The average travel nurse is now earning about $3,334 a week on average
, according to Vivian Health, a health care hiring marketplace. Contracts can last a couple of days or weeks, and nurses can choose how often they travel. Prior to the pandemic, average travel nurse salaries were about $1,800 a week in 2019.
Is travel nurse pay decreasing?
Demand for travel nursing grew by at least 35 percent in 2020 and has driven up salaries: Travel nurses can command an average of about $3,500 per week and sometimes even more.
By the end of 2020, average weekly pay for travel nurses was more than double what it had been the year before.
Why do travel nurses get paid more?
So, why do travel nurses get paid more? It’s because
they fill short-term needs, accept assignments in areas with severe nursing shortages, receive extra compensation for their flexibility and work in hard-to fill specialties
.
Can travel nurses work whenever they want?
Absolutely
. You have the final say on whether you agree to the hospital, the location, the start date, the shift — with every assignment. Depending on what you’re looking for, it may take you a little more time to find your ideal travel nurse job.
What can a travel nurse write off?
Travel nurses can also claim tax deductions for legitimate business expenses in excess of reimbursements or allowances. These include
expenses for transportation, lodging, and meals
. However, a 50 percent limit applies to deductions for business meals and entertainment.
What is the highest paid travel nurse?
Telemetry Travel Nurses
hold one of the highest-paying travel nursing jobs, earning approximately $130,870 annually. This wage is equal to $62.92 hourly, $2,517 weekly, or $10,910 monthly.
Do traveling nurses make more than regular nurses?
And while
rates for a travel or agency nurse have traditionally been higher than those of a hospital staff nurse, the current demand has pushed travel rates to record highs
. Pittsburgh-based UPMC, for example, paid an estimated $85 an hour for a traveling nurse or a nurse from an agency before the pandemic.
Where are the highest paying travel nurse jobs?
Large metropolitan areas, such as
Los Angeles and New York City
, are experiencing high volumes of COVID-19 patients and have the capability to offer higher rates for travel nurses. Contracts in these cities have been listed as high as $10,000 per week.
What’s the difference between a nurse and a travel nurse?
Travel nurses:
Are registered nurses with a valid license and at least 2 years of nursing experience
. Work short-term assignments at hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Help by filling in gaps where there are nursing shortages.
Are traveling nurses in demand?
Now, they could lose those benefits. For the nurses who have witnessed the darkest moments of the pandemic under harrowing work conditions,
the rise in demand for travel nursing has come as a welcome opportunity.
Will nurses get paid more in the future?
Overall, the average annual salary for RNs, not including bonus pay, grew to $81,376, according to Premier—
a 4% increase across the first nine months of the year
. This is larger than the 3.3% increase in the average annual nurse salary for 2020 and the 2.6% increase in 2019, Evans writes.
How long does it take to become a travel nurse?
How long does it take to be a travel nurse? The education requirements for travel nurse positions include
2 to 4 years
of education, depending upon the path you choose to become a registered nurse.
Can travel nurses bring their spouse?
Remember that it’s okay for personal responsibilities to take priority over traveling for work. The great beauty of travel nursing is that
it allows both travel nurses and their spouses or partners to take part in the flexibility of travel, too!
Can you travel nurse with a friend?
It’s easier than you think
Many nurses aren’t aware that
it’s totally possible to travel with a friend for a travel nursing assignment
. The first step in making this happen is to discuss the possibility with your recruiter, who will work to find assignments for both of you.
Is it hard being a travel nurse?
While travel nurses work hard
, they also play hard, exploring exciting new places and meeting new people.
Can I write off my car as a travel nurse?
If you’re paying to have a vehicle solely for work while you’re traveling as a nurse,
you can deduct the cost of renting a car
. Vehicle Maintenance Costs. If you have to pay to maintain a car that racks up travel mileage, wear, and tear from your job, that’s another deduction.
Do travel nurses pay their own taxes?
Because travel nurses are paid a bit differently than staff nurses, so too do travel nurses file taxes a bit differently. This is because
travel nurses are paid a base hourly rate, that is taxable, and a weekly travel stipend that is not taxable
– both of which equal their total pay in a given contract.
Do travel nurses pay more taxes?
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
.
Are travel nurses happy?
The benefits of travel nursing are well known and it’s fair to say that
the vast majority of travel nurses are very happy with their job and the unique lifestyle it entails
. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s all sunshine and daydreams.
Why do hospitals use travel nurses?
Travel nurses provide hospitals with many benefits. They
allow medical facilities to reduce their staffing costs and also help them to fill in the gaps when there is an increase in need
. In addition, being a travel nurse can be an extremely rewarding and exciting career.
