Travel Nurse Salary Guide

Registered Nurses administer patient care and educate patients and their families about various health conditions. There are many opportunities to work as a travel RN at hospitals across the country in need of nursing staff, and these jobs can earn higher salaries than similar staff positions.

Last year, a Travel RN earned a gross average weekly salary of $1,716 per week working an average of 36 hours per week. This includes non-taxable compensation like living stipends, meal stipends, and housing which add up to an average value of $1,388 per week.

According to 2019 BLS data, the average annual salary for a staff RN was $73,000 per year ($35.24/hour) or $1,409 per week working 40 hours per week. When you consider additional compensation, which is often tax-free, Travel RN pay is typically higher than that of a staff RN.

While there are many benefits to working as a travel nurse, the most common benefits included as compensation are housing stipends, meal stipends, and health insurance. Be sure to asses how your benefits are taxed because this can affect your net income. For example, if you qualify as having a permanent tax home, many of these stipends are tax free, which can mean thousands of dollars in savings.

Housing stipends can be used to cover costs associated with temporary housing like rent, utilities, and relocation expenses. In some cases, employers will offer a choice between a stipend or employee housing. If you are confident your housing costs will be lower than the stipend amount, then you may be able to find your own place and save the difference.

On the other hand, housing provided by your employer can make the process of relocating easier. Ask your recruiter how a stipend vs employee housing option is taxed. See our housing tips for travel nursing.

Avg value: $708

In locations where there is a greater need for nursing staff, pay tends to be higher. Some states also have a higher cost of living so employers offer higher compensation relative to those costs. Keep in mind, each state has specific licensing requirements. The tables below show the states with the highest Travel RN salaries throughout last year and up to the current month.

Employers are often willing to pay more for certain specialties, particularly those that require extensive experience or education. Last year, the highest paying specialties for a Travel RN were Cardiac Cath Lab, Dosimetrist, and Operating Room with Cardiac Cath Lab earning the highest weekly salary of $4,341; over 1.5x the average. See the specialties with the highest weekly pay last year and up to the current month.

One of the advantages of travel nursing over many staff nurse jobs is that it is common to receive compensation in addition to your base salary like housing stipends, travel reimbursement, and per diem meal costs. If you’re able to claim a permanent tax-home, then you can be paid a blended rate, meaning your salary is taxed as ordinary income but your additional stipends are tax-free. When you factor additional compensation and the tax savings, travel nurses can expect to make more than staff nurses. Learn more in our breakdown of travel nurse pay.

The three major factors that influence travel nurse pay are location, specialty, and shift. Locations in greater need of nursing jobs tend to offer higher compensation. Employers are also willing to pay more for certain specialties, particularly those that require extensive experience or education. Nurses who work night shifts, weekend, and holiday hours often receive a higher base pay. Finally, travel nurses can also accrue overtime, which provides higher hourly pay based on state regulations. We cover all the ways travel nurses can maximize their income in our ultimate guide to how much you can make as a travel nurse.

There are two ways you can get paid as a travel nurse: 1) You can be paid a “blended rate” of tax-free stipends plus a taxable hourly wage, or, 2) You can be paid a fully taxable hourly wage that is taxed on the total rate of pay, similar to how you’d be paid as a staff nurse. The advantage of the first scenario is that stipends for housing and living expenses aren’t taxed as income, which can mean thousands of dollars in savings. Learn more in our guide to travel nurse tax rules to see which scenario you qualify for.

In locations where there is a greater need for nursing staff, pay tends to be higher. Some states also have a higher cost of living so employers offer higher compensation relative to those costs. Keep in mind, each state has specific licensing requirements.

While there are many benefits to working as a travel nurse, the most common benefits included as compensation are housing stipends, meal stipends, and health insurance. Be sure to assess how your benefits are taxed because this can affect your net income. For example, if you qualify as having a permanent tax home, many of these stipends are tax-free, which can mean thousands of dollars in savings.