Travel nursing pay packages can provide plenty of confusion but for many, the only thing they want to know is how much money they can make in their state of choice.
Below, we’ve put together the current highest weekly travel nursing pay packages you can expect for each state, based on current StaffDNA job board data (1), and ranked them in order of highest to lowest. We’ve also listed the current number of opportunities in each state (2), as well as their overall cost of living based on a 2018 regional price parity study from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (3). Click here to read our process for creating this list.
Make sure to bookmark this page, travelers, because we plan on updating this info often, so some of the pay rates and available jobs are subject to change.
Most of the data is not surprising—California, for instance, has always been known as one of the most expensive states to live in. It ranks No. 1 among pay packages as well. But there are a few surprises on the list.
See for yourself how much you can potentially make in each state as a travel nurse.
Editor’s Note: For the cost of living rating, states above 100 are considered to have above average living expenses, including rent. States below 100 have below average living expenses.
California
RN, Trisha A. in California
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $3,216
Highest Hourly: $80.40
Cost of Living Rating: 114.4
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Texas
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $3,162
Highest Hourly: $79.06
Cost of Living Rating: 96.9
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New York
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2814
Highest Hourly: $70.35
Cost of Living Rating: 115.6
View travel nursing job opportunities in New York now >>
Florida
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2626.4
Highest Hourly: $65.66
Cost of Living Rating: 99.7
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Virginia
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2626.4
Highest Hourly: $65.66
Cost of Living Rating: 102.3
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New Jersey
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2492.4
Highest Hourly: $62.31
Cost of Living Rating: 113.2
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Alaska
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2465.60
Highest Hourly: $61.64
Cost of Living Rating: 105.4
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Iowa
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2465.6
Highest Hourly: $61.64
Cost of Living Rating: 90.2
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Nevada
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2412
Highest Hourly: $60.30
Cost of Living Rating: 97.4
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Pennsylvania
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2412
Highest Hourly: $60.3
Cost of Living Rating: 98.4
Discover travel nursing job opportunities in Pennsylvania now >>
Montana
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2398.60
Highest Hourly: $59.97
Cost of Living Rating: 94.1
Look for travel nursing jobs in Montana now >>
Indiana
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2342.32
Highest Hourly: $58.56
Cost of Living Rating: 90.3
Look for travel nursing job opportunities in Indiana now >>
Massachusetts
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2331.60
Highest Hourly: $58.29
Cost of Living Rating: 107.8
See travel nursing jobs in Massachusetts now >>
Michigan
RN, Samantha P. in Michigan
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,315.52
Highest Hourly: $57.89
Cost of Living Rating: 93.3
See travel nursing job opportunities in Michigan now >>
Maryland
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,278
Highest Hourly: $56.95
Cost of Living Rating: 109.5
See travel nursing job openings in Maryland now >>
Washington
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,278
Highest Hourly: $56.95
Cost of Living Rating: 105.5
View travel nursing job openings in Washington now >>
Wisconsin
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,266.21
Highest Hourly: $56.66
Cost of Living Rating: 92.8
Find travel nursing job openings in Wisconsin now >>
Wyoming
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,264.60
Highest Hourly: $56.62
Cost of Living Rating: 96.7
See travel nursing job openings in Wyoming now >>
Minnesota
Downtown Minneapolis Minnesota at night time as seen from the famous stone arch bridge
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,251.20
Highest Hourly: $56.28
Cost of Living Rating: 97.5
Look for travel nursing job openings in Minnesota now >>
Louisiana
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,240.48
Highest Hourly: $56.01
Cost of Living Rating: 90.4
Look for travel nursing jobs in Louisiana now >>
Georgia
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,237.80
Highest Hourly: $55.94
Cost of Living Rating: 92.1
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West Virginia
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,224.40
Highest Hourly: $55.61
Cost of Living Rating: 87.6
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New Mexico
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,197.60
Highest Hourly: $54.94
Cost of Living Rating: 93.6
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Ohio
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,144
Highest Hourly: $53.60
Cost of Living Rating: 89.3
View travel nursing jobs in Ohio now >>
Illinois
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,144
Highest Hourly: $53.60
Cost of Living Rating: 98.3
View travel nursing jobs in Illinois now >>
Delaware
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,144
Highest Hourly: $53.60
Cost of Living Rating: 100.2
View travel nursing jobs in Delaware now >>
Arkansas
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,090.40
Highest Hourly: $52.26
Cost of Living Rating: 86.2
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Tennessee
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,090.40
Highest Hourly: $52.26
Cost of Living Rating: 90.2
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Oregon
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,074.32
Highest Hourly: $57.62
Cost of Living Rating: 99.8
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Missouri
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,063.60
Highest Hourly: $51.59
Cost of Living Rating: 89.5
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Maine
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,050.20
Highest Hourly: $56.95
Cost of Living Rating: 98.4
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Kentucky
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,045.38
Highest Hourly: $51.13
Cost of Living Rating: 87.8
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Nebraska
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,016.43
Highest Hourly: $56.01
Cost of Living Rating: 90.5
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Colorado
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 103.0
View travel nursing jobs in Colorado now >>
Vermont
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 101.6
View travel nursing jobs in Vermont now >>
Oklahoma
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 89.0
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Arizona
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 95.9
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Hawaii
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 118.4
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Idaho
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,977.84
Highest Hourly: $54.94
Cost of Living Rating: 93.0
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South Carolina
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,929.60
Highest Hourly: $48.24
Cost of Living Rating: 90.3
View travel nursing jobs in South Carolina now >>
New Hampshire
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,929.60
Highest Hourly: $48.24
Cost of Living Rating: 105.9
View travel nursing jobs in New Hampshire now >>
North Dakota
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,929.60
Highest Hourly: $48.24
Cost of Living Rating: 91.5
View travel nursing jobs in North Dakota now >>
Alabama
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,876
Highest Hourly: $46.9
Cost of Living Rating: 86.6
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District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,822.40
Highest Hourly: $45.56
Cost of Living Rating: 115.9
View travel nursing jobs in District of Columbia now >>
South Dakota
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,822.40
Highest Hourly: $45.56
Cost of Living Rating: 88.3
View travel nursing jobs in South Dakota now >>
Kansas
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,809
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Cost of Living Rating: 90.5
View travel nursing jobs in Kansas now >>
Rhode Island
Newport Bridge in Newport Rhode Island with the Goat Island Lighthouse in the foreground
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,795.60
Highest Hourly: $44.89
Cost of Living Rating: 99.6
View travel nursing jobs in Rhode Island now >>
Connecticut
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,795.60
Highest Hourly: $44.89
Cost of Living Rating: 108.7
View travel nursing jobs in Connecticut now >>
North Carolina
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,742
Highest Hourly: $43.55
Cost of Living Rating: 90.9
View travel nursing jobs in North Carolina now >>
Mississippi
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,688.40
Highest Hourly: $42.21
Cost of Living Rating: 86.4
View travel nursing jobs in Mississippi now >>
Utah
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,340
Highest Hourly: $33.50
Cost of Living Rating: 97.3
View travel nursing jobs in Utah now >>
How We Made This List
- Pay package data is sourced with permission from the StaffDNA job board and displays the highest listed pay regardless of RN specialty. This data is updated at the start of each month. Because of this, some specialties may see lower weekly pay packages in their state than what is listed. This list is not meant to be comprehensive for all variations across specialties, or contract terms.
- The number of available jobs per state is sourced with permission from the StaffDNA job board. This data is updated at least once per month, although additional updates may occur based on the rapidly changing travel nurse job market. While several staffing agencies post job opportunities on the StaffDNA job board, this list does not display all possible job opportunities from every facility or staffing agency.
- The Cost of Living rating is based on regional price parity index data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which can be found here. The numbers displayed are a percentage of the overall national price level and aggregates data on all consumer goods and services including rents. Areas with high ratings (above 100.0) and low ratings (below 100.0) typically
correspond to areas with high or low price levels for rents, according to the BEA.
