Tips for How to Maximize Your Travel Nurse Pay

As a travel nurse, you can make a considerable amount of money, more than you would as a staff nurse. Explore tips from travel nurses on ways to bring home even more pay while on and off assignments.

When comparing the salaries of both travel and staff RNs in the U.S., travel nursing could be an option if you want to boost your nursing pay overall. According to ZipRecruiter, as of March 2023 the average travel RN salary is $118,400 in comparison to $75,380 for staff RNs. That’s a $43,020 pay differential.

*Average Salary in the United States (2023)
Sources: ZipRecruiter.com; ZipRecruiter.com

Alaina Ross, BSN, RN, a postanesthesia care unit travel RN, typically makes between 30-50% more as a travel nurse (includes housing stipend) than as a staff nurse. She says, “You have much more leverage in negotiating pay as a traveler, and as such, it generally pays better.”

Lack of benefits is also a factor. You get a higher salary as a travel nurse because you typically do not receive the hospital or facility benefits that a staff RN would (for instance,. health insurance, retirement matching, bonuses, raises, and union benefits).

While travel RNs are reportedly paid a higher salary than that of staff RNs, there are specific factors that can have a direct impact on pay.

Where you work can have a significant effect on your pay. Ross mentions that her California contracts have paid twice as much as her Texas contracts. Due to staffing shortages and higher cost of living, some states and cities simply pay more. It’s also important to take into account how you will be taxed for working in a state.

According to ZipRecruiter as of March 2023, New York, New Hampshire, and Arizona are the highest-paying states for travel nursing.

These are the top five highest-paying U.S. cities for travel nurses as of March 2023.

Travel nursing pay may be affected by your nursing specialty. ZipRecruiter reported that as of March 2023, travel RNs working in nursing speciality positions are paid between $50,630- $63,060 more than the average RN travel nurse salary of $118,400.

These are the top five highest-paying travel nursing specialties as of March 2023.

Your decision to take a housing stipend or the company-provided housing can affect your travel nurse pay. A housing stipend is the extra money that a travel nursing agency pays you to find a place to live while on assignment. Choosing the housing stipend option can significantly increase your overall pay, especially if you manage to find a very affordable living arrangement.

Boosting your travel nurse pay places extra cash in your pockets for exploring the new city on your days off, advancing your career, saving for retirement, or paying off debt. Here are four tips to help boost your pay.

A good recruiter goes above and beyond to find assignments that fit your specific needs. Tell your recruiter exactly how much you want to be paid. Ross advises, “Tell them your desired locations, contract lengths, minimum pay thresholds, and see what they can round up.”

A great way to locate good recruiters is to join online travel nursing communities (e.g., The Gypsy Nurse) and social networking groups (e.g., LinkedIn or Facebook) to connect with other travel nurses for recommendations.

You can receive a higher salary if you choose assignments in states that have a high nursing shortage. You can also work in geographically remote or unpopular locations.

Ross says, “I cannot tell you how many texts I get from travel nurse recruiters who offer ungodly amounts of money to go work in undesirable locations.”

High-demand crisis assignments are another way to increase your travel nurse pay. According to March 2023 Ziprecruiter data, crisis travel RNs make an average of $150,560 per year.

You have a right to decline an assignment if it does not meet your pay expectations. Ross says, “Travel nurses today have a lot of power and you can afford to be choosy.”

Work with several recruiters and choose from a variety of assignments offered to you. Remember that recruiters are working for you. Ross notes, “I just sit back and review text messages when they find contracts that might fit.”

Ross recommends taking the housing stipend if given the choice. She states, “Stipends can make a big difference in net pay as you can usually find housing for cheaper.” For half of her assignments, she lived in an RV with her husband to save on housing costs.

While you may not own an RV, you can rent a room in someone’s home or stay in extended-stay hotels. You can also work with a short-term housing rental company like Airbnb or Vrbo to save on housing costs.

A great way to make extra money as a travel nurse is to work a part-time or freelance nursing job on the side or in between assignments. You can find these positions on job boards (e.g., Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor). Here are five ways to make some extra cash.

Overall, maximizing your pay as a travel nurse can have excellent personal and professional benefits. Choose your path, weigh your options, and enjoy your assignment.