How Much Do Travel Nurses Make? | NurseJournal.org (2023)

FAQs

How much does a Travelling nurse make? ›

Travel nurse salary

To calculate a travel nurse's compensation, you'll need to base the salary off the average median income of a registered nurse in the U.S. In many scenarios, travel nurses can earn about $3,000 weekly. They can charge as high as $50 per hour in addition to the hospital-paid housing benefits.

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.

However, recently-licensed travel nurses tend to earn a much lower starting salary of $37.71 while their more experienced counterparts earn an average of $82.06.

Historically speaking, the highest paying states for travel nurses include California, Texas, Massachusetts, Washington, and New York. Southern states tend to have lower living costs and, in turn, lower travel nurse pay. Areas that are considered “destination locations” (like, Hawaii and Florida) may pay lower.

The average annual salary for a travel nurse is $108,070 in 2022, acccording to Indeed.com. That is significantly higher than the average mean salary for staff nurses, $75,330 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

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.

Basically, by the time you add everything up, including your housing, health insurance for travel nurses, and competitive salary package, it's a very lucrative career. And when tax time rolls around, you also get to enjoy many different travel nurse tax deductions. Just remember, these deductions can vary by location.

What Is the Length of a Typical Travel Nursing Assignment? The length of a travel nursing assignment varies depending on the facility. A travel nurse assignment can be as short as two weeks, but 6, 8, or 13-week positions are the most common.

Travel nurses typically work 40 hours per week in one of the following shift models: 5 x 8-hour shifts. 4 x 10-hour shifts.

Do travel nurses make more than nurse practitioners? ›

Do travel nurses get paid more? Travel nurses typically earn more than full-time salaried RNs because they often take job assignments where there is a nursing shortage. Travel nurse agencies also pay practitioners by the hour and offer additional benefits, including housing and meal stipends.

Nationally, demand for registered nurse travelers dropped by a third in the month leading up to April 10, according to data from staffing agency Aya Healthcare, although openings have rebounded slightly in recent weeks.

California consistently has the highest demand for travel nurses throughout the year. Due to a powerful statewide union and specific laws regarding safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios there will always be a large need. The time of year also has an effect on which states need nursing resources.

Most agencies offer travel nurses a housing stipend to cover their housing while on assignment. This is calculated as part of your compensation package.

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.

Travel nurses make an average of $98,031 per year, or $47 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. This is a higher number than RNs, who earn an average annual salary of $77,600 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are several reasons why travel nurses make more money than other nurses.

An agency will usually take around 30% of the full bill rate and of that, profits might be around 20-25%. Agencies usually make profits somewhere around the ballpark of $5,000 – $6,000 per 13-week contract depending on the specialty, if we work all our hours, and how big they are.

What do travel nurses do with their money? ›

The non-taxable reimbursements are made up mostly of stipends for meals and housing. The travel nurse can arrange their own housing and meals and possibly pocket some of the stipend or use for other expenses that may not be covered.

Basically, by the time you add everything up, including your housing, health insurance for travel nurses, and competitive salary package, it's a very lucrative career. And when tax time rolls around, you also get to enjoy many different travel nurse tax deductions. Just remember, these deductions can vary by location.

How Long Does It Take to Become A Travel Nurse? It can take two to four years for full-time students to earn an ADN or BSN. Most travel nursing agencies also want their applicants to have at least one year of work experience before offering a contract.

What Is the Length of a Typical Travel Nursing Assignment? The length of a travel nursing assignment varies depending on the facility. A travel nurse assignment can be as short as two weeks, but 6, 8, or 13-week positions are the most common.

Travel nurses typically work 40 hours per week in one of the following shift models: 5 x 8-hour shifts. 4 x 10-hour shifts.

The cons of travel nursing are less identifiable. Things like separation from friends and family, unfamiliar accommodations, and the unknown can leave one feeling empty and loneliness.

However, travel nursing can also be a stressful profession. According to one study published in Nursing Research and Practice, 92% of nurses have moderate, high, or very high levels of work-related stress. Travel nurses also experience their own unique set of stressors on top of those suffered by regular nurses.

Most places require you to have at least two years of experience in your nursing specialty, whether it's surgical, neonatal, critical care, pediatrics, trauma or a clinical nurse with many different specialties. Your clinical background will determine the specific openings you'll qualify for as a travel nurse.

It's not possible and even if it was it would be illegal. But first of all you would make more working one and collecting overtime for more hours you would stick into the second job. Did you decide to travel?

What skills are required to be a travel nurse? ›

Most agencies offer travel nurses a housing stipend to cover their housing while on assignment. This is calculated as part of your compensation package.

Nurses can Cancel Contracts

Travel nurses do have the ability to cancel their own contracts but it is not recommended. The majority of reasons travel nurses cancel are because of family emergencies, personal health problems, facilities not adhering to agreed time off and schedule, and a poor working environment.

On a typical day as a travel nurse, you might do things such as conduct physical exams to assess a patient's condition, listen to patients and care for their needs, provide counseling to patients, and coordinate with healthcare providers.

The most common schedule for a travel nurse is a 13-week contract. This has become the standard length for many reasons, one being it's enough time for a new nurse to acclimate to their new environment—the facility and the city. The contract usually starts with a predictable orientation period.

Traveling nurses choose this job for many reasons, but for many it is the amount of money they can accumulate in a short period of time. Plus, they don't have housing costs or medical insurance costs. They also can receive retirement funds.