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The allure of travel nursing is often the travel nurse’s salary, among other benefits like flexibility and adventure. Jokingly, many healthcare professionals refer to travelers as the Rolls Royce or Louis Vuitton of nurses. They are perceived to make a lot of money in a short period of time. Because of this, staff nurses often wonder how they stack up next to the visiting travel nurse when it comes to hourly and weekly wages. How much do travel nurses make, really? Below, you can see the average travel nurse salary in the states. But it depends on the state they are in, their specialty, and their experience! In this article, we break it all down for you so you can finally answer the nagging question of “How much do travel nurses make?”.

How Much Money Do Travel Nurses Make?

Compensation is one of the most talked-about topics when it comes to travel nursing. Unfortunately, there is no straight answer. A travel nurse’s salary depends on multiple factors, including the severity of a need in a given location and the state in general. On average, a travel nurse will make 16% more than a staff nurse. During the pandemic with crisis rates, travel nurses were making upwards of 30% more than staff nurses.

We often see higher rates in some states than in others and this is because of the cost of living and the demand for nurses. For example, California is one of the highest-paying travel nurse states because of its high demand and high cost of living.

Below, with the help of Nomad, we broke down the average RN salary per state compared to the average travel nurse salary per state. Keep in mind these are based on statistics and data but can always vary!

StateAverage RN SalaryAverage WeeklyAverage HourlyAverage Travel RN SalaryAverage WeeklyAverage Hourly
Alabama$57,890$1,113$31$68,310$1,314$36
Alaska$87,510$1,683$47$103,262$1,986$55
Arizona$75,110$1,444$40$88,630$1,704$47
Arkansas$58,810$1,131$31$69,396$1,335$37
California$102,700$1,975$55$121,186$2,331$65
Colorado$72,570$1,396$39$85,633$1,647$46
Connecticut$80,200$1,542$43$94,636$1,820$51
Delaware$73,180$1,407$39$86,352$1,661$46
District of Columbia$90,110$1,733$48$106,330$2,045$57
Florida$64,890$1,248$35$76,570$1,473$41
Georgia$66,750$1,284$36$78,765$1,515$41
Hawaii$96,990$1,865$52$114,448$2,201$61
Idaho$64,520$1,241$34$76,134$1,464$41
Illinois$72,090$1,386$39$85,066$1,636$45
Indiana$62,450$1,201$33$73,691$1,417$39
Iowa$57,930$1,114$31$68,357$1,315$37
Kansas$59,940$1,153$32$70,729$1,360$38
Kentucky$61,530$1,183$33$72,605$1,396$39
Louisiana$63,560$1,222$34$75,001$1,442$40
Maine$65,890$1,267$35$77,750$1,495$42
Maryland$75,250$1,447$40$88,795$1,708$47
Massachusetts$89,330$1,718$48$105,409$2,027$56
Michigan$69,120$1,329$37$81,562$1,568$44
Minnesota$77,540$1,491$41$91,497$1,760$49
Mississippi$57,700$1,110$31$68,086$1,309$36
Missouri$63,300$1,217$34$74,694$1,436$40
Montana$66,280$1,275$35$78,210$1,504$42
Nebraska$62,210$1,196$33$73,408$1,412$39
Nevada$84,980$1,634$45$100,276$1,928$54
New Hampshire$70,040$1,347$37$82,647$1,589$44
New Jersey$82,010$1,577$44$96,772$1,861$52
New Mexico$69,840$1,343$37$82,411$1,585$44
New York$83,450$1,605$45$98,471$1,894$53
North Carolina$62,560$1,203$33$73,821$1,420$39
North Dakota$63,140$1,214$34$74,505$1,433$40
Ohio$65,500$1,260$35$77,290$1,486$41
Oklahoma$61,640$1,185$33$72,735$1,399$39
Oregon$88,770$1,707$47$104,749$2,014$56
Pennsylvania$69,820$1,343$37$82,388$1,584$44
Rhode Island$76,650$1,474$41$90,447$1,739$48
South Carolina$63,630$1,224$34$75,083$1,444$40
South Dakota$57,010$1,096$30$67,272$1,294$36
Tennessee$60,050$1,155$32$70,859$1,363$38
Texas$72,070$1,386$39$85,043$1,635$45
Utah$63,050$1,213$34$74,399$1,431$40
Vermont$69,560$1,338$37$82,081$1,578$44
Virginia$67,990$1,308$36$80,228$1,543$43
Washington$79,810$1,535$43$94,176$1,811$50
West Virginia$60,380$1,161$32$71,248$1,370$38
Wisconsin$69,200$1,331$37$81,656$1,570$44
Wyoming$64,900$1,248$35$76,582$1,473$41

Highest Paying Travel Nurse Cities and States

Also, with the help of ZipRecruiter, we were able to break down a list of the top 10 highest-paying cities and states and the annual salary for travel nursing in 2023. Check out the list below to see which city you want to take an assignment in next!

Highest-Paying Cities and StatesAnnual Salary
San Jose, California
$124,486
Jackson, Wyoming $124,160
Oakland, California$123,231
Vallejo, California
$120,898
Hayward, California$120,579
Seattle, Washington$120,473
Truckee, California$120,225
Santa Barbara, California
$119,641
Barnstable Town, Massachusetts$119,554
Sunnyvale, California$119,190

Where do Travel Nurses earn the Most in the United States?

As a travel nurse, you may wonder where you can make the most money in the United States. That’s a great question. Below are the top five states where you can earn the most money as a travel nurse and the additional benefits of traveling to that state.

top paying states- average annual salary of travel nurses
StatesBenefits
CaliforniaCalifornia is one of the most populated states in the country that has above-average pay and some of the most advanced hospitals such as UCSF Medical Center and UCLA Health. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also states California has competitive pay and excellent healthcare facilities throughout the state.
HawaiiHawaii attracts tourists from all around the world and provides a perfect combination of both travel and work. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hawaii receives one of the highest average annual salaries in the country. The state of Hawaii has a higher cost of living, but travel nurses have the option to balance this with free housing and other travel allowances.
OregonOregon is filled with endless opportunities for outdoor adventure for any travel nurse. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state of Oregon ranks in the top five highest-paying states for RNs in the country. Oregon also has competitive job salaries where travel nurses can earn between $1,100 to $4,000 per week.
District of ColumbiaThe District of Columbia is great for travel nurses who enjoy learning about history and visiting historical sites. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the District of Columbia has an annual wage of $98,540 a year and high-paying wages for travel nurses.
AlaskaAlaska is a perfect location for travel nurses who love adventure. This is another state that has high-paying salaries for travel nurses in the country, according to The Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Travel nurses working in Alaska can earn up to an hourly average wage of $46.74 and rank in the top five highest-paying states in the country.

Highest Paying Travel Nurse Specialties

When determining a travel nurse’s salary, location is a big piece of the puzzle, but so is a specialty! To earn more money as a registered nurse, getting additional certifications and specializing are great ways to advance your career. Once specialized, getting experience also helps increase wages. The more specialized, certified, and experienced a nurse is, the better care they can give to their patients. This increases their value and wage!

Below are the top-paying specialties in travel nursing according to Travel Nursing.org and American Mobile. Keep in mind these may fluctuate depending on what is going on in the world. For example, during the pandemic, ICUs and vaccinators were high in demand and got paid really well because of it.

RatingSpecialtyWeekly
#1Operating Room$2,974 to $5,394
#2Labor & Delivery$2,620 to $4,422
#3Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)$2,667 to $4,235
#4Intensive Care Unit (ICU)$2,513 to $4,171
#5Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)$2,365 to $3,931

Wage based on nurse specialty.

Factors That Influence A Travel Nurse Salary

The salary of a travel nurse is subject to various influential factors that shape their compensation within the dynamic healthcare industry.

Location, Location, Location!

Location is a massive factor in travel nurse salary. Often new travel nurses want to work locally or go to popular destination locations. The problem? So does everyone else. A traveler will get paid less in a destination location because there is a high demand for travelers wanting to work at that location. This lessens the demand for nurses. Destination locations include states like Florida and Colorado, especially during the winter months. In areas like South Dakota where there isn’t a huge destination draw, a traveler will get paid more because the facility has to compensate generously to get candidates there.

Cost-of-Living

Another factor in the location that affects travel nurse salary is cost-of-living. You may get paid more to work in a certain location, like Los Angeles. Why? Living in these areas costs a lot! High-cost-of-living locations are normally metropolitan areas like New York City, Boston, and San Francisco. Cost-of-living is precisely what it sounds like, it takes into account the cost of living a certain lifestyle in a given location. This includes food, rent, transportation, etc. These are all elements that play into your travel nurse salary. Always do research on the cost of living in the area you are looking to travel to, before traveling.

Shift Type

Let’s be honest, working the night shift pays more! It takes a certain kind of person who can quite literally work until the sun comes up. Some nurses prefer the night shift and crush the nocturnal lifestyle, while others don’t. There are lots of tips for becoming a night shift nurse, so don’t NOC it until you try it. If you are a tried and true day-shift worker, that is okay! You can earn extra cash working overtime, on weekends, and on holidays. There are plenty of differentials you can take advantage of to supplement your travel nurse salary!

Travel Nursing Expenses: Taxes, Stipends, Benefits

Taxes, stipends, benefits, oh my! Travel nursing expenses tend to be one of the more complicated areas. There is a lot of misconception and confusion, especially among first-time travelers. If you have a question always reach out to your recruiter or account manager! In this section, we are going to answer some of the main questions about taxes, stipends, and benefits and how this impacts your travel nurse salary.

Stipends and Tax-Free Money

We personalize all our travel nurse contracts and pay packages based on each individual nurse. One question we get a lot is about tax-free money. To qualify for travel stipends, also known as tax-free money, you must be duplicating living expenses. This is obvious if you are moving cross-country for a travel contract. Our Housing Coordinator will get you set up with a hotel, VRBO, or Airbnb. Your options are limitless when it comes to choosing your travel nurse housing. Your stipends, or tax-free money, will be paid out weekly in your checks!

Local Travelers and the 50-Mile Rule

If you are a local traveler this can be more confusing. A lot of the time the “50 Mile Rule” comes up. This is a fictional rule that states if you exceed 50 miles from your residence, you qualify for stipends. The IRS never set this. You must always duplicate living expenses to qualify, regardless of mileage. Some local travelers duplicate their living expenses by staying in a hotel or Airbnb on certain days of the week to cut down on driving. Since they duplicate their living expenses, they will see the stipends in their weekly check.

We are not an accounting firm, so we always tell our travelers to talk with their tax advisors about specific questions regarding tax-free stipends.

Travel Nurse Benefits

Travel nurse benefits vary depending on the agency. At PRN Healthcare if you work 30+ hours a week, you qualify for a comprehensive benefits package! This includes health, vision, dental, and life insurance along with a 401K plan, referral bonuses, renewal bonuses, and continuing education (CEUS) reimbursement. Click here to see a full list of benefits! PRN Healthcare is big into mental health and offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that gives employees access to free short-term counseling, financial and legal consultations, and more! Make sure to talk to your agency to see what benefits they offer.

How To Increase Travel Nurse Salary?

Exploring avenues to enhance a travel nurse salary involves understanding various strategies and considerations that can positively impact compensation within the dynamic healthcare industry.

Negotiate Pay

Some agencies have the best rate upfront, others do not. Being open and honest with your recruiter about your travel nurse salary expectations is important. If you really want to go to a certain location but the pay isn’t to your standards, ask them for more money. Sometimes the recruiters can match other agency rates and can reach out to the facility to see if they can budge on the pay. It is the recruiter’s job to find you the perfect contract, so be sure to state your needs and wants when it comes to compensation. Blue Pipes highlighted the different ways to negotiate pay:

  1. Collaborating: Attempt to reach the best outcome for both parties.
  2. Competing: Try to maximize your own outcome with no regard for others.
  3. Accommodating: Put the other party’s concerns first.
  4. Compromising: Try to reach a middle ground.
  5. Avoiding: Do not negotiate at all.

Ideally, you will model a collaborative approach with your recruiter and reach the best outcome for both of you!

Renewal Bonus

Loyalty means a lot! Some agencies, like PRN Healthcare, will give you a renewal bonus for signing on to another contract or extending it. This is often calculated by the hours you worked in your last contract. So if you worked 48-hour weeks during a 13-week contract, you worked a total of 624 hours. PRN Healthcare would then give you a $624 bonus for continuing to work with us as a thank you! An added bonus of extending your contract is that it’s easy on the nurse, facility, and account manager! Here is everything you need to know about extending your contract in 2022.

Referral Bonuses

Referral bonuses are easy money-makers! If you know a nurse who is looking for new opportunities, refer them and make money while they work. That’s it! It is really that easy. If your referred friend starts working, you start making money too! At PRN Healthcare you get up to $500 for every working friend. This is a great way to earn extra cash while helping your friends find new and exciting opportunities!

Be Flexible

The most important part when looking to make more money as a travel nurse is being flexible! For example, South Dakota may not be the most appealing place to travel but it might have the highest pay for you and your specialty at this time! Being flexible with location is a huge factor in travel nurse salary.

When a travel nurse is traveling locally, they may have their eye set on a facility that is a 15-minute drive away. Sometimes there are facilities that are paying more but are a 30-minute drive instead. Will the extra 15 minutes deter you? These are just some examples that might be thrown at you throughout your career. We always recommend being flexible. The small detour you may not have taken might lead to the best destination!

What Additional Advantages Can You Expect as a Travel Nurse?

Travel nursing offers a unique and rewarding career path with a multitude of advantages. Beyond the basic benefits of nursing, such as job stability and a competitive salary, travel nurses enjoy several additional advantages that make this profession highly appealing. Here are some of the additional advantages you can expect as a travel nurse:

  • Diverse Work Settings: Travel nursing allows you to experience a variety of healthcare settings. You might work in large urban hospitals, rural clinics, or specialty facilities. This diversity can help you build a well-rounded skill set and adapt to different patient populations.
  • Exploration of New Places: One of the most significant perks of travel nursing is the opportunity to explore different regions and cities. You can live in and experience the culture of various locations across the country. This enables you to satisfy your wanderlust while advancing your career.
  • Flexibility: Travel nursing offers flexibility in terms of assignments and scheduling. You can choose when and where you want to work, which allows for a better work-life balance. Many travel nursing agencies offer customizable contracts to meet your preferences.
  • Competitive Compensation: Travel nurses typically earn higher pay than their permanent counterparts. In addition to your base salary, you may receive tax-free stipends for housing and meals, which can significantly boost your income. Some assignments also offer extension bonuses.
  • Professional Growth: Working in different healthcare facilities exposes you to a wide range of medical conditions and patient populations. This can enhance your clinical skills and make you a more versatile nurse. You’ll also have the chance to learn from different healthcare professionals and adapt to various healthcare systems.
  • Networking Opportunities: Travel nursing allows you to expand your professional network. You’ll meet nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals from various backgrounds, which can be valuable for your career advancement.
  • Continuing Education and Certifications: Some travel nursing agencies offer incentives for furthering your education and obtaining certifications. This not only enhances your knowledge but also increases your marketability as a nurse.
  • Adventure and New Experiences: Travel nursing is not just a job; it’s an adventure. You’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in new cultures, try new foods, and explore new activities during your assignments. These experiences can be personally enriching.
  • Tax Benefits: Depending on your tax situation, you may be eligible for certain tax advantages as a travel nurse. Consult with a tax professional to understand the tax implications and potential deductions available to you.
  • Personal Growth: Travel nursing often requires you to step out of your comfort zone and adapt to new environments. This can lead to personal growth, increased self-confidence, and improved problem-solving skills.

Travel Nursing and Job Growth

Traveling nursing is continuously growing and a high-demand job throughout the country. This will continue for the next several years since the healthcare field always has a shortage of workers. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Employment Statistics and demand for RNs is projected to grow 6 percent through 2021. This could be due to a variety of reasons like chronic diseases, longer life expectancies, and the workforce going into retirement.

Travel nursing opens a door to huge benefits and opportunities! One of those opportunities is definitely the influx of money! If you are willing to be flexible, travel to different high-paying states, and are open about your travel nurse salary requirements, you will succeed as a traveling nurse! We hope we answered your question “How much do travel nurses make?” If you have more questions, let us answer them for you! Get in contact with a recruiter.