How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?
Travel nursing can offer a higher salary than most registered nursing (RN) positions, but it can vary based on several factors, such as experience, workplace, education level, and geographic location. This guide will walk any prospective travel nurse through the details of pay across all variables and offer advice on how to maximize earning potential in this field.
Just the Highlights: Travel Nurse Salaries
Public health nurses can earn the highest average annual salaries in these roles and locations:
Vermont
$132,707
Two Rivers, WA
$139,770
Employment Services
$110,230
These numbers are averages, and when you combine factors, they can vary widely. For example, a travel nurse working in a large city emergency room can earn more than a travel nurse working in a rural community clinic.
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?
Travel nurses make an average of $101,132 in the U.S., according to ZipRecruiter. Hourly pay for travel nurses averages $48.62, but wages can vary depending on the situation.
Travel nurse average annual salary
$101,132
Travel nurse average hourly wage
$48.62
Some travel nurses may be eligible for overtime and evening/weekend pay differentials. Certain employers may also offer sign-on bonuses.
Based on the details laid out in this guide, a travel nurse’s salary can range from the lower average of $40,500 to an above average $139,000. Here’s how the travel nurse pay bell curve plays out according to ZipRecruiter:
How Education Affects Travel Nurse Salaries
Aspiring travel nurses can achieve their required education via a few different paths. The fastest way to become a nurse is with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), typically finished in two years. But while a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can take four years, travel nurses with a BSN may receive higher pay than those with an ADN, and some employers require their travelers to have a BSN degree. Some BSN programs also offer an accelerated option, which can be finished in as little as a year, but require a previous degree or several prerequisites.
How Specialty Certification Affects Travel Nurse Salaries
A travel nurse with specialty certification can offer more value to their employer than a nurse with little experience, and their pay will reflect this. Once a nurse has some experience in a specialty like pediatrics or critical care nursing, they can apply to test for certification in that specialty offered by organizations like:
Any of these travel nursing certifications prove expertise in the specialty and can result in a higher salary on hiring.
Location and Travel Nurse Salaries
Salaries are often based partially on the cost of living in the area and an employer’s current demand for travel nurses. Urban areas on the coasts offer the best travel nursing pay.
Top-Paying Travel Nurse Salaries by State
The West Coast and Northeastern states pay travel nurses the most and some Midwest and Southeast states pay the least.
| Top Paying States for Travel Nurses |
|---|
| State | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
| Vermont | $132,707 | $63.80 |
| New Jersey | $120,934 | $58.14 |
| New York | $120,132 | $57.76 |
| Wisconsin | $119,111 | $57.26 |
| Nevada | $114,771 | $55.18 |
| Arizona | $113,577 | $54.60 |
| Montana | $111,865 | $53.78 |
| Ohio | $111,315 | $53.52 |
| New Hampshire | $107,568 | $51.72 |
| Minnesota | $107,489 | $51.68 |
| Washington, D.C. | $107,434 | $51.65 |
| Wyoming | $104,792 | $50.38 |
| Washington | $104,650 | $50.31 |
| Alaska | $104,018 | $50.01 |
| Massachusetts | $103,897 | $49.95 |
| Georgia | $102,909 | $49.48 |
| Indiana | $102,621 | $49.34 |
| South Dakota | $102,519 | $49.29 |
| Hawaii | $100,605 | $48.37 |
| Oregon | $99,480 | $47.83 |
| Colorado | $99,215 | $47.70 |
| Alabama | $97,749 | $46.99 |
| Michigan | $96,919 | $46.60 |
| West Virginia | $95,511 | $45.92 |
| Rhode Island | $95,205 | $45.77 |
| Tennessee | $94,844 | $45.60 |
| Iowa | $94,062 | $45.22 |
| Delaware | $93,936 | $45.16 |
| Connecticut | $93,761 | $45.08 |
| Virginia | $92,849 | $44.64 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,511 | $44.48 |
| Mississippi | $92,469 | $44.46 |
| Arkansas | $92,113 | $44.29 |
| Utah | $91,903 | $44.18 |
| Maryland | $91,041 | $43.77 |
| California | $90,766 | $43.64 |
| South Carolina | $90,734 | $43.62 |
| Illinois | $89,694 | $43.12 |
| Oklahoma | $89,529 | $43.04 |
| Kansas | $89,453 | $43.01 |
| Nebraska | $89,294 | $42.93 |
| Maine | $88,882 | $42.73 |
| New Mexico | $88,349 | $42.48 |
| Missouri | $88,224 | $42.42 |
| Idaho | $86,655 | $41.66 |
| Texas | $85,915 | $41.31 |
| North Carolina | $85,555 | $41.13 |
| Kentucky | $82,385 | $39.61 |
| Florida | $81,909 | $39.38 |
| North Dakota | $77,903 | $37.45 |
| Louisiana | $61,469 | $29.55 |
Source: ZipRecruiter
Top-Paying Travel Nurse Salaries by City
Like many other occupations across the country, travel nursing salaries are higher in urban areas. For example, wages from many employment types are higher in New York City than they are in a small rural town in the Midwest.
Cities have a higher population, a higher cost of living, and more demand for health services. Because of these factors, organizations in big cities can usually pay more than those in smaller communities.
| Top-Paying Metropolitan Areas for Travel Nurses: |
|---|
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly wage |
| Two Rivers, WA | $139,770 | $67.20 |
| New Lisbon, WI | $129,515 | $62.27 |
| San Jose, CA | $127,317 | $61.21 |
| Vallejo, CA | $124,775 | $59.99 |
| Oakland, CA | $124,532 | $59.87 |
| Truckee, CA | $124,431 | $59.82 |
| Hayward, CA | $124,321 | $59.77 |
| Ashland, CA | $124,308 | $59.76 |
| Antioch, CA | $124,166 | $59.70 |
| Lebanon, NH | $123,715 | $59.48 |
Source: ZipRecruiter
Workplace Type and Travel Nurse Salaries
Travel nurses who work in the NICU make the highest salaries, according to ZipRecruiter, followed closely by PACU, oncology, and ICU.
| Industry | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Employment Services | $53.00 | $110,230 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $49.35 | $102,640 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $46.55 | $96,830 |
| Home Health Care Services | $42.03 | $87,430 |
| Offices of Physicians | $39.96 | $83,110 |
Source: ZipRecruiter
How Fast Can a Travel Nurse’s Salary Grow?
A travel nurse’s salary growth can look different from a staff nurse. Because they work under different nurse managers, their annual review is often done by their recruiting agency. Since their work is contract-based, travel nurses rarely have much room for salary negotiation. However, to stay competitive, travel positions often stay at the high end of nursing pay, which increases with the cost of living inflation.
How to Increase Your Earnings as a Travel Nurse
Any nurse can improve their salary by taking higher-paying contracts. Agency recruiters watch for health systems in urgent need, who often pay more for travelers. The nursing field in the U.S. is on the rise, and the BLS reports an expected growth rate of 6% through 2032. We’ve laid out some simple tips below to supercharge any nursing career.
1. Get Certified
Professional certifications showcase expertise and elevate any candidate’s desirability for employers. A current employer may increase pay to keep a certified travel nurse, and a prospective employer will likely choose a travel nurse with certification over another without.
2. Earn an Advanced Degree
For travel nurses with an ADN, many universities offer bridge programs to obtain a BSN, which may make travelers more likely to get high-paying assignments.
3. Change Your Workplace
Hospital staffing needs can fluctuate quickly, and health systems in sudden need of nurses often pay travel nurses the best. So, any travel nurse who will go anywhere nationwide will be more likely to snag the high-paying positions.
Travel Nursing Salaries FAQs
1. What role offers the highest pay for travel nurses?
The highest-paid travel nurses are those working for Employment Services, who make an average of $110,230 a year, or $53.00 per hour.
2. What do travel nurses make per hour?
Travel nurses make an average of $48.62 an hour. This can increase or decrease based on experience, location, role, and education.
3. Which state and city pay travel nurses the best?
According to ZipRecruiter, Vermont offers the highest pay for all RNs at $63.80 per hour, or $132,707 a year. Two Rivers, WA, boasts the highest salaries, at $67.20 per hour ($139,770 per year).
