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We look forward to helping you advance your career as a travel nurse!
If you’re looking for a new travel nurse assignment—or just curious how much current travel nurse jobs are paying out—here are some of the highest-paid travel nursing jobs currently available across the country.
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
For those looking for positions in case management, consider the following options:
We found openings for cath labs in most states. Here are the current highest -paying states:
Here is a sampling of ER travel nurse jobs available across the country.
Home health is a growing field throughout all of nursing, and if you have experience in home health, travel nursing opportunities may be available for you. Some of the home health opportunities we found are hospice-specific, so be sure to double-check that the assignment matches with your preferences before speaking with your recruiter.
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Here are some of the highest-paying MICU/SICU, CVICU, and CICU travel nursing assignments we found across the country:
We found the following opportunities for L&D travel nurses:
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Not all long-term care facilities are open to travel nursing, but travel nursing long-term care jobs do exist. We did find a limited number of LTC travel nursing roles this week, which may reflect the Trump administration’s change to nursing staffing rules at nursing homes that went into effect on Feb. 2, 2026. (The rule no longer mandates 24/7 RN staffing at nursing homes.)
While there weren’t many LTC travel roles, some weekly shifts still exist on a PRN status. Here are some current roles we found across the nation:
For medical-surgical nursing assignments, here are the highest-paying opportunities per state:
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
There are many oncology travel nursing assignments available:
There are numerous high-paying OR travel nursing assignments available.
Find available travel nursing assignments near or far.
For those who prefer working with children, there are NICU, PICU, pediatric OR, and general pediatric nursing opportunities available in multiple states, such as:
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Looking for travel options in the mental and behavioral health space? Consider these states:
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
If telemetry is your area of expertise, you can look in these states:
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments today!
Written by Chaunie Brusie with expert review by Kathleen Gaines
Your immediate vision of travel nursing may be exploring exotic destinations, but that’s not necessarily true. Being a travel nurse means you are employed by an independent nursing staffing agency instead of a single hospital.
This means you could travel as far as a different country, or you could work at a hospital near your home in need of temporary nurses. The choice of when and where to work is up to you, but travel nursing doesn’t always have to mean far away travel.
Looking for open travel nurse assignments? Speak with a recruiter today!
All travel nurses must meet certain requirements before applying for contracts. These include licensure, a degree, certifications, and some experience. Let’s look at each one.
Travel nurses are required to have an RN license in the state they are contracted. Now, if your permanent residence is one of the states that are currently part of the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC), then consider yourself lucky. You will not need an individual state license if you are contracted to work in another eNLC state.
However, if your home base is not an eNLC state – you will be required to apply for an individual state license. This must be granted prior to the start of your contract, so plan ahead and start drafting your ideal location list early to make sure you’re ready when a recruiter finds a contract for you.
Most travel nurses are expected to have a BSN. The minimum requirement for travel nursing is an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). However, depending on the hospital or facility, a BSN may be preferred. For this reason, some travel nurse agencies will only work with nurses who have completed a BSN degree.
More specifically, most large healthcare systems will require a BSN, especially those with Magnet designation.
Magnet is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), and is awarded to individual hospitals that have been recognized for achieving the “gold standard” of nursing care. According to the ANCC and ANA, nurses that have earned a BSN have a higher level of skill and abilities.
Find available, high-paying travel nurse opportunities.
Certifications will depend on the unit and the specific job requirements. All nurses (staff nurses and travel nurses) are required to have a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, and most will have either a Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).
Travel nurses are expected to have and maintain these certifications prior to signing on with a travel nurse company. Additionally, some travel nurse agencies will assist their nurses with certification and recertification.
It’s important to speak with the nursing agency recruiter to determine eligibility. If the travel agency does not assist with recertification, some hospitals will allow travel nurses to attend in-hospital classes. The other viable option is through a certification agency.
All other job-specific certifications should be discussed in the contract prior to signing. Earning additional certifications will increase both your job opportunities and earnings potential.
Specific specialty certifications such as CCRN or CWON are not required for most travel nursing positions. However, those certifications will move your application to the top of the pile — especially in the highly competitive travel nursing industry.
These are the three most common certifications for travel nurses:
See below for additional information about each.
The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) offers the Certified Pediatric Nursing (CPN) certification. According to their website, more than 30,000 nurses currently hold a CPN certification. To apply, individuals must meet the following criteria:
The cost of the examination is $300 with a $100 non-refundable registration fee. In order to recertify, individuals must meet current PNCB eligibility criteria and pay the re-exam fee of $245.
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (ANCC) offers the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) national certification. Three exams are offered:
All exams follow similar eligibility criteria and examination guidelines. The difference is in the exam material.
In order to sit for the examination, the individual must meet the following criteria:
The above is for those applying for adult certification. Individuals interested in pediatrics or neonatal certifications must have direct care time in those fields.
AACN members will pay $255 for the exam while non-members will pay $370. Recertification is done by either examination or CERPs and a nominal fee.
The Board of Certification of Emergency Nursing offers the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) for nurses specializing in emergency medicine. In comparison to other certifications, the CEN examination has fewer eligibility requirements. There are currently more than 41,000 Certified Emergency Nurses.
According to their website, to be eligible to sit for the CEN examination, candidates must meet the following requirements:
The exam is offered at computer testing sites throughout the country and the certification is valid for four years. The fee for the exam is $380, or $285 for ENA Members.
Most travel nursing agencies still require a minimum of two years of relevant bedside experience. This is usually because the hospital or healthcare facility will also want an experienced nurse as there isn’t a lot of training time on the front end of a contract.
Travel nurses get very few orientation shifts, so they must have the skills and knowledge to jump right into any assignment or situation. New nurses may not be able to do this. In fact, agencies will very specifically list the amount of experience needed prior to applying. Additionally, some hospital contracts will require other experience.
For example, while the travel agency may only require 2 years of ICU experience, a level 1 trauma center with a high acuity ICU might want a nurse with a minimum of 5 years.
Remember, if you do not meet the level of experience requirements, do not apply. It will be a waste of yours, the agency, and the hospital’s time, and your application will not be considered. The more experience you have, the more desirable you are.
The moment you’ve all been waiting for…how to become a travel nurse.
Travel nursing has become increasingly popular since the pandemic when travel and COVID pay rates made travel nursing highly desirable. But now that we are getting back to more traditional times, travel nursing is getting back to its basics with the perks being freedom, flexibility, and travel.
So, how do you become a travel nurse? Becoming a travel nurse can be easy if you follow these six steps:
Though there are several paths to becoming a registered nurse, the one that will provide you with the greatest opportunity and the educational background to become a travel nurse is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). In fact, it is now becoming the standard.
This four-year degree provides you with foundational knowledge in a wide variety of topics. BSN programs incorporate clinical rotations through the various care departments in hospitals and clinics, exposing you to a wide range of patients and colleagues to give you a well-rounded nursing education.
The NCLEX-RN, or National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Every state has its own requirements for licensure and process for exam registration, so make sure that you are familiar with the requirements as they apply to you and your locale.
You will want to get a job in the specialty you are interested in. This is the experience you will need in order to gain a travel nursing position. Remember that you can only work as a travel nurse in a field in which you have experience. Once you have a position, it is possible that you may float within the hospital, but you will not be expected to work outside of your skill level.
There are countless travel nursing agencies, and each one has dozens of recruiters. There are big and small companies, and each company has pros and cons. Most travel nurses work with several different agencies.
Why? Well, some healthcare companies have contracts with only one specific agency.
So, what does that mean? If you want to work at a specific hospital that only works with one agency, then you will need to work with that particular agency.
While picking the right agency is important, picking the right travel nurse recruiter is even more important. Travel nurse recruiters act as liaisons between the travel nurse and the hospital. A great travel nurse recruiter will work hard to ensure you are paid your worth. They will be experienced and honest when working with you.
If you do not have an eNLC license or maintain residency in an eNLC state, then you will need to plan ahead. Also, even if you do have an eNLC license but are interested in traveling to a state that is not part of the compact license, you will need to plan ahead.
For example, Alaska and California are not part of the eNLC. California has been reported to take a very long time to gain licensure and is very specific in its requirements. So, you’ll want to plan ahead if California is on your list of destinations.
Remember to plan ahead, and consider in advance where you wish to travel.
This can be one of the harder decisions because everything must be in your contract and is negotiated between the travel nurse recruiter and the hospital.
These all MUST be in the contract. If the information is not in the contract, then the hospital does not have to honor it.
Picking an assignment location can be stressful. You need to determine whether you are traveling for money, location, experiences, or to be close to someone. For example, Hawaii pays travel nurses very well, but the cost of living is also very high. So, if you are interested in traveling for money, Hawaii may not be the best location. However, if you’re traveling for experience or location, it could be a top choice.
There are several housing options available to travel nurses. First, all travel nurse agencies will offer either a stipend for housing or company-provided housing. If you take the stipend, then you will be responsible for finding your own housing. The stipend may not be enough to cover your housing costs, and you will be responsible for the additional costs.
Travel nurses can find their own housing via Facebook, Airbnb, long-term stay hotels, or even Furnished Finders.
Travel nurses are looking for nurses ready to take off on their next adventure! Contracts typically move pretty quickly, especially in popular locations such as California, Hawaii, and Alaska. While you can reach out to a recruiter if you are ready to take the next step toward travel nursing – know that most recruiters will want to work with you once you are fully committed to submitting a contract offer.
Generally, travel nursing agencies are looking for nurses who meet the following criteria:
Everyone wants to know “how much does a travel nurse make?” And to be honest, travel nurse salaries can be confusing.
It’s important to figure out your weekly take-home pay because it might be significantly smaller than what is advertised. Here’s how you can calculate your pay:
According to ZipRecruiter.com, the national average for travel nurses is $121,710 per year, or $59 per hour. Travel nurse pay, just like staff nurse pay, varies greatly by location and healthcare system. Nurses in California earn some of the highest wages in the country, and travel nurses are compensated equally.
The national average for travel nurses is $121,710 per year.
In more desirable locations, like Hawaii, the pay is often not as high.
Additionally, travel nurse pay will also include housing stipends and other miscellaneous things. That is not factored into the hourly wage. Therefore, when looking at travel nurse pay, it’s important to look at all aspects of the contract.
Travel nursing recruitment often focuses on the benefits and perks, such as housing stipends or sign-on bonuses, but it’s also important not to overlook the tax implications that come with travel nursing.
In order to become a travel nurse, you will need to have what’s called a “tax home” in the eyes of the IRS. That simply means you have to prove that you have a full-time residence when you’re not working as a travel nurse.
If you don’t have a full-time residence that you maintain and pay for when you’re not working as a travel nurse, don’t worry — you can still work, but you will have a tax status as an itinerant worker, which means you have to pay taxes on all of your income, including any stipends or reimbursements.
For non-itinerant nurses with a tax home, your base wage pay is taxable income, while all “extras,” including meals, housing allotments, or travel reimbursement are non-taxable.
That means that you will save on paying taxes on that income, but it also means your adjusted income will not be as high in the eyes of say, a loan officer or for Social Security purposes. If you anticipate needing a loan soon or are approaching retirement, it may be more advantageous to you to have a higher taxable income reflected on your paycheck.
Read more in our Comprehensive Guide to Travel Nurse Taxes
To find a travel nursing job, a nurse must work with a travel nursing agency that will help secure their contract and negotiate with the hiring hospital or healthcare facility. It’s important to work with a recruiter and staffing agency that understands your needs and the contracts you’re interested in.
Working with a recruiter will also make sure that your contract has must-haves, such as:
Click here for available high-paying travel nurse opportunities!
For nurses with a compact license, maintaining your license as a travel nurse is no different than meeting the requirements of the home state where you received your original license. Once you renew your home state license, your license for the new location is considered updated, too.
If you had to obtain an additional state license, however, you will need to renew your home state license (if you want to keep it, that is) and meet the requirements for license renewal in the state you are working in as well.
Certain states, such as Florida and Washington, also require all nurses to obtain Continued Education Units (CEUs) in the specific areas of pain management and HIV awareness, so you will need to make sure you fulfill the CEUs for your home state and/or work state as well.
All travel nurses are required to maintain an active RN license. Most continue to maintain all active licenses in case they want to work in the state again. Examples of differing continuing education requirements for RNs are as follows:
Some states do not require CEUs to maintain an RN license. Examples include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, and Maryland. Several states also require HIV/AIDS education, such as New York, Minnesota, and Kentucky. It is important for nurses to check their state’s RN credentialing body for exact CEU requirements.
In general, while it’s also good to prepare yourself as much as possible, becoming a travel nurse can be a pretty straightforward process.
Once you’re a nurse with an active license, have at least one to two years of bedside experience under your belt, and are ready to take on the challenge of a new location and work environment, you can take on the adventure of being a travel nurse.
If you’re interested in becoming a travel nurse, you can take the next step by learning more about travel nursing here.
Accepting your first travel nurse assignment can be scary but also exciting!
It’s important to remember, travel assignments are short-term, and if the location, hospital, and situation are not a good fit, you can always try somewhere new for your next assignment. If the assignment is not a good fit, speak to your recruiter about other opportunities for future assignments.
Here are the top tips for first-time travel nurses to make the transition a little easier:
Find travel nursing assignments by speaking with a recruiter today!
There are many benefits to travel nursing, but these are at the top:
Travel nurses have the opportunity to garner top wages in some of the top hospitals in the country. Typically, the demand is so high for nurses in a specific location and/or unit, that the contracted wage will be significantly higher than a full-time staff nurse.
Travel nurses also have other compensated benefits such as housing, meals, incidentals, and travel reimbursement. These additional stipends make the earned wage some of the highest for nurses.
Other benefits include:
Starting a career as a travel nurse can be scary and overwhelming, especially leaving friends and family behind, but it can be a very rewarding and exciting career.
There are six easy steps to becoming a travel nurse:
1. Become an RN
2. Get at least 2 years of experience under your belt
3. Find a travel nursing company to work with
4. Get all the proper state licensure and certifications
5. Pick an assignment and sign a contract
6. Find housing
It’s not hard to become a travel nurse. More and more nurses are leaving the bedside for other types of nursing jobs or to become travel nurses. Actually working as a travel nurse can take some adjustments, especially for those who have ever worked as a staff nurse. But it is a fun and exciting opportunity for many.
Travel nurses need to have a different set of skills than staff nurses. Why? Because they are constantly changing hospitals and are always the first to be floated to another unit. For that reason, travel nurses must be flexible and adaptable more than anything. They also should have a solid nursing foundation, critical thinking skills, strong communication skills, a love of travel, and be personable.
Some travel nurse agencies do still require the COVID-19 vaccine because the healthcare institutions they work with require it. However, check with your agency, because many hospitals no longer have this requirement.
The requirements vary from agency to agency and contract to contract. Generally speaking, you will need a minimum of two years of bedside nursing experience. Most will also require a BSN as well as certifications in CPR, PALS, ACLS, etc. The final requirement will be either a compact nursing license or an individual state license.
Nurses are not required to travel. Travel nursing is a unique niche within the nursing industry that allows individuals to take short contracts at different hospitals around the country. If you like your hospital and staff position, then there is no requirement for you to ever become a travel nurse.
To be a travel nurse, first and foremost, you must be ready for an adventure! You will also need a minimum of two years of bedside experience. Now, not every travel agency or position will require this, but with minimal orientation to a unit, more experience is always better. You will also need a license in the state you are applying to (unless you have a compact nursing license). Most recruiters and agencies will assist with the paperwork of obtaining a new state license.
Of course! In fact, many travel nurses are accompanied by their families and pets. Travel nursing can be a family affair if you travel with a spouse who’s also a travel nurse or plan to bring your children. If you are traveling with pets – it’s important to make sure your housing accommodations allow for animals and that your schedule allows time to take care of a pet. At times and in certain locations, it may be more difficult to find reasonable housing, but it is possible.
Travel nurses generally can obtain health insurance and retirement benefits such as 401Ks through their travel nursing agency. However, it is important to note that not all agencies offer benefits starting on day one of a contract, and others will terminate health benefits in-between contracts.
There are several differences between travel nurses and per diem nurses. The main difference is that, unlike per diem nurses, travel nursing hours are guaranteed. Generally speaking, they are not canceled, and if they are, most are still paid their contracted rate. Per diem nurses are used on an as-needed basis and can be canceled whenever they are not needed and without pay.
Travel nursing holds a lot of appeal for many people interested in the healthcare field because it offers perks like the chance to visit new places, competitive pay, and career flexibility. It’s also the perfect opportunity to gain valuable skills, get out of your comfort zone, and of course, make a difference in the lives of your patients.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional tax advice. Always consult your own CPA or tax preparer for tax advice.
Navigating travel nurse taxes can be a challenge, especially because travel nurse tax amounts can be a bit different depending on what state (or states) you worked in. In general, however, taxes are very different for travel nurses compared to traditional staff nurses. From choosing a tax home to keeping your receipts to knowing exactly how your income will affect your long-term financial goals, here is the information you need to know about travel nurse taxes.
RN’s can earn up to $3,200 per week as a travel nurse. Speak to a recruiter today!
Travel nurses are paid differently than staff nurses because they receive both a base hourly pay that is taxed and additional “payments” that are non-taxed to make up their “total” pay. When you sign up to commit to a travel nurse position you’ll receive a pay package that will detail all of the different aspects of what will make up your actual compensation.
It’s in the best interest of the travel nursing agency to keep the base rate of a travel nurse’s pay package low since many travel nurses have modest base pay but receive additional stipends. In a technical and legal sense, those additional stipends — which typically cover things like meals, housing, and work-related expenses — are considered “expense reimbursements” for doing your job as a travel nurse, which is why they aren’t classified as income and are non-taxable.
Travel agencies offer “standardized” bill rates. This means there is one rate for all workers with any given license covered by the contract. For example, all registered nurses have the same bill rate, all physical therapists have the same bill rate, and so on.
It’s also possible for the licenses to be broken down by specialty or level of experience. For example, Medical Surgical and Telemetry Registered Nurses have one rate while all other registered surses have another. Registered nurses with 1-3 years of experience get one rate, while those with more than 3 years of experience get a slightly higher rate. The important thing to understand is that standardized bill rates are set in stone by the contract for all intents and purposes. There is no possibility of negotiating a higher bill rate based on a particular travel nurse’s salary history or work experience.
Joseph Smith, EA/MS Tax, an international “taxation master” and founder of Travel Tax, explains that in addition to their base pay, most travel nurses can reasonably expect to see $20,000-$30,000 of non-taxed reimbursement payments in a typical year working as a travel nurse.
Find travel nurse credit cards to earn points or miles while traveling.
In order to avoid being taxed on those reimbursement payments, however, you need to clearly prove that you have what’s called a “tax home” to the IRS.
The IRS defines a tax home as “the entire city or general area where your main place of business or work is located, regardless of where you maintain your family home.”
Smith explains that you can qualify for a tax home in two main ways:
If you can’t prove that you have a tax home, or don’t meet the qualifications for having a tax home, you will be taxed on the stipend payments you receive as part of your travel nurse pay package. Additionally, Smith cautions that most travel nursing agencies will not verify that you qualify for a tax home, so it’s up to you, the travel nurse, to ensure that you are meeting all requirements for establishing a tax home in order to collect your non-taxable stipends.
Joseph Smith, EA/MS Tax, an international “taxation master” and founder of Travel Tax, explains that in addition to their base pay, most travel nurses can reasonably expect to see $20,000-$30,000 of non-tax reimbursement payments in a typical year working as a travel nurse.
While many people commonly believe that you must have your tax home at least 50 miles away from where you work as a travel nurse, there’s actually no specific distance requirement. The only real requirement is that you must prove that it’s farther away than a reasonable commute and requires rest and sleep before going back and forth.
You should always check with a tax professional, but in general, travel nurses can take the following steps to help ensure that they qualify for a tax home in the eyes of the IRS:
To file taxes correctly, it’s very important to maintain your tax home and prove that you have to actually pay for “double” of everything—for both your tax home and your new living situation as a travel nurse. That means that if you rent out your home temporarily while you’re gone, you no longer can classify it as a tax home.
Travel nurses should plan on filing their taxes by the April 15th deadline, just like everyone else in the United States. However, there may be a little wiggle room for extensions due to the nature of being a multi-state professional as a travel nurse, according to Smith.
Every state has different laws for filing taxes, but travel nurses may need to file a non-resident tax return in every state they have worked in, as well as the state that they consider their permanent tax home.
Smith advises travel nurses to keep a receipt book to help them make tax preparation a little easier by having all of their paperwork in one place. Although digital receipts may be more convenient or “modern” for younger nurses, keeping paper copies as a backup is always recommended. Your receipts can include things like:
The most recent tax reform laws did away with many job expenses at the federal level, which means that travel nurses can’t deduct certain travel-related expenses such as food, mileage, and gas on their federal return. You can still get a stipend or reimbursement from your travel agency for those expenses, but they may not count as deductions.
That being said, a handful of states still allow job expense deductions on your state tax return, such as New York, California, Alabama, Hawaii, and Arkansas, so there may be additional tax deductions you can make if you’ve worked in a qualifying state.
Smith also adds to be careful when filling out residency on your tax return, as he sees many travel nurses make the mistake that working a travel assignment means they have moved. However, working a temporary (under 12 months) travel nursing position does not qualify as a move of your permanent residence. Instead, they are just away from home temporarily, which is an important distinction to make come tax time.
Keep your tax home as a permanent residence address, and don’t change it unless you actually make a permanent move!
The travel nursing industry as a whole does tend to be scrutinized closely, says Smith. As a travel nurse, you may be more at risk for an audit if you’re displaying high expenses and low income. For instance, if your mortgage is $10,000 a month, but your overall income with your base pay as a travel nurse is only $20,000 annually, the IRS may be puzzled as to how you can actually afford your lifestyle.
You can reduce your risk of an audit, or increase your risk of getting through an audit favorably, by always making sure to work with a certified tax professional who is familiar with traveling healthcare professionals and not solely relying on your nurse recruiter or travel staffing agency for tax advice.
One of the appeals of travel nursing is that you have the potential to make a high income, especially through non-taxed stipends. And although at first glance, having non-tax stipends for things like housing may sound like a great deal for you as a travel nurse, it does come with a catch: because the additional stipends you receive as a travel nurse are not taxed, they are not considered income, and as such, will not be reflected in your annual income.
That may not sound like that big of a deal unless you find yourself in need of a loan, mortgage, or disability payment, or are nearing the age to collect Social Security. All of the aforementioned items are calculated based on your income. The lower your income, the lower the loan amount you will qualify for, and the less you are contributing to Social Security. You therefore won’t be eligible to collect as high of an amount when you’re ready for retirement.
If you know that you will be needing a loan or a mortgage in the near future, Smith suggests talking to your lender as far in advance as possible to explain your situation and plan ahead. Working with a lender who is familiar with the pay structure for travel nurses can also be helpful.
In some circumstances, such as for nurses who are nearing the social security retirement age, it may also be helpful to legally declare that you don’t have a tax home on your tax return, and instead, pay taxes on all of your stipends, so you can count it as taxable income.
And remember – you should use this guide as information to help you learn more about filing taxes as a travel nurse but remember that it is not tax advice. You should always consult your own CPA or tax professional before filing your tax return.
RN’s can earn up to $3,200 per week as a travel nurse. Speak to a recruiter today!
Yes, all travel nurses must pay taxes on all income that they earned. They will need to file a tax return for every state they worked in and their home state where they have permanent residence.
If possible, it’s always beneficial to work with a tax professional, such as a Certified Public Accountant or Enrolled Agent, who can help you file and pay taxes that you owe as a travel nurse. An accountant can provide you with the physical paperwork that you can use to mail your tax payment in or help you set up an online account if digital payments are acceptable.
If you file your own taxes using TurboTax or another software, you will be provided with the exact mailing address and instructions to submit payment. If you don’t have one already, you may need a book of checks in order to pay your taxes.
The most important thing you need to know about paying taxes as a travel nurse is that you will need to both pay taxes and file a tax return in every single state you have worked in. If you’ve worked in many different states, that’s where hiring a CPA can be very helpful to help you navigate all that paperwork and payment.
It depends. American Traveler explains that you may end up paying taxes in every state you worked in as a travel nurse, depending on which states those are. Some states have what’s called a “reciprocity” agreement, which means that they have agreed that travel nurses working in those states will only be responsible for paying taxes to one state in total. You will have to check with your accountant or look into the tax rules for each state that you’ve worked in to determine exactly how much you owe in taxes. You should also check with your travel nursing agency if this is your situation because you will most likely need to file tax exemption paperwork through them as well.
You will also need to pay taxes in both your home state and any state you worked in. That means that all income you make will be ultimately taxed through your home state taxes as well as the state where you earned the money. That might look like getting taxed twice, but the good news is, your home state will deduct the difference if the percentage rate of your home state is higher. And if it’s the other way around, you will generally only pay the higher state rate. This can get a little confusing, which is why we recommend hiring a tax professional.
Some states do not have state income tax, including Alaska, Washington, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, New Hampshire, USVI, and the District of Columbia (if you don’t live there.) If you live in one of these states, you will still need to pay your federal taxes as well as any set income tax rate in the states where you work that require taxes be paid.
If you don’t live in those states but worked in those states throughout the year, you will still pay your home state tax rate, so be sure you keep that in mind with your total earnings so you can have enough to pay your taxes come tax time.
This depends on whether you’re considered a W2 employee or a 1099 contractor. However, in general, travel nurses may be able to deduct the following expenses:
– Mileage or the cost of gas
– A rental car
– Uniform and equipment costs
– Continuing education
– Licensing fees
– Travel expenses
– Some meals
– Retirement and insurance contributions
– Expenses that go into paying for your tax home
The material provided on this website is for informational use only and is not intended for financial or investment advice. Please also note that such material is not updated regularly and that some of the information may not therefore be current. Consult with your own financial professional when making decisions regarding your financial or investment management.
Travel nursing has been all the rage for the last few years, especially when there were extra incentives and pay for working during the pandemic. Travel nursing positions come with plenty of perks, such as high travel nurse salaries, incentives like sign-on bonuses, and the opportunity to work in glamorous places like Hawaii and Florida.
But do travel nurses really make more money? The answer is yes…usually. However, the exact amount of money you can make as a travel nurse really depends on a variety of different factors.
Below is a breakdown of a travel nurse’s salary and why travel nurses tend to get paid more than nurses in traditional roles.
Find available, high-paying travel nurse opportunities.
In general, travel nurses have the opportunity to make more money than staff nurses for two main reasons:
Travel nurse staffing agencies work specifically with hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities that have a high demand for nurses. These facilities are willing to pay more to reach adequate staffing levels or to cover a known leave of absence.
Unlike regular staff nurses, travel nurses are paid a “total pay package” that includes an hourly base wage pay plus additional monetary incentives, like the following:
Because these extra stipends are classified as reimbursements and not income, they’re non-taxable, so a travel nurse can bring home a higher total pay when compared to a staff nurse, who pays taxes on all of the income they bring home.
The average salary for travel nurses in 2023 was $114,591 according to Indeed.com. That is significantly higher than the average salary for staff nurses of $86,070 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The exact salary you can expect to make as a travel nurse will vary widely based on where you choose to work, the type of nursing position, and the length of your contract.
For example, you may make more in a month as a travel nurse compared to a staff nurse, but if you only work one- or two-month-long assignments with breaks in between, then your annual pay will be lower. However, if you take several assignments in a 12-month period, then you could make significantly more in one year than you could as a staff nurse.
Your total travel nursing pay package will look different than that of a staff nurse because it’s made up of your “base wage” pay — the hourly rate you earn for your nursing duties — and additional stipends, which are classified as non-taxable reimbursements and not considered income.
As an example, a standard total travel nurse pay package could look something like this:
| Taxable hourly base wage* | $3,200 |
| Monthly housing stipend | $1,200 |
| Monthly meals stipend | $800 |
| Monthly mileage stipend | $500 |
| Monthly continuing education stipend | $500 |
| Sign-on bonus | $2,000 |
| Total monthly pay | $8,200 |
*Assumes $20 per hour at 40 hours per week, minus taxes
You should consult your certified financial planner if you have concerns before starting travel nursing. It may help you evaluate if a travel nurse pay package is right for you based on your overall financial goals.
Find travel nursing assignments by speaking with a recruiter today!
Some travel nurse staffing agencies also offer travel nurses additional benefits, such as retirement options and health, dental, vision, and life insurance. Keep in mind, retirement options that include a 401(k) may not be the most effective option if your taxable income is already low. It may make more sense to invest in a Roth IRA or other retirement account. But again, consult with your tax professional before making any major financial decisions.
Most travel nursing companies also require that you work a certain number of months before the 401(k) becomes available for travelers.
Why? One of the main benefits of a 401(k) is that it allows you to contribute your income before it’s taxed, but a large portion of most travel nurses’ total pay packages is non-taxable. Contributing to a 401(k) can decrease a travel nurse’s overall taxable income considerably and may lead to issues down the road — if they need to qualify for a home loan, for example.
Where you choose to work as a travel nurse also plays a large role in how much you will make. Certain cities and states offer higher pay because they have such a high demand for nurses, while other areas pay more based on the time of year.
For example, if you’re willing to travel to Alaska in the winter, you can make more money than if you worked in Hawaii in the winter months. Travel nurses who are willing to relocate to “less popular” areas throughout the year or go places in the off seasons, stand to increase the amount of overall pay they can make over the course of the entire year.
You could also seek out assignments in the highest-paying states and cities for travel nurses. For example, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10 highest-paying cities for RNs (not specifically travel nurses) currently are:
| Metropolitan area | Annual Salary | Hourly Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $ 174,370 | $ 83.83 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $ 171,620 | $ 82.51 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $ 170,780 | $ 82.11 |
| Napa, CA | $ 166,180 | $ 79.89 |
| Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA | $ 154,510 | $ 74.29 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $ 152,930 | $ 73.52 |
| Modesto, CA | $ 145,190 | $ 69.80 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $ 140,880 | $ 67.73 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | $ 140,560 | $ 67.58 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $ 138,420 | $ 66.55 |
The Top Highest Paying States for RNs in 2023 – based on all specialties
Source: BLS
Keep in mind that the Bureau of Labor Statistics data lists average salaries for RNs, so the potential for travel nurses specifically in those areas is even higher. However, you should consider the cost of living in those areas and if the stipends you’ll receive for housing, food, and other expenses will adequately cover those costs.
Read more: Best Cities for Travel Nurses
Working a travel nursing assignment in a high-paying state or city is one way to increase your take-home salary. You can also increase your pay as a travel nurse by working in an in-demand specialty.
The average travel nurse’s salary does vary based on specialty.
For example, travel nurses who work in the following in-demand specialties can make more pay (or negotiate for higher pay). Did you hear that? You can negotiate!
Some of those specialties include:
If you have experience in an in-demand area, you should highlight that on your travel nursing application and bring it to the attention of the travel nurse recruiter to maximize your pay.
Additionally, you may be able to make more money if you seek out specialty certifications in your area on your own before signing with a travel nurse agency.
Having a nurse who is “ready to go” in a specialty area may be more lucrative to a staffing agency than a nurse who is simply willing to be trained but not yet certified.
Travel nursing can be a profitable way to boost your savings and overall take-home pay. But the benefits don’t stop with just your paycheck. Travel nursing has so many other perks:
As a travel nurse, you’ll have the opportunity to work in fields you may not have access to close to home or receive additional training to further your nursing skills as well. Also, because travel nursing is flexible and can accommodate both short and long-term positions, many nurses can try temporary nursing assignments whether they’re single, partnered, married, child-free, or have a family. Lastly, travel nursing is also a great way to experience other parts of the country to live in, see, and explore.
RNs can earn up to $2,300 per week as travel nurses. Speak to a recruiter today!
New England is a region made up of six different states: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. As a travel destination, it’s beautiful, historic, and easy to navigate given the compact size of the area and the availability of trains throughout the region. And for travel nurses in particular, Massachusetts is also home to some of the nation’s best hospitals—as well as some of the best beaches and mountains.
Fortunately, if you’re a travel nurse looking to work in Massachusetts, the demand for travel nurses is still high, with over 5,000 jobs currently listed on job search sites such as Indeed. According to Indeed, the average travel nurse’s salary in Massachusetts is currently $2,406 per week. Plus, Massachusetts has plenty of activities and experiences to keep you busy during your time off, which is why you started traveling in the first place.
For instance, travel nurses in Massachusetts will be able to take advantage of living in one of the central states of New England, which is a great starting place for sightseeing in the area. There are also opportunities to take care of patients in coastal locations such as Boston and Cape Cod, or more rural settings around central and western Massachusetts.
Looking for travel nurse assignments in Massachusetts? Speak with a recruiter today!
The average travel nurse salary in Massachusetts is currently $56.37 per hour, $2,406 per week, and $9,312 per month, according to Indeed.
Exact payment can vary by specialty (for instance, if you’re in a specialty field, you may make more in a less-in-demand city), as well as contract and agency, but in general, here are the top-paying cities in Massachusetts:
Speaking of specialties, here are some of the top-paying nursing specialties in Massachusetts, according to Indeed:
Registered nurses specializing in sports medicine and orthopedics are paid an average of 22.63% more than the average base salary in Massachusetts. There are currently 34 job openings for this specialty in the state.
Labor and delivery nurses are paid an average of 17.93% more than the average base salary in Massachusetts. There are currently 784 job openings in the state in this area.
Cardiac catheterization lab nurses are paid an average of 16.56% more than the average base salary in Massachusetts. There are currently 460 job openings.
Oncology nurses are paid an average of 14.52% more than the average base salary in Massachusetts. There are currently 519 job openings for oncology nurses in Massachusetts.
Cardiology nurses are paid an average of 11.72% more than the average base salary in Massachusetts. There are currently 1,584 job openings in this area in the state.
Looking for open travel nurse assignments? Speak with a recruiter today!
Choosing a facility to work at in Massachusetts may be a challenge, as there are many reputable options to choose from. The leader in hospital rankings, U.S. News and World Report, most recently evaluated 101 hospitals in Massachusetts. According to their report, the top 5 hospitals in the state are:
In addition to nabbing the #1 Massachusetts hospital ranking by U.S. News and World Report, MGH also ranks as the number eight hospital in the entire nation. It is nationally ranked in 12 adult specialties and 3 children’s specialties. Working at MGH as a travel nurse, you will have the opportunity to work in one of the best research hospitals in the state and get access to a large base of support. MGH is also incredibly transparent about nursing staff ratios, publicly reporting nursing staffing information on PatientCareLink.org. MGH also uses advanced acuity software to ensure patient acuity is reflected in staffing calculations.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, often known simply as “The Brigham,” ranks as not only the number two hospital in Massachusetts but also as the number 14 hospital in the nation. It is nationally ranked in 12 adult specialties and has a Center for Nursing Excellence (CNE), which focuses on advancing the clinical practice of nurses and collaboration between different healthcare team members to enhance patient care.
BIDMC, which is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox, is nationally ranked in three adult specialties. Working at BIDMC gives nurses another opportunity to work at an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) designated Magnet hospital. The facility is focused on the professional development of its nurses, with opportunities to be involved in research, networking, and grand rounds, as well as the ability to receive nursing excellence awards and scholarships.
Lahey Hospital is a surgical and general medical hospital rated as high performing in stroke care and in 11 procedures and conditions. The Cunningham Department of Nursing at Lahey emphasizes the core values of respect, caring, teamwork, excellence, and integrity in providing nursing care. Lahey Nursing also publishes ICU staffing data on its website. Like MGH, Lahey publicly reports nursing staffing information on PatientCareLink.org, in addition to patient quality metrics.
Tufts Medical Center is both an academic teaching hospital and a full-service medical facility for the community. The well-known hospital is an ANCC-designated Magnet hospital in the Boston area. Tufts places an emphasis on incorporating major nursing theories into the everyday work of nurses at Tufts. Tufts also has a nursing professional practice model which emphasizes the use of evidence-based practice in patient care.
Overall, travel nurses might expect to find the cost of living—including housing and things like groceries and utilities—to be higher-than-average in Massachusetts.
Using 100 as an average cost of living index in the United States, the overall cost of living in Massachusetts is 127.5, according to BestPlaces.net, which also offers a cost-of-living comparison calculator between cities. This means that the average cost of living in Massachusetts is higher than the average of other areas in the United States.
Specifically, the cost of housing is 175 on a 100-point index. The cost of groceries is 108.9, utilities are 112.9, and transportation is 107.9 on a 100-point index.
The cost of living may also vary based on where your assignment is specifically. For instance, the Boston and Cape Cod areas will be higher compared to central and western Massachusetts. The cost of living will be even higher on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. It can be helpful to take the higher cost of living into consideration when negotiating your travel contract, especially for housing costs.
OK, now that you have a better grasp of what hospitals and specialties are in the area, let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of travel nursing in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is rated as the second-best state for healthcare in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. As a travel nurse, you have the opportunity to be part of high-quality and cutting-edge patient care, which may include new technology and new treatments for patients.
Massachusetts has a very high proportion of colleges and universities compared to other states, which may explain why many of the hospitals in the area are teaching and research hospitals. Working in academic-based facilities could mean that you can be on the ground level for new breakthroughs, discoveries, and treatments.
Massachusetts is a major travel hub for other cities in the United States, as well as for international travel. It will be easy for you to visit cities like New York by train or even take an international trip from Logan Airport.
As one of the original 13 colonies of the United States, Massachusetts is full of historic sites to explore including Plymouth Rock, the home of Paul Revere, and the world’s oldest still-floating ship—the USS Constitution—just to name a few.
The beaches of Cape Cod are synonymous with the natural beauty of Massachusetts and are a popular destination for travelers. You will also find beauty inland, such as in Western Massachusetts, home to the Berkshire Mountains, which are part of the Appalachian Mountains.
Next up, the cons to consider before booking a travel contract. (Although to be fair, the beauty of travel nursing is that nothing is permanent, so even the worst assignment might only last 13 weeks at max!)
Massachusetts is not currently a nursing compact license state, which means you will need a Massachusetts nursing license to work as a travel nurse there. However, if you plan ahead and have your license ready to go, there may be less competition for travel jobs than in compact states.
Winter in Massachusetts can be very cold and bring the risk of severe winter storms. Still, if you’re a snow lover or just want a change of pace, there are many outdoor activities such as skiing, ice skating, and sledding to enjoy during the winter.
The cost of living in Massachusetts is higher as compared to other states. Massachusetts also has a state income tax, so you will pay state income tax on the money you make in Massachusetts, even though you are not a permanent resident. This is likely to be reflected in the compensation that is offered to you as a travel nurse.
While Boston has many great hospitals to work in, the area can be very congested, and parking can be expensive or non-existent. For this reason, Boston is known for having excellent public transportation.
While this is a subjective “con,” it might help to be aware going in that Massachusetts natives do not have a reputation for being particularly welcoming to travelers. Big7Travel.com ranked Massachusetts as the 47th friendliest state out of 50.
Wondering what there is to do on your day off as a travel nurse in Massachusetts? Fortunately, there is no end to the fun that can be had in this state. From local parks where you can soak up nature or see classic sights, here are some suggestions for what to do in Massachusetts.
When most people think of Massachusetts, they think of the capital city, Boston. Boston is a great place to visit while traveling or to have as your home base. Here are some sights we recommend:
Located only seven miles off the coast of Massachusetts, Martha’s Vineyard is a popular tourist destination. If you’re staying in Boston, it’s possible to visit on a day trip.
If Martha’s Vineyard isn’t your style, swing over to Nantucket, another popular island destination, and an easy day trip from Cape Cod.
Both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are great locations to go whale watching. Peak whale season is from March to December, and many areas will offer whale-watching cruises and trips.
Central and Western Massachusetts is home to activities such as skiing, whitewater rafting, and hiking. The New England Trail alone spans 215 miles of hiking through Connecticut and Massachusetts. You can choose to hike the entire trail or spend a day on many smaller trails that make up the New England Trail. Or, just find a local park that offers trails for something on a little less grand scale.
Massachusetts has seemingly endless opportunities for travel nurses, both in the hospital and outside of it. As a travel nurse, you can visit a variety of cities, landscapes, and sights on days off and weekend trips while still working at some of the nation’s best hospitals.
But remember, Massachusetts is not a compact license state, so if you’re interested in working there, be sure to start applying for your license now so you can secure the assignment you want.
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments in Massachusetts!
When you first think of travel nursing, your mind may wander to spending your time off on the beaches of Hawaii or Florida, seeing a Broadway show in New York, or visiting a national park in California. However, Tennessee should also be one of the top states on your list.
Tennessee truly has it all: beautiful mountain scenery during all four seasons, a vibrant live music scene, world-class food, historic sites, and several top healthcare facilities to work in. And whether you’re looking to care for patients in an urban environment or go more rural, Tennessee will let you choose, thanks to a variety of patient populations and environments.
Fortunately, if your interest is piqued, the demand for travel nurses in Tennessee is high with thousands of well-paying travel nurse jobs currently listed on job search sites. According to Indeed, the average travel nurse salary in Tennessee is currently $2,122 per week. And when you’re not working, Tennessee will allow you to explore the world around you and enjoy some downtime – something every nurse needs!
Looking for travel nurse assignments in Tennessee? Speak with a recruiter today!
The average travel nurse salary in Tennessee is currently $49.43 per hour, or $2,122 per week, and $8,166 per month, according to Indeed. Like many areas, some cities in Tennessee will pay more than others.
Here are the top-paying specialties in Tennessee, according to Indeed:
Hospice and palliative care are not often thought of as common travel nurse specialties. However, these travel nurses are paid an average of 28.46% more than the average base salary in Tennessee. There are currently 17 job openings for these specialties in Tennessee, and it is an area that will continue to be high in demand.
Labor and delivery travel nurses are paid an average of 21.49% more than the average base salary in Tennessee. If you apply for a job in L&D, you’ll also want to be sure you have your NRP and Fetal Monitoring Certifications updated, as that will net you the highest-paid position as well as more opportunities. There are currently 83 job openings in L&D in Tennessee.
Telemetry travel nurses are paid an average of 15.56% more than the average base salary in Tennessee. There are currently 84 job openings.
Pediatric travel nurses are paid an average of 10.49% more than the average base salary in Tennessee. There are currently 62 job openings.
OR travel nurses are paid an average of 8.37% more than the average base salary in Tennessee. There are currently 78 job openings.
Also in the running for top-paying specialties in Tennessee are Med-Surg nurses and ICU nurses, who are paid a higher than the average base salary in Tennessee. There are currently 134 and 182 job openings in these specialties, respectively.
Near or far – find the right travel nurse assignment for you.
The leader in hospital rankings, U.S. News and World Report, most recently evaluated 129 hospitals in Tennessee. They ranked the top hospitals in Tennessee as:
VUMC is easily the most well-known hospital in Tennessee, with good reason. It is nationally ranked in 9 adult specialties and in 10 pediatric specialties. Some opportunities for travel nurses at VUMC include working in a level 1 trauma and burn center and caring for transplant patients.
In fact, VUMC does the most heart transplants of any transplant center in the world, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). Nursing at VUMC has also been awarded magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which is a key indicator showing the quality of nursing care provided at VUMC.
If you have been curious about what it is like to work at a faith-based hospital, Ascension Saint Thomas could give you this opportunity. Ascension works to incorporate spiritual wellness into the care of patients and staff in addition to caring for physical health.
Ascension Saint Thomas is also known for its heart and kidney transplant programs. Ascension Saint Thomas is highly ranked for positive post-heart transplant outcomes, which explains why its heart transplant volume has been consistently growing. There are also opportunities to take care of patients using Advanced Ventricular Devices.
Baptist Memorial Hospital is the second largest hospital in Tennessee after VUMC, with 706 beds. Its campus spans 80 acres and 22 different hospitals and all together, healthcare professionals there care for one of the highest patient volumes in the entire state.
Baptist is currently offering nurses a 16-week assignment with a rate of up to $70.00 per hour and a completion bonus of up to $3,000.
CHI Memorial’s commitment to excellent nursing care is evident in its support of nursing education with multiple scholarships available, support for nurses to receive national board certification, and shared governance councils focused on improving patient outcomes through improved patient care. The experience of a travel nurse is greatly impacted by interactions with other staff nurses. Any program that improves nursing at a hospital, in general, will also have a positive impact on you as a travel nurse.
The website for Parkwest Medical Center is treatedwell.com, which is a great motto for how this hospital system cares for both its patients and its staff. Most nurses are familiar with the DAISY award, which is an international program to recognize nurses. Parkwest actually developed the BEE award, to recognize other healthcare professionals vital to patient care, such as patient care assistants.
This award celebrates how nurses and other healthcare providers rely on each other to provide excellent patient care. When a healthcare organization takes the time to recognize employees involved in all aspects of patient care, you can be assured they will recognize your work as a travel nurse. As any travel nurse knows all too well, teamwork is everything in healthcare, so we love to see the full scope of team members recognized and it could be a good indicator of how you would be treated as a travel nurse at this facility.
Using 100 as an average cost of living index in the United States, the Tennessee cost of living is 89.9, according to BestPlaces.net, which also offers a cost of living comparison calculator between cities.
This means that the average cost of living in Tennessee is less than the average of other areas in the United States. Specifically, the cost of housing is especially low with an index of 79.4. The cost of food is relatively higher than housing but still falls below average with an index of 94.5. The cost of transportation is also low with an index of 90.2.
While the travel nurse salaries offered in other states such as California may seem appealing, it is very important to take the cost of living into consideration. You’ll make more if you can save on living expenses, especially if your travel nursing contract allows you to choose your own housing with a stipend because you can pocket any remainder you may have.
Of course, taking on a travel nursing position in any state will come with some pros and cons, so here are some considerations to make when looking at becoming a travel nurse in Tennessee.
This means that if a nurse holds a nursing license in another compact state, they do not need a specific Tennessee license to work as a travel nurse in Tennessee. This makes it easier to try travel nursing in Tennessee without extra steps on your part if you already have a nursing license in a compact state.
The low cost of living in Tennessee means that your travel nurse money will go further. Many nurses travel with future goals in mind such as financial independence and early retirement. You will be able to save more if you earn more through traveling in a low-cost-of-living state.
Tennessee is one of only nine states with no state income tax. Therefore, any money you make in Tennessee will not be subjected to Tennessee income tax. This will help you keep more of your paycheck for your future goals. (Remember, you may still have to pay taxes on any of your earnings through your home state, however.)
Tennessee has a central location, which makes it easy to travel to other areas to visit home, other family and friends, or even take trips when you have consecutive days off.
Tennessee has relatively mild weather, including mild winters for all you snow-averse nurses. However, this state still gives you the ability to experience all four seasons, which can be a fun change for nurses who haven’t lived that before.
Of course, no area is perfect, so here are some potential drawbacks to consider before signing your next travel contract.
While Tennessee has many outdoor spaces to explore, it is ultimately a landlocked state, and you will need to vacation somewhere else to enjoy a traditional beach vacation. However, Tennessee is also home to many beautiful lakes where you can still enjoy the water.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Tennessee ranks #40 in the country for best states for healthcare. However, in spite of that ranking, as a travel nurse in Tennessee, you can be part of improving the quality of care for patients in this state by providing high-quality nursing care.
Despite having relatively mild weather overall, Tennessee is also known for its humidity, especially in the summer. If you plan on working in the summer, it might also be a great time to visit the mountains to enjoy the higher altitude.
Tennessee is also in an area of the United States at higher risk for tornadoes. It will be important for travel nurses unfamiliar with tornadoes to know what to do in the event of a tornado. The locals can also give you some of the rundown on what to do if the sirens go off.
Tennessee is home to a specific type of chicken dish, commonly called Hot Chicken or Nashville Hot Chicken. Once you and your visitors taste this specific variety of fried chicken, odds are, you’ll never be the same.
There is no shortage of activities to do on your days off throughout the state of Tennessee. Here are just a few things you can look forward to during your time in Tennessee.
Of course, no visit to Tennessee would be complete without spending some time in the state’s capital, Nashville. Known as “Music City,” Nashville is home to historic country music venues such as the Grand Ole Opry House. Interestingly, some street signs in Nashville play country music when you are waiting to cross the street.
Don’t forget to stop in at Broadway, an area in downtown Nashville known for live country music. This would be a uniquely Nashville place to take friends or family while they are visiting or to explore on your own or with new friends made while traveling.
Some other popular venues to explore are Robert’s Western World and Little Red Corvette. A few restaurants serving great hot chicken: Dinos, Prince’s Hot Chicken, and Hattie B’s.
Nashville is not the only great city that Tennessee has to offer. Memphis is where you’ll find Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. The National Civil Rights Museum is also in Memphis at the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Sun Studio, known as the “Birthplace of Rock & Roll,” is where legendary musicians such as Elvis and Johnny Cash were first discovered.
Just south of Knoxville, you will find Pigeon Forge which is home to Dollywood. This amusement park is owned by Dolly Parton herself, and has been voted the #1 amusement park in the United States by TripAdvisor. Pigeon Forge is also home to the Titanic Museum, which contains artifacts from the actual Titanic.
No stay in Tennessee would be complete without stopping by the most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Located between North Carolina and Tennessee, the two main locations in Tennessee for accessing the park are Gatlinburg and Townsend.
The Smoky Mountains can be enjoyed during all four seasons, too. For instance, you can hike part of the Appalachian Trail in the Smoky Mountains and enjoy the beautiful wildflowers through the spring and summer. Likewise, the changing leaves in the fall are magnificent, and hiking in winter is even possible, as long as you are prepared and check the conditions.
Whether you are just starting to think about travel nursing or are a seasoned traveler, Tennessee has so much to offer travel nurses, both in the hospital and out of it. Given the modest size of the state, it is possible to see many different cities and sights on weekend trips.
The state boasts beautiful nature, diverse cities and experiences, endless opportunities for travel nurses, and a low cost of living, so you can gain both professionally and personally by becoming a Tennessee travel nurse.
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments in Tennessee!
As a travel nurse, you can expect to make more money than a typical staff nurse in general. This is thanks to the fact that you’ll be filling in-need positions and working with an agency who negotiates a compensation package on your behalf. If you’re new to the field, it’s important that you know some of the behind-the-scenes factors that can influence your pay — here’s how to maximize your income to make the most money as a travel nurse.
Find available, high-paying travel nurse opportunities.
Travel nurse pay is different than staff nurse pay because travel nurses are paid with an overall compensation package that includes a base wage and non-taxable stipends, for things like housing, bonuses, and living expenses. Because this money isn’t taxed, travel nurses can earn more overall. A staff nurse’s salary by comparison earns a base salary that is taxed.
Travel nurses are contracted through agencies to work at healthcare facilities that have a specific need. The higher the need or demand, the more pay travel nurses can expect to earn. Travel nurses also can earn extra compensation like referrals and sign-on bonuses. Some even pocket some of the stipends (like they find cheaper housing than the housing stipend amount). All of these can make travel nurses’ overall compensation higher than staff nurses.
While there are some major differences in the pay for travel and staff nurses, there are some parts of their pay packages that stay the same. Travel nurses, for instance, can still receive benefits like health, vision, dental, and vision as well as 401(k) or other retirement options, and even life insurance.
Although you can expect to make more money as a travel nurse, not all travel nursing positions are paid the same. Pay among travel nursing positions can vary widely, depending on things like what shift you work, or even where you work. Some of the main factors that will influence how much you can make as a travel nurse include:
Working in a location that is in greater need of nurses to staff facilities could equal higher pay for you as a travel nurse. For example, if you’re willing to work in a cold climate during the winter (like Alaska in December) or an area that has a significant nursing shortage (like California and Texas).
Read more: Highest Paying Travel Nurse Assignments This Week
Choosing a travel nurse location where the need is high, but the cost of living is low could mean more dollars in your pocket. In particular, if you take the housing stipend, but are able to find cheaper housing, especially in a lower-cost area, you keep the extra funds non-taxed. You could also save on other costs of living expenses like food and utilities.
Anytime you are able to specialize as a nurse, you have the ability to command a higher pay or negotiate more, since you have a unique skill that hospitals need. You can acquire additional certification in a high-demand area, such as women’s health, emergency room, PICU, critical care, and OR. Or, speak with your agency for their current list of in-demand specialties. Some agencies may even be willing to offer tuition assistance or reimbursement for you to advance your skills in a clinical speciality.
Find open positions today for your specialty.
There’s no way around this one — if you’re willing to work the night shifts, holiday shifts, swing shifts, on-call shifts, and any other shift that isn’t straight daytime hours, you can make more money.
You can maximize the amount of money you make as a travel nurse by also taking advantage of unique circumstances and opportunities, such as:
Are you willing to come in and work on a moment’s notice? Able to set aside time to be on call and work on a flexible basis? If yes, then, you’re extremely valuable as a travel nurse, as agency needs may fluctuate and change on a sometimes daily basis. Nurses who can work rapid response assignments usually can earn more money, so if that’s up your alley, snatch those assignments up — and be sure to let your recruiter know that you’re open for more.
Strikes probably aren’t an ideal situation, but for a travel nurse looking to boost their income, a facility on strike = a facility in need = higher wages. If you feel guilty for working in the middle of the strike, consider that patients still need quality care during a strike. Most nurses who are striking will likely be grateful someone is taking over for their patients while they focus on getting a better contract.
Read more: Crossing the Picket Line as a Travel Nurse
Don’t overlook the power of bonuses, because they can really add up quickly. Before you accept any work, check with the agency if any sign-on bonuses are available. And, if you’ve been with one agency for a while or take on a long-term position, you may be eligible for a retention bonus.
You could also work with multiple agencies to collect new sign-on bonuses for short-term contract positions. Oh, and don’t forget to refer your friends and family or Facebook friends to earn those referral bonuses as well. If every person you went to high school with can ask you to buy their new skincare or lip gloss, you can definitely post a referral link out to fellow nurses.
You can follow all of the “rules” for your income, but if you’d like to make the most money you can as a travel nurse, here are some additional tips:
Speak with a recruiter today about open positions.
Travel nursing jobs are seeing some cooling down after several years of high demand and high rates, but here are some of the highest-paid travel nursing jobs available across the country.
New travel nursing jobs available. Speak with a recruiter today.
As the Nejm Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery journal reported in October 2020, the first wave of COVID-19 resulted in an increased demand for ICU travel nurses in hot spots like Massachusetts and New York — available contracts were up 612% and 1,038% respectively. During the second wave, available ICU travel nurse jobs continued to climb, including an increase of 732% in Arizona and by 927% in Texas.
As you can imagine, pay for travel nurses also increased. The journal found that by April, the average weekly pay for ICU travel nurses in New York had increased by as much as 74%. Massachusetts saw an average weekly salary increase of 39%, while Florida nurses’ weekly salary went up by 33%. By July, Arizona saw an increase of 44% while Florida demand increased by 61%.
Overall, if you were a travel nurse who had any interest in working in a COVID unit or ICU during the past year, you had ample opportunity to find a job and make significantly more money than in the past.
For some travel nurses, it was a chance to expand into a new field and try something new. For others, it was an opportunity to take a job that held deep meaning and help in a time of crisis. But not everyone needs to be a COVID nurse.
COVID has actually created job opportunities outside of the acute care setting and, in states not experiencing outbreaks, regular travel nurse assignments are still available.
The challenge with finding non-COVID travel nurse jobs is many hospitals in hot spots have cancelled or reduced elective procedures and non-essential medical services. As a result, many staff nurses have been floated or laid off and there’s simply less demand for travel nurses at those facilities.
But COVID itself has created some additional opportunities for travel nurses, including:
From mass vaccination clinics to health departments to private facilities offering vaccinations, many are turning to travel nurses to fill these temporary roles. RNs are vital to vaccination clinics where they do everything from educating, screening patients, administering the vaccine and monitoring patients for any reactions after injection.
Travel nurses are ideal vaccine clinic RNs because these are temporary positions and staffing needs are variable. They’re also a good opportunity for LPNs to take on temporary assignments too. For travel nurses who are looking for positions that keep them out of the ICU, a clinic can be an ideal environment. Plus, as someone with experience working as a vaccine nurse myself in a volunteer capacity, I can confirm it’s also an incredibly rewarding and fun place to be.
The pressing need for vaccine nurses has slowed as vaccination rates overall in the country have decreased. Currently, there aren’t a lot of specific positions for travel vaccine nurses, although that could change as numbers increase and flu season begins.
Ready to start travel nursing? Talk to a recruiter today.
Here is a sampling of ER travel nurse jobs available:
Here is a sampling of OR travel nurse jobs available:
There has been a steady stream of hemodialysis travel nurse positions throughout the pandemic and many of them come with high pay.
For instance, here are the rates currently available for hemodialysis positions right now:
L&D travel nurse jobs available include the following:
Infusion nursing is also a specialty that has seen increased demand since the beginning of the pandemic. Although infusions can be done for a variety of medical conditions, antibody infusion therapy is increasingly being offered for COVID-19 patients. It’s sometimes offered as an outpatient treatment, meaning you won’t necessarily need to be on an actual COVID unit in order to be an infusion nurse.
Here are the salaries currently available for open infusion nurse positions:
The following pay rates are currently available for psychiatric RN-specific positions:
How about a nice relaxing stint as an office nurse or an outpatient clinic RN? Search for “outpatient travel nurse jobs” or “office nurse travel jobs” to find some in your area of choice.
You’ll find a wide variety of openings for Med/Surg nurses across the country. We found the following jobs open right now:
Here are some of the highest-paying PICU and PCICU travel nursing assignments we found across the country:
In general, ICU travel nurses have the opportunity to make the most money in the following locations:
If your specialty is in telemetry, consider these travel assignments:
For niche nursing assignments, here are some of the highest-paying one-off opportunities:
Non-COVID travel nursing positions
If you’re a travel nurse looking to avoid the COVID unit — or even if you’re a COVID nurse who needs a break to recuperate from burnout — there are plenty of opportunities available to be a travel nurse during the pandemic.
New travel nursing jobs available. Speak with a recruiter today.
If you are considering working as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurse, you are likely already aware of some of the challenges you will face–such as dealing with seriously ill children and potentially heartbreaking scenarios—and have balanced these with your desire to help care for seriously ill pediatric patients and their families.
Working as a travel PICU nurse can help you gain valuable, diverse experience as you may have the opportunity to work in a variety of hospitals and PICUs which have niche specialties. Do you have what it takes to become a PICU nurse? Check out some of the most asked questions about PICU nursing that are answered below in addition to the pros and cons of being a PICU nurse to find out.
Find available, high-paying travel nurse opportunities.
PICU nurses provide care to pediatric patients with serious illnesses. At any time, the PICU will be home to patients with a variety of diagnoses such as patients with respiratory disorders including:
Pediatric surgical patients are also cared for in the PICU. Patients may be admitted for observation after routine, planned surgical procedures such as Nissen fundoplication or transplantation or for more emergent procedures.
Patients cared for in the PICU may range in age from newborns to approximately 21 years of age. Patients on the older end of this spectrum, or even older adults, may be well known to the PICU due to congenital anomalies such as congenital heart disease. Depending on the patient population of the hospital, patients may be cared for in even more specialized PICUs such as cardiac or neurologic PICUs.
The PICU often prides itself on providing patient and family-centered care, and family members will hopefully be very involved in the care of their child. For that reason, PICU nurses not only take care of pediatrics but are also an invaluable resource to the patient’s family to provide both education and support.
One of the wonderful attributes of a career in nursing is that it is never too early or too late to learn about a new area of nursing that interests you.
How to become a PICU nurse with an associate degree in nursing:
How to become a PICU nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing:
How to become a PICU nurse if you’re already in nursing school:
If you are an established nurse looking to make a specialty change and begin working in the PICU, reach out to your colleagues and see if you can spend any time shadowing a PICU nurse to learn more about the specialty and network with other nurses. If an opening comes up in the PICU that interests you, apply! The PICU will value your other nursing skills and teach you what you need to know about your pediatric patients. Learning about what research is being done by the PICU nurses or Nurse Practitioners where you work and attending conferences where they are presenting their work may also help you get your foot in the door.
Ready to start your adventure? Sign up today and start traveling next week.
When thinking about working with seriously ill pediatric patients, you may automatically think about the difficulties you may face in caring for these children as a nurse. However, for every downside of providing care in the PICU, there is a benefit as well. Here are some common pros and cons of being a PICU nurse:
First, it may be very emotional to work with pediatric patients with a serious acute or chronic illness. You may know that your patient faces a difficult road ahead and is at risk for continued hospital admissions, which take a toll on the patient and family’s quality of life, such as in the case of a patient with congenital heart disease. For patients with a severe acute illness, such as a burn victim, it may be difficult to watch your patient suffer physically while you are providing routine care such as dressing changes.
However, you must remember that your patient would be dealing with this illness regardless of whether you are this patient’s nurse. If you as the nurse can provide excellent nursing care and therefore improve the patient’s outcome, you have made a positive impact on the patient and family, even as they deal with a difficult diagnosis. You can always improve your patient’s quality of life in some way.
If you ever struggled in nursing school to place an intravenous (IV) catheter or nasogastric tube, you may be concerned about performing these procedures, among others, on children. Your patients may have tiny limbs and not be as cooperative as adult patients.
It is important to remember that no nurse is born knowing how to do these procedures well. It simply takes practice and once you’re proficient at placing an IV on a small child, this is a skill you will have for the rest of your career. You may then be called on as a resource for other nurses and other units when they have a patient with limited access. It is a source of pride to be called upon to help fellow nurses care for their patients and you can do it with practice. Another benefit of caring for children is that they are typically smaller and lighter than your average adult patient. That will save you from straining your back!
As we mentioned earlier, as a PICU nurse, you’re not just caring for the pediatric patient; you’re caring for the entire family too. That counts as both a pro and a con, because that can be a wonderful experience but also a challenging one.
For instance, it can be a pro because you can educate and equip a family to care for a child who will need long-term care and have a true teamwork approach to care, but it can also be challenging if the family is not interested in being involved or places emotions on you.
You must remember that the family is coping with their seriously ill child’s illness as best they can. One coping strategy may be to try to control your care. The benefit to working with families is that once you show them you are a competent nurse, you can make a great team taking care of your patient. It is a great feeling to have a family member be excited that you are their loved one’s assigned nurse for the day. Once they let you into their extended family, you will not want to leave.
Despite receiving excellent nursing and medical care, some patients will still succumb to their illness and deteriorate or die. This will be emotional for everyone involved in the patient’s care. You may even find it difficult to not think of something similar happening to your own children or family members in these situations. However, there is support available.
Most hospitals also have staff to help both family members and staff work through losing a patient, such as psychologists through an employee assistance program, a chaplain, or a peer mentor with training in helping grieving colleagues. Ultimately, you will get through it, and you will learn from each patient to provide better care to the next patient.
Near or far – find the right travel nurse assignment for you.
The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provides care to newborn babies in need of intensive care due to diagnoses such as prematurity, congenital heart disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, and other congenital anomalies requiring surgical repair, among others. The PICU provides care to older infants and pediatric patients of all ages, as outlined above.
Most PICUs will strive for a nursing ratio of 1 nurse to 1 or 2 PICU patients. If a PICU shares beds with an intermediate care or step-down unit, a nurse may have 3 patients, due to the lower acuity of these patients.
PICU nurses provide care to both medical and surgical patients.
As with any occupation, salary will vary based on location and level of experience, among other factors. According to ZipRecruiter, the average PICU nurse salary in the United States is $108,031 annually.
Nursing in general is a constantly growing field, and the PICU is no exception. The care provided in the PICU is highly specialized and hospitals need to employ a high number of PICU nurses due to the nursing ratio required to care for these patients. The job outlook for PICU nurses will continue to be strong.
BA.5 is taking over —and the White House is preparing an action strategy against this highly-contagious subvariant.
The talk of the town right now is that the U.S. has officially been taken over by Omicron subvariant BA.5—it’s the dominant strain in the country, making up well over 54% of new COVID cases. In fact, the White House’s COVID task force briefed President Biden on the new subvariant, urging the administration to set up a clear plan for combating the virus, as it is both highly contagious and evades both vaccine-induced and natural immunities. (The strategy, in case you’re wondering, isn’t really that different than other variants: get boosted if you’re at risk and wear a mask if you’re in an area with high transmission.)
Unfortunately, according to the task force’s doctors, even people who have had COVID-19 as recently as a few months ago are at a very high risk of getting re-infected. And if you’ve been to any summer barbecues lately, you may have noticed this very phenomenon happening: so-called summer “colds” are all over right now.
According to the CDC, the country is inching back up in high-risk numbers—currently, just over 20% of the country is considered “high risk” for community transmission, while our update last week saw that number hovering around 19%. Here’s more on what’s happening with the virus in the U.S. now and what COVID travel nurse jobs are available.
Interested in assignments in COVID-impacted areas? Start here.
The number of officially reported COVID cases continues to hover around 100K per day (although remember — that number is probably low compared to the actual number of infections, as fewer people get “official” tests or even get tested at all), but hospitalizations have been steadily increasing over the past few weeks.
Here are the stats from the CDC we have right now:
There are about 5K COVID-related hospitalizations occurring daily right now—that number did rise, as it tends to do, after the 4th of July, which brought increased gatherings and travel. Hospitalizations are still occurring at higher rates among those who are not vaccinated, as well as adults over the age of 65. According to the NYT, about 33,000 people total in the U.S. are in the hospital with COVID, with only 4,000 of those in the ICU.
Travel nursing opportunities may be increased again with any rise in cases and hospitalizations, as well as the summer months when many healthcare workers may take time off. If you are looking for a COVID-specific travel nursing job, here are some of the current travel nursing positions available with weekly rates listed.
All of the following positions are MICU/SICU/ICU roles, which are most commonly COVID units:
Speak with a recruiter about available assignments in COVID-impacted areas today.
The CDC is now officially recommending that all people 6 months of age and older receive an initial COVID-19 vaccination series, with additional recommendations for booster shots.
Moderna has also developed a revised vaccine, the bivalent booster vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273.214, which better fights the Omicron variant and potentially other variants—the revised vaccine will most likely be offered as a booster vaccine in the fall. The bivalent vaccine targets two different strains of a virus and has the potential to provide broad immunity to COVID-19 as new variants develop because it uses mRNA to target specific mutations in a protein that appear across both older and emerging COVID-19 variants. However, it’s very possible that even with the revised vaccine, a new subvariant could take over, rendering even that version less effective.
To add to the COVID vaccine round-up, the FDA has supported Novavax, a fourth COVID vaccine. Novavax works like traditional vaccines by introducing a small fragment of the actual coronavirus into the body—but in this case, the fragment has been built by a lab. Full approval is expected soon and the U.S. has already placed an order for 3.2 million doses of Novavax once it is officially approved. The hope is that adults who are leery of using mRNA vaccines will instead be willing to get the Novavax, since it uses a traditional method of vaccination.
The FDA has also suggested that COVID vaccines may be recommended annually, much like the vaccines for influenza and pneumonia. Researchers are also in the process of testing a blood test that can measure someone’s immunity to COVID-19, whether through vaccines or infection. Ideally, the test could help guide someone to decide what steps they should take to protect themselves in the future from COVID.
Additionally, researchers are working on developing an inhaled COVID vaccine that would be shelf-stable for up to 3 months. And last but not least, there is talk of introducing a universal vaccine that can offer some protection as new variants and subvariants continue to crop up.
According to the CDC, 222.3 million people in the U.S. have now been fully vaccinated. Vaccination rates have definitely slowed from earlier in the pandemic, but here’s how the current vaccine numbers stack up:
The CDC recommends that kids between the ages of 5 and 12 receive 1 booster dose, while people aged 12 and over should receive a series of two booster shots to protect against severe complications from COVID-19 infection.
Here are the recommendations from the CDC regarding boosters:
| If your first vaccine was: | Get this booster: | When: |
| Pfizer-BioNTech | Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for your first booster if you’re over 18; Pfizer-BioNTech for children between 6 months and 17. | 5 months after your first vaccine series; 3 months if you’re severely immunocompromised. If you’re getting a second booster, get it 4 months after your first. (Second boosters are not recommended for kids under 11.) |
| Moderna | Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. | 5 months after your first vaccine series; 3 months if you’re severely immunocompromised. If you’re getting a second booster (recommended for age 50+ and anyone severely immunocompromised), get it 4 months after your first. (Second boosters are not recommended for kids under 11.) |
| J&J/Janssen | Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna You can also get a second mRNA-only booster if you’re over 50. | 2 months after your first vaccine. If you’re getting a second booster (age 50+ or severely immunocompromised), get it 4 months after your first. |
Interested in assignments in COVID-impacted areas? Start here.
