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 in 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
Number of Travel RN jobs in California: 1111
View travel nursing jobs in California now >>
Texas
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $3,162
Highest Hourly: $79.06
Number of Travel RN jobs in Texas: 432
Cost of Living Rating: 96.9
Find travel nursing jobs in Texas now >>
New York
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2814
Highest Hourly: $70.35
Number of Travel RN jobs in New York: 313
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Florida: 352
Cost of Living Rating: 99.7
Find travel nursing job opportunities in Florida now >>
Virginia
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2626.4
Highest Hourly: $65.66
Number of Travel RN jobs in Virginia: 360
Cost of Living Rating: 102.3
View travel nursing jobs in Virginia now >>
New Jersey
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2492.4
Highest Hourly: $62.31
Number of Travel RN jobs in New Jersey: 114
Cost of Living Rating: 113.2
Check out travel nursing jobs in New Jersey now >>
Alaska
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2465.60
Highest Hourly: $61.64
Number of Travel RN jobs in Alaska: 42
Cost of Living Rating: 105.4
Check out travel nursing job opportunities in Alaska now >>
Iowa
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2465.6
Highest Hourly: $61.64
Number of Travel RN jobs in Iowa: 102
Cost of Living Rating: 90.2
Discover travel nursing jobs in Iowa now >>
Nevada
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2412
Highest Hourly: $60.30
Number of Travel RN jobs in Nevada: 120
Cost of Living Rating: 97.4
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Pennsylvania
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2412
Highest Hourly: $60.3
Number of Travel RN jobs in Pennsylvania: 407
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Montana: 80
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Indiana: 271
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Massachusetts: 381
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Michigan: 204
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Maryland: 219
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Washington: 219
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Wisconsin: 191
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Wyoming: 19
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Minnesota: 108
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Louisiana: 198
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Georgia: 469
Cost of Living Rating: 92.1
View travel nursing jobs in Georgia now >>
West Virginia
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,224.40
Highest Hourly: $55.61
Number of Travel RN jobs in West Virginia: 129
Cost of Living Rating: 87.6
View travel nursing jobs in West Virginia now >>
New Mexico
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,197.60
Highest Hourly: $54.94
Number of Travel RN jobs in New Mexico: 244
Cost of Living Rating: 93.6
View travel nursing jobs in New Mexico now >>
Ohio
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,144
Highest Hourly: $53.60
Number of Travel RN jobs in Ohio: 169
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Illinois: 278
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Delaware: 24
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Arkansas: 140
Cost of Living Rating: 86.2
View travel nursing jobs in Arkansas now >>
Tennessee
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,090.40
Highest Hourly: $52.26
Number of Travel RN jobs in Tennessee: 138
Cost of Living Rating: 90.2
View travel nursing jobs in Tennessee now >>
Oregon
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,074.32
Highest Hourly: $57.62
Number of Travel RN jobs in Oregon: 173
Cost of Living Rating: 99.8
View travel nursing jobs in Oregon now >>
Missouri
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,063.60
Highest Hourly: $51.59
Number of Travel RN jobs in Missouri: 191
Cost of Living Rating: 89.5
View travel nursing jobs in Missouri now >>
Maine
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,050.20
Highest Hourly: $56.95
Number of Travel RN jobs in Maine: 110
Cost of Living Rating: 98.4
View travel nursing jobs in Maine now >>
Kentucky
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,045.38
Highest Hourly: $51.13
Number of Travel RN jobs in Kentucky: 153
Cost of Living Rating: 87.8
View travel nursing jobs in Kentucky now >>
Nebraska
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,016.43
Highest Hourly: $56.01
Number of Travel RN jobs in Nebraska: 56
Cost of Living Rating: 90.5
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Colorado
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Number of Travel RN jobs in Colorado: 128
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Vermont: 151
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Oklahoma: 147
Cost of Living Rating: 89.0
View travel nursing jobs in Oklahoma now >>
Arizona
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Number of Travel RN jobs in Arizona: 325
Cost of Living Rating: 95.9
View travel nursing jobs in Arizona now >>
Hawaii
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $2,010
Highest Hourly: $50.25
Number of Travel RN jobs in Hawaii: 5
Cost of Living Rating: 118.4
View travel nursing jobs in Hawaii now >>
Idaho
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,977.84
Highest Hourly: $54.94
Number of Travel RN jobs in Idaho: 77
Cost of Living Rating: 93.0
View travel nursing jobs in Idaho now >>
South Carolina
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,929.60
Highest Hourly: $48.24
Number of Travel RN jobs in South Carolina: 220
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in New Hampshire: 190
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in North Dakota: 17
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Alabama: 79
Cost of Living Rating: 86.6
View travel nursing jobs in Alabama now >>
District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)
Highest Travel RN Weekly Pay: $1,822.40
Highest Hourly: $45.56
Number of Travel RN jobs in District of Columbia: 4
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in South Dakota: 16
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Kansas: 14
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Rhode Island: 75
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Connecticut: 34
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in North Carolina: 411
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Mississippi: 20
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
Number of Travel RN jobs in Utah: 44
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.
