How Much Is A Travel Nurse Paid?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
State Mean Annual Avg Hourly Alabama $92,602 $44.52 Arizona

$98,292


$47.26
Arkansas $81,734 $39.30 California $88,691 $42.64

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.

How much money do you actually make as a travel nurse?

In 2020, according to Glassdoor, the

annual travel nurse salary sits at $71,380

. ZipRecruiter, meanwhile, reported in October 2020 that the average annual pay for a Travel Nurse in the United States is $99,202 a year, with a monthly wage of $8,267, and an hourly wage of $47.69.

How much do you make a month as a travel nurse?

Monthly: The monthly salary for travel nurses averages out to

$9,790

and may vary depending on hours worked or bonuses. Annual: The average annual salary for travel nurses also varies significantly. On average, they earn $117,490 with a starting salary of $78,430, rising to $170,680 as more experience is gained.

Do travel nurses make a lot of money?

Under normal circumstances,

many travel nurses have the potential to earn over $3,000 per week

. Travel nurses can bring in over $50 per hour, plus company-paid housing accommodations. Making it entirely possible for travel nurses to make well over $100K per year.

Do travel nurses pay 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.

How long does it take to be 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.

How do travel nurses make money?

  1. Pick Up Extra Shifts. As a travel nurse, most assignments are set in terms of your weeks booked. …
  2. Refer A Traveler. …
  3. Sign On Bonus. …
  4. Become More Specialized. …
  5. Take More Experiences. …
  6. Take The Housing Subsidy. …
  7. Get More State Licenses. …
  8. Extensions.

Why do travel nurses make a lot?

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

.

Is it hard to become a travel nurse?


This schooling may take 2-4 years depending on the length of the program

. The most important element to becoming a travel nurse is experience. Most travel agencies and hospitals require nurses to have a minimum of two years of nursing experience prior to applying for travel nursing contracts.

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.

What is a traveling nurse called?

The term “travel nurse” most commonly refers to

Registered Nurses (RN)

. However, it could also refer to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN/LVN) or Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA). Some people use it to refer to Nurse Practitioners (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA).

What do you need to become a travel nurse?

Be qualified for the job

To be a nurse anywhere

you first need to be a registered nurse with a basic degree

, and being a traveling nurse is no different. However, it is also helpful to have additional education, like a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as a specialty like ER or radiology.

How do I start a traveling nurse?

  1. Check out travel nursing companies. …
  2. Submit an application. …
  3. Start working with a recruiter. …
  4. Clarify your needs and wants. …
  5. Secure the travel RN job you want. …
  6. Get packing! …
  7. Go “all in”

Why do hospitals hire travel nurses?

Filling a position between full-time hires; covering for hospital nurses who are off the job due to health or personal reasons; or providing additional support during busy seasons, such as flu or tourist season, are some of the most frequent reasons hospitals hire traveling nurses.

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.

Can nurses make 6 figures?

Can Nurses Make Six Figures?

Yes, you can 100% make six figures as a nurse

. The disclaimer is that working in some states may make this easier than working in other states. Geographic location is a huge indicator of starting salary and can be a reason why some of you are not as close to others when looking at raw data.

How does being a travel nurse work?

Travel nurses

take on short-term, temporary positions across the nation to fill gaps where nursing shortages exist

. Rather than being employed by the healthcare facility, travel nurses use independent staffing agencies to seek and secure positions wherever they desire, or where it’s needed most.

How long do travel nurse assignments last?

Assignments typically last

13 weeks

, at which time the travel nurse is free to accept another position, take some time off between assignments, or, possibly, get an extension on the current contract.

Is a travel nurse considered self employed?


Often, traveling nurses get hired as an independent contractor

as opposed to being a full-time employee. The difference means you’re accountable for all of your tax payments and all of your travel expenses.

How do travel stipends work?

An employee travel stipend, also called a vacation stipend or travel reimbursement, is

an allotment of funds that workers can use during each calendar year at their discretion to pay for personal travel expenses

.

What is the lowest paying state for nurses?

As of 2020, Hawaii tops the list at 198.6, while

Mississippi

comes in lowest, at 84.5. Adjusting each state’s average RN salary by its cost of living index gives us a potentially more accurate means of comparing where nurses get paid the most.

Why is it so hard to get a travel nurse job?

It comes from one of these things most of the time:

A lack of knowledge of the ins and outs of the travel nursing industry

. A lack of knowledge of the market and how in-demand your specialty happens to be.

Can you be a travel nurse right out of college?

1) Can A New Grad Be A Travel Nurse?

Absolutely

. Your pool of travel nursing options may be limited as a new graduate, but it’s still there to explore. It wasn’t long ago that the idea of a recent graduate pursuing this career option was a pipe dream, but times have changed.

How can a travel nurse make 100K?
  1. Be flexible. …
  2. Get certified in a speciality field. …
  3. Find your own housing. …
  4. Work with the best agencies. …
  5. Work with multiple agencies. …
  6. Maintain multiple state licenses. …
  7. Sign-up for rapid response staffing. …
  8. Communicate with your recruiter.

Can you pick up extra shifts as a travel nurse?

If you make this a non-negotiable, you’ll be limiting your opportunities. Only make this a non-negotiable for the contracts that you know you’re going to want to pick up extra shifts AND where

the contract even allows you to pick up extra shifts

.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.