210
Float Pool (RN / Float)$2,229.14$341.261,558
Obstetric Ultrasound - Sonographer (Allied / OB/GYN US)$2,219.28$463.74157
Ultrasound-Sonography Technician (Allied / US/Sono Tech)$2,218.90$334.807,359
Cardiology (RN / Cardio)$2,213.72$358.921,339
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (RN / CTICU)$2,208.78$310.58547
Pediatrics (RN / Peds)$2,207.16$365.856,915
Hematology / Oncology (RN / Heme / Onc)$2,206.08$340.27820
Burn Intensive Care Unit (RN / BICU)$2,205.78$463.41538
Neurology Intensive Care Unit (RN / Neuro ICU)$2,203.94$303.683,598
Infusion Therapy (RN / Infusion)$2,201.53$384.262,158
Bone Marrow Transplant (RN / BMT)$2,187.34$267.47750
Urgent Care (RN / Urgent Care)$2,182.68$394.46279
Transplant (RN / Transplant)$2,180.70$380.09389
Nephrology (RN / Neph)$2,180.42$814.10155
Step Down Unit (RN / SDU)$2,172.46$279.3314,825
Direct Observation Unit (RN / DOU)$2,164.29$295.671,297
Cardiac Stepdown Unit (RN / CSDU)$2,158.55$295.302,457
Surgical Intensive Care Unit (RN / SICU)$2,154.03$344.011,600
Intensive Care Unit (RN / ICU)$2,153.27$361.2979,635
Postpartum (RN / PP)$2,145.82$434.775,037
Neurology (RN / Neuro)$2,145.08$401.784,280
Oncology (RN / Onc)$2,144.50$364.2816,370
Emergency Department (RN / ED)$2,142.67$346.5498,029
Radiology Technologist (Allied / X-Ray Technologist)$2,136.92$424.6943,832
Endoscopy (RN / Endo)$2,134.98$369.006,795
Postoperative (RN / Post-op)$2,129.39$276.3672
Clerical (Non-Healthcare / Clerical)$2,125.65$1,115.746
Medical Surgical Telemetry (RN / Med Surg Tele)$2,124.95$282.1555,715
Ambulatory Care (RN / Amb)$2,119.47$372.991,388
Gastrointestinal Lab (RN / GI Lab)$2,119.19$320.441,419
X-Ray Technician (Allied / X-Ray Tech)$2,117.57$260.101,947
Post Anesthesia Care Unit (RN / PACU)$2,113.08$367.3820,645
Home Health (RN / HH)$2,107.61$405.2619,141
Acute Care (RN / Acute)$2,104.94$353.893,479
Progressive Care Unit (RN / PCU)$2,098.45$317.1855,836
Dialysis (RN / Dialysis)$2,096.10$294.958,209
Therapeutic Apheresis (RN / Apheresis)$2,094.82$324.9467
Hospice (RN / Hospice)$2,092.69$382.345,976
Trauma Intensive Care Unit (RN / TICU)$2,092.31$360.291,198
Charge Nurse (RN / Charge)$2,090.61$395.58147
Certified Surgical First Assistant (Allied / CSFA)$2,087.90$368.472,322
Telemetry (RN / Tele)$2,082.66$347.2058,316
Pain Management (RN / Pain Mgt)$2,073.62$289.1639
Radiology Technician (Allied / Rad Tech)$2,072.05$405.5923,206
Outpatient Clinic (RN / Outpatient)$2,069.30$364.654,206
CVOR Technologist (Allied / CVOR Tech)$2,052.49$367.8711,595
Occupational Health (RN / Occ Health)$2,043.91$265.18230
Medical Surgical (RN / Med Surg)$2,040.78$348.06117,360
Perioperative (RN / Peri-op)$2,037.89$341.631,999
Research / Clinical Research (RN / Research)$2,036.81$383.13171
Long Term Acute Care (RN / LTAC)$2,028.80$378.5511,122
Psychiatric - Mental Health (RN / Psych)$2,028.72$339.9514,963
Physical Therapy (Therapy / PT)$2,026.32$339.07118,830
Orthopedic (RN / Ortho)$2,017.22$285.033,761
Neurology Progressive Care Unit (RN / Neuro PCU)$2,009.75$294.641,354
Respiratory Therapist (Allied / RT)$2,006.80$387.9046,105
Speech Language Pathologist (Allied / SLP)$1,999.75$328.4729,639
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Allied / LCSW)$1,996.00$449.004,272
Assistant Director of Nursing (RN / Asst. DON)$1,985.20$675.83174
Corrections (RN / Corr)$1,970.60$313.393,594
Obstetric Technician (Allied / OB Tech)$1,962.34$399.65677
Urology (RN / Urology)$1,944.18$327.79173
Occupational Therapy (Therapy / OT)$1,940.95$334.0041,200
Special Education Teacher (School Services / Special Ed)$1,930.35$1,052.17929
Stroke / Neuro (RN / Stroke / Neuro)$1,927.86$254.1480
School Nurse (RN / School Nurse)$1,916.44$360.38188
Polysomnographer (Allied / Sleep Tech)$1,893.45$267.951,511
Skilled Nursing Facility (RN / SNF)$1,887.39$496.717,047
Electroencephalogram Technologist (Allied / EEG Technologist)$1,887.07$295.411,040
Long Term Care (RN / LTC)$1,886.07$347.1619,285
Recreational Therapist (Therapy / RT)$1,877.04$334.9672
Electroencephalogram Technician (Allied / EEG Tech)$1,875.20$277.76790
Long Term Acute Care (LPN / LVN / LTAC)$1,870.70$128.7510
Registered Dietician (Allied / RDCD)$1,869.69$250.73722
Rehabilitation (RN / Rehab)$1,850.35$385.5511,553
Rehabilitation Therapy (Allied / Rehab Therapy)$1,836.07$377.081,126
Psychiatry - Mental Health (NP / Psych)$1,788.64$205.073
Medical Tech / Medical Laboratory Scientist / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Allied / MT / MLS / CLS)$1,783.03$478.2810,052
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (Allied / SLPA)$1,770.17$308.36231
Operating Room / Surgical Technician (Allied / OR / Surg Tech)$1,767.27$401.3642,103
Antepartum (Allied / Ante)$1,764.43$155.427
Vaccinations (RN / Vax)$1,709.88$345.325
Emergency Department (LPN / LVN / ED)$1,705.63$510.8994
Telehealth (RN / Telehealth)$1,644.40$429.40121
Paramedic (Allied / Paramedic)$1,635.48$315.51295
Histotechnician (Allied / HT)$1,629.53$307.48503
Hospice (LPN / LVN / Hospice)$1,567.58$290.62157
School Nurse (LPN / LVN / School Nurse)$1,543.18$268.3146
Endoscopy Technician (Allied / Endo Tech)$1,537.18$339.701,018
Home Health (LPN / LVN / HH)$1,532.94$187.882,377
Psychiatric - Mental Health (LPN / LVN / Psych)$1,527.87$250.57279
Anesthesia Technician (Allied / Anesthesia Tech)$1,494.05$297.30509
Telemetry (LPN / LVN / Tele)$1,487.25$355.13119
Emergency Department Technician (Allied / ED Tech)$1,480.16$432.41114
Corrections (LPN / LVN / Corr)$1,447.20$246.132,613
Long Term Care (LPN / LVN / LTC)$1,437.96$233.2320,304
Electrocardiograph Technician (Allied / EKG Tech)$1,416.46$394.84167
Outpatient Clinic (LPN / LVN / Outpatient)$1,396.03$376.032,242
Physical Therapy Assistant (Therapy / PTA)$1,374.65$248.7128,065
Pharmacy Technician (Allied / Pharm Tech)$1,355.24$452.56538
Occupational Therapy Assistant (Therapy / OTA)$1,353.53$242.612,489
Antepartum (RN / Antepartum)$1,346.49$576.30793
Telemetry Monitor Technician (Allied / Tele / Monitor Tech)$1,345.82$353.62546
Medical Surgical (LPN / LVN / Med Surg)$1,345.58$250.351,773
LPN / LVN (LPN / LVN / LPN / LVN)$1,299.29$262.9412,071
Dialysis Technician (Allied / Dialysis Tech)$1,270.68$207.79939
Psychiatric - Mental Health Technician (Allied / Psych Tech)$1,267.83$279.4753
Sterile Processing Technician (Allied / SPT)$1,247.33$259.524,022
( / Rehab)$1,243.43$281.59225
Medical Surgical (CNA / Med Surg)$1,184.38$341.8126
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA / CNA)$1,118.71$367.94124
Long Term Care (CNA / LTC)$1,100.07$234.0899
Phlebotomy (Allied / Phlebotomist)$1,070.08$300.80490
Patient Care Technician (Allied / PCT)$1,026.37$225.02511
Certified Medical Assistant (Allied / CMA)$1,013.31$351.18828
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
Health Carousel$2,155.42$344.14993
Advantis Medical Staffing$2,058.20$371.299,899
MedUS Healthcare$2,233.57$346.82977
Trinity Health FirstChoice$2,489.50$378.79977
Springboard Healthcare$2,432.00$350.159,706
Fastaff Travel Nursing$2,305.62$395.44970
Ardor Health Solutions$1,989.78$379.499,137
Providence Health Care Staffing$2,237.56$600.99912
GQR Healthcare$1,924.35$522.328,934
Consolidated Medical Travel$2,548.52$411.73889
Bestica$2,218.63$435.958,888
Jackson Therapy Partners$1,835.63$349.158,705
Trusted Resource Associates (TRA)$2,313.33$429.26869
NuWest Group$2,033.66$399.218,689
CrossMed$1,980.66$358.698,570
Fusion Medical Staffing$2,270.92$979.548,556
Avani Healthcare Staffing$2,048.02$355.99837
MAS Medical Staffing$1,986.42$381.73837
MSSI$2,424.16$386.01814
Northside Hospital Choice+Local$1,861.11$362.3581
Reliable Nurse Staffing$2,243.19$373.318,061
Siemens Healthineers$2,774.30$303.32805
MARS Solutions Group$2,526.25$450.4880
Raisso Inc.$2,351.97$311.94781
RightPro Staffing$2,214.09$422.99780
MedicalPeople Staffing, LLC$2,693.26$408.5578
Titan Medical Group$2,173.41$394.897,780
Sunbelt Staffing$2,488.64$385.66771
Supplemental Health Care$1,894.43$437.7176,501
Sharp Medical Staffinglife$2,027.01$386.047,518
Vibra Travels$2,079.31$314.097,269
AB Staffing Solutions$2,309.00$489.64716
Skyline Med Staff$1,877.61$423.497,060
Zack Group$2,045.90$592.106,970
Meda Health$2,248.44$396.386,906
United Staffing Solutions$2,295.35$482.46688
TactStaff$2,393.29$352.46682
Becker Health$2,386.39$383.1668
Alto Healthcare Staffing$2,197.76$511.26660
Triage Staffing$2,114.84$733.7365,741
PS Companies$2,483.30$280.83645
Reliant Staffing Solutions$2,312.05$323.76645
Next Move, Inc.$2,096.62$336.966,279
Prime Time Healthcare$2,412.87$356.026,261
SkyBridge Healthcare$1,837.00$353.346,246
Pluto Healthcare Staffing$2,177.17$315.63624
LanceSoft$2,375.90$474.9360,044
Medasource$2,245.73$323.41588
Medmasa$3,006.71$687.6158
Health Advocates Network$2,226.95$411.815,767
Formation, Inc.$3,068.64$453.7957
NURSES Etc. STAFFING$2,350.12$354.64567
TLC Nursing$2,159.03$378.385,389
Ethos Medical Staffing$2,173.96$391.385,354
Modern Healthcare Solutions$2,360.40$369.42532
Tallavera$2,416.79$311.6750
MedPro Healthcare Staffing$2,148.91$374.6249,498
3D Medical Staffing$2,233.60$357.71486
Genie Healthcare$2,127.20$430.9348,030
Nurses 24/7$2,588.72$326.04467
FlexCare Medical Staffing$2,303.49$339.124,550
Custom Healthcare Solutions$2,186.67$378.5745
Host Healthcare$2,411.70$1,250.9243,879
ARM Staffing$2,217.85$379.724,384
Marshall Healthcare Staffing$2,276.15$494.33426
Critical Connection, inc$2,028.52$241.894,239
Marvel Medical Staffing$1,878.80$364.374,082
QS Nurses$2,033.23$363.72403
Nomad Health$2,191.88$320.394,015
Bluebird Staffing$2,193.09$407.9839
American Medical Staffing$1,769.19$416.683,881
The Judge Group$2,510.44$410.643,836
Insight Global$2,357.36$610.51383
HealthTrust Workforce Solutions$2,049.26$330.3537,660
Stability Healthcare$2,214.70$385.3036,653
MedWave Healthcare Staffing$2,092.51$575.673,645
Source Medical Staffing$2,148.84$481.753,600
Lahey Health$2,485.16$452.6736
Rock Medical Group$1,909.99$369.6236
Revolution Healthcare Services$2,166.93$442.543,584
Blu Medstaff$1,828.97$358.76353
Nurses First Solutions$2,008.65$463.163,524
Cross Country Healthcare$2,100.56$470.5135,131
Arrow Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting$2,051.38$415.523,461
Go Healthcare$2,052.29$355.1433,849
The Good Life MedStaff$2,205.53$409.493,333
Favorite Healthcare Staffing$2,539.09$509.02333
Catapult Healthcare$2,463.74$532.80331
Excel Medical Staffing$2,298.71$465.393,303
Infojini Healthcare$2,414.32$497.28325
GrapeTree Medical Staffing$1,646.93$394.823,235
VitalHire$2,255.21$459.75322
Cure Healthcare Staffing$2,393.20$356.623,110
CoreMedical Group$1,920.43$395.5330,630
Beyond Medical Staffing$1,905.16$375.36298
Access Healthcare Staffing$2,207.26$423.7629,491
White Glove Placement$2,494.90$313.27290
Planet Healthcare$2,138.14$433.7728,679
ICONMA$2,447.92$362.47284
Excite Health Partners$2,576.78$443.55282
HumanEdge$2,156.61$434.292,801
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing$2,334.64$417.56278
trustaff$2,152.23$380.4327,589
TotalMed$2,097.24$361.1227,531
AHS Staffing$2,093.08$384.2727,467
Medical Solutions$2,131.35$449.6226,546
Froedtert Health$2,345.59$313.56264
Fiber Staffing$2,160.67$212.53263
Centra Healthcare$1,780.11$364.982,620
Connected Health Care$2,154.63$404.302,590
Junxion Med Staffing$2,114.92$404.912,506
Soliant Health$2,518.85$529.71250
SambaCare$2,135.19$503.222,485
Innovent Global$2,438.29$633.70245
Healthcare Staffing - IDR, Inc$2,138.50$426.4824,316
LeaderStat$2,245.47$365.5624,142
Travel Nurses Inc.$2,108.29$378.7323,978
GHR Travel Nursing$2,204.84$331.3923,953
Solomon Page$2,280.47$428.1223,925
Aureus Medical Group$2,112.47$427.8023,225
PRIDE Health$2,226.50$467.6722,728
TRS Healthcare$2,145.23$417.8422,211
GetMed Staffing, Inc.$1,791.35$408.4121,152
Voyage Healthcare$2,239.31$295.782,086
ADN Healthcare$2,261.17$373.3620,529
American Mobile Healthcare (AMN)$2,172.26$442.302,035
ALOIS Healthcare$2,155.92$376.5220,166
Travel Nurse Across America$2,106.70$339.0520,008
Magnet Medical$2,193.92$404.4419,719
Gifted Healthcare$2,191.15$339.431,963
TheraEX Staffing Services$2,223.46$671.381,955
Health Carousel - Allied Travel$2,116.94$429.101,930
Phaxis$2,162.28$352.40191
OneStaff Medical$1,883.06$475.5819,087
Grady Works$1,879.42$230.0219
Nurse First Travel Agency$2,200.88$350.7318,920
Assured Nursing$2,077.72$456.4318,546
Healthcare Support$2,099.86$391.4818,379
CareNational$2,411.20$338.56177
GLC On-The-Go$1,934.67$443.4817,667
Vastek Inc.$2,260.41$348.881,751
KPG Healthcare$2,233.01$824.5817,401
Premier Medical Staffing$2,142.55$349.1617,322
Galaxy Healthcare$2,257.28$360.211,723
Aptiva Healthcare$2,721.20$712.02171
DT-Trak Consulting$2,804.57$583.85170
Wellspring Nurse Source$2,264.61$398.8016,488
Synergy Medical Staffing$1,952.10$503.5316,286
Halcyon Nurse Staffing$2,247.78$521.33162
Uniti Med$2,050.36$547.3015,959
Refined Medical Staffing$2,216.19$388.441,592
Aequor Healthcare$2,121.52$371.1715,755
Seven Healthcare$2,356.65$468.591,571
Thrive Staffing$2,131.68$387.721,570
RCM Healthcare Services$1,947.04$397.25157
Amare Medical Network$2,143.96$388.311,553
Spire Workforce Solutions$2,278.24$387.841,551
Summit Medical Staffing$2,129.02$632.3315,368
Remede Consulting Group, Inc.$2,396.43$370.501,532
Lucid Staffing Solutions$2,256.78$667.131,523
Nationwide Therapy Group$1,836.21$520.7315,196
FlexUp Direct$2,117.96$465.191,484
Peregrine Team$2,266.58$392.38146
The Stepping Stones Group$1,926.19$292.73146
Lead Health$2,114.02$399.821,457
PRN Healthcare$2,228.29$378.3414,542
RKA Recruiting$2,337.75$410.881,453
Destination Travelcare$2,227.30$347.071,430
Coast Medical Service$2,215.93$354.1014,262
Epic Travel Staffing (formerly Emerald Health)$2,214.04$375.8514,122
American Traveler$2,241.78$357.5414,080
ADEX Healthcare Staffing - US Travel Nursing$2,190.50$378.2314,052
Novo Connections$1,905.69$419.2014
Premier Healthcare Professionals$2,254.74$488.0313,675
Concentric Healthcare Staffing$2,062.25$399.621,353
LRS Healthcare$2,103.73$329.8412,926
Anders Group$2,162.92$454.4712,750
B2B Staffing Services$2,231.41$590.061,270
Voca Healthcare$2,217.64$428.0012,520
iDeal Personnel$2,361.27$441.581,214
eTeam Inc$2,239.66$546.471,212
SojouRN$2,289.56$547.90121
Lifeline Medical Staffing$2,017.41$398.441,132
CareTeam Solutions$2,125.10$337.1711,297
Focus Staff$2,141.26$435.4411,124
Nightingale Nurses$2,142.51$386.3211,070
Alliance Medical Staffing$2,073.84$607.26110
CT Assist$3,316.34$318.2211
Jackson Nurse Professionals$2,085.31$396.5010,635
Malone Healthcare Solutions$2,313.79$340.6210,438
Pulse Healthcare Services$2,612.14$527.821,042
Prime HealthCare Staffing$2,047.03$338.2010,208
AMN Healthcare Allied$1,929.45$441.3810,128
Specialty Professional Services$1,949.84$428.861,010
Millbrook$2,660.39$400.38100
Scout Nurse Staffing$2,448.00$910.7410
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. 💕