18 Highest-Paying Travel Nursing Jobs

As workforce demand for nurses continues to rise, travel nurses are playing a more important role than ever in the delivery of health care. Learn more about being a travel nurse in the US, and explore the highest-paying travel nursing jobs.

What is a travel nurse?

Travel nurses often fill short-term job vacancies. Nurse-to-patient ratios have a direct impact on patient safety, and health care companies typically use staffing agencies such as Axis Medical Staffing, Aya, and Triage to temporarily fill jobs at understaffed locations. The length of a travel nurse’s stay varies, but, according to St. Catherine University, most stints are between eight and 26 weeks [1].

Travel nurses are registered nurses who have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and have passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). They’ve also gained experience in the field, focusing on the specialties they’re most interested in.

To take their services on the road, they need to ensure they’re licensed in the states in which they’ll be working. Many states participate in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows nurses to practice in several states with a single license. Once all of these requirements are met, a registered nurse can sign with a staffing agency, which will match them with available jobs at hospitals, clinics, and health systems in need.

Highest-paying travel nursing jobs

How much you can expect to earn as a travel nurse depends on your specialty. Below are some of the highest-paying travel nursing jobs.

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*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of September 2023 and excludes any additional pay, unless stated otherwise.

1. Intensive care unit travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $101,574

Requirements: Active RN license, CMC certification (preferred)

ICU travel nurses work in the intensive care units of hospitals, treating patients in need of round-the-clock monitoring due to life-threatening conditions. Since their patients are unstable, ICU nurses frequently respond to emergency situations. ICU travel nurses played an important role in the delivery of health care in the early days of the pandemic, often working in COVID units at hospitals in places experiencing a surge in COVID cases.

2. Emergency room travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $97,482

Requirements: Active RN license, certifications such as CEN, BLS, ACLS, PALS, ENPC, and NIHSS (preferred)

ER travel nurses work in a hospital’s emergency room, evaluating and stabilizing patients who have urgent medical conditions. They chart vitals and develop a care plan based on their assessment of a patient’s condition.

3. Labor and delivery travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $96,109

Requirements: Active RN license, two years of experience in labor and delivery, experience in neonatal intensive or critical care (preferred) 

L&D travel nurses care for patients in labor by monitoring vital signs, measuring contractions, and administering medications prescribed for pain management. They also assist with delivery and care for newborns after birth.

4. Telemetry travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $98,958

Requirements: Active RN license, telemetry nurse certification (preferred) 

Telemetry travel nurses monitor the vital signs of patients who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing cardiovascular emergencies, like heart attacks and strokes, or respiratory or renal issues. They are trained to recognize dangerous heart rhythms using the latest electrocardiogram and telemedicine technologies.

5. Neonatal intensive care travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $94,629

Requirements: Active RN license, one to two years experience working in neonatal ICU, CCRN-Neonatal certification (preferred)

NICU travel nurses care for and monitor the development of infants who are at-risk due to severe illness, premature birth, or birth defects. Beyond attending to newborns’ basic needs, these nurses also perform tests and administer medications.

6. Postpartum/Mother-baby travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter): $115,966 [2]

Requirements: Active RN license, two years of maternity/newborn specialty experience, RNC-MNN certification

Postpartum travel nurses care for newborns and mothers who have just given birth. They administer any medications that have been prescribed and educate new parents about proper childcare.

7. Medical-surgical travel nurse 

Average annual US salary: $87,034

Requirements: Active RN license, certifications such as BLS, ACLS, and Pals, Medical-Surgical Nursing certification (preferred)

A med-surg travel nurse treats patients who are either preparing for or recovering from surgery. They may also tend to patients experiencing a variety of acute illnesses or injuries. These nurses often work in ​​hospitals, outpatient clinics, surgery centers, and long-term care facilities.

8. Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $112,117

Requirements: Active RN license, two years of experience in post-anesthesia care unit

PACU travel nurses work in recovery rooms, providing postoperative care to patients as their sedation wears. They monitor levels of consciousness and treat side effects such as nausea and pain. They also educate patients about the care they will need after being discharged.

9. Pediatric intensive care travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter): $105,021 [3] 

Requirements: Active RN license, one year of experience in pediatric critical care, CCRN-Pediatric certification (preferred)

PICU travel nurses care for children and adolescents in the pediatric intensive care unit. Their patients are typically unstable and require constant monitoring due to severe illness or injury. These nurses also provide emotional support to families and keep them informed of their child’s condition.

10. Operating room travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $103,526

Requirements: Active RN license, two years of clinical experience, one year of experience in operating room, certifications such as CNOR, CNS-CP, and CFPN (preferred)

OR travel nurses care for patients before, during, and after surgeries and other procedures. They also assist surgeons, see to the sterilization of operating rooms and equipment, and provide patients with postoperative instructions.

11. Cardiovascular operating room travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter): $99,061 [4]

Requirements: Active RN license, certifications such as CNOR, ACLS, and PALS (preferred)

CVOR travel nurses assist with open-heart surgeries. They aid in patient sedation, monitor vitals, apply dressings, and administer medications.

12. Geriatric travel nurse

Average annual US salary (Talent): $73,775 [5]

Requirements: Active RN license, Gero-BC certification (preferred)

Typically working in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and assisted living facilities, geriatric travel nurses specialize in elder care. They often treat conditions common in senior populations, such as arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and cardiac disease. Geriatric travel nurses also monitor for signs of elder abuse and help caregivers understand best practices for managing their symptoms.

13. Registered nurse first assistant travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter): $117,238 [6]

Requirements: Active RN or APRN license, RNFA program completion

Registered nurse first assistant travel nurse (RNFA) travel nurses work as surgical first assistants and are typically Advanced Practice Registered Nurses or perioperative RNs. They are responsible for evaluating patients before and after surgery and assisting surgeons during operations.

14. Vaccine travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $96,359

Requirements: Active RN license, three years of experience (preferred), certifications such as BLS and CIC (preferred)

Vaccine travel nurses administer vaccinations. While they’re often assigned to work in hospitals, they might also work in a private practice or clinic. They’re responsible for educating patients about vaccines and their importance, as well as any side effects they might experience.

15. Correctional travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter):  $105,021 [7]

Requirements: Active RN license, two years of experience in emergency and med-surg nursing, CCHP certification (preferred)

Correctional travel nurses care for incarcerated or detained persons, attending to both their mental and physical health. They are assigned to work in the prison wards of hospitals, local jails and prisons, federal prisons, and detention centers.

16. Wound care travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter):   $108,078 [8]

Requirements: Active RN license, experience in acute or wound care setting

Wound care travel nurses monitor and treat wounds, burns, diabetes-related foot conditions, and pressure sores. They also educate patients about at-home wound care.

17. Endoscopy travel nurse

Average annual US salary (ZipRecruiter):   $82,909 [9]

Requirements: Active RN license, BLS and ACLS certification

Endoscopy travel nurses assist with endoscopic procedures, which diagnose gastroenterological and respiratory disorders. They are responsible for caring for patients before, during, and after procedures, making sure the room and equipment are sterilized, and aiding doctors during procedures. They often work in hospitals but are sometimes assigned to clinics, outpatient facilities, and private practices.

18. Cardiac ICU travel nurse

Average annual US salary: $126,991

Requirements: Active RN license, CMC certification (preferred)

Cardiac ICU travel nurses work in the ICU, caring for patients experiencing critical cardiac, thoracic, and vascular conditions. They monitor patients, administer medications, and provide emergency care when necessary. 

Growing demand for nurses 

A survey conducted by the American College of Healthcare Executives found staffing shortages were the top concern of health care CEOs in 2021, surpassing financial challenges for the first time since 2004 [10]. The American Hospital Association (AHA) expects a shortage of 3.2 million health care workers by 2026 [11].

High turnover rates and increased instances of burnout are contributing to the problem. To make matters worse, the population of registered nurses is aging. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, one million nurses are expected to retire by 2030 [12].

Many health care organizations have turned to travel nurses to meet the growing demand for nursing care.

Benefits of becoming a travel nurse

Nurses often experience burnout and emotional hardship. According to a survey by the American Nurses Foundation, 34 percent are not emotionally healthy, and 42 percent experienced trauma during the pandemic [13]. The opportunity to travel to different locations, meet new people, and learn in different environments may help alleviate the stress inherent in the nursing profession.

Travel nurses also enjoy job security due to the nursing shortage. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates an additional 177,400 nurses will be needed in the workforce each year between now and 2032 [14]. Health care leaders will likely have to continue to think creatively about how to fill their nursing vacancies.

Additionally, working as a travel nurse is often more lucrative than working as a health care organization employee. A travel nurse can earn anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000 a week, according to the Associated Press [15], and staffing agencies frequently provide benefits such as paid sick leave, travel reimbursement, licensing assistance, and continuing education opportunities.

Compensation and benefits are becoming increasingly important as health care organizations struggle to retain their nursing staff. A Nurse.com survey found higher pay led a wave of nurses to become travel nurses during the height of the pandemic [16]. Of the 4 percent of respondents who work as travel nurses, 62 percent made the switch in 2020 or 2021.

Get started with Coursera

If you want to hone your nursing skills in preparation for becoming a travel nurse, consider taking an online course on Coursera. You could start with the University of Pennsylvania’s Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body is Telling Us, or the University of Minnesota’s Integrative Nursing Specialization.