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Good news for travel nurses is finally here. Recently, Vivian Health published our quarterly review of travel RN salaries for October–December 2024, highlighting how, for the first time in two years, the salary for traveling nurses was increasing in the U.S. Now, we take a longer-term look at travel pay in our annual year-end review, a project we started with our first review for the 2023 calendar year.
Our annual review examines how travel pay shifted during 2024 and compares that to recent years. We also explore which states and travel nursing specialties saw the most significant increases and decreases in pay and which offer the best and worst pay as of December 2024. Ultimately, we consider how pay has decoupled from the effects of COVID-19 and what that should mean for those considering a stint in travel nursing today.
Travel Nursing Pay Declined Moderately in 2024
As the effects of the pandemic began to wane in 2022, travel nursing salaries started to plunge from the stratosphere to which they’d climbed. Wages slipped 15.1% in 2022 and another 11.3% in 2023. But these double-digit decreases finally stopped in 2024.
| National Average Weekly Travel Wage | 2022 | 2023 |
2024 |
| Percent change | -15.1% | -11.3% |
-3.8% |
By December 2023, the nationwide average travel nursing pay had fallen to $2,386 weekly. Over the course of 2024, it dipped slightly – by 3.8% – bringing it to $2,294 per week by the close of 2024. However, wages weren’t consistently falling during the entire calendar year, as they did nearly all of 2023.
As mentioned above, wages started to rise in the fourth quarter of the year. The graph below shows the movement of the nationwide average weekly travel RN pay from month to month throughout 2024.
While this may not look overly promising, it’s a definite improvement compared to the graph for 2023. Last year, we clearly saw a steep decline for much of the year, finally tapering off towards the latter half. However, we didn’t record any increases for the entire year. The closest was a 0% change in September compared to the previous month.
2023 Quarterly Breakdown
To better understand how travel RN pay fluctuated throughout 2024, let’s examine each quarter in-depth.
First Quarter (Jan – Mar)
At the start of the year, travel nurse salaries felt stuck in neutral, dipping just a little each month. About half the states saw pay stay steady each month, barely moving up or down by 1%. It reminded us of similarly slow declines we recorded in late 2023, and we started to wonder—had travel nurse pay finally hit rock bottom? Turns out, we weren’t quite there yet.
Second Quarter (Apr – Jun)
April made it clear we hadn’t reached the floor, with wages dropping 1.1% that month. Over 20 states saw noticeable pay cuts each month during the quarter. Although the overall job market was strong, travel nurse wages were still sliding back to where they were before COVID shook everything up. By June, average weekly pay was back to inflation-adjusted levels from January 2020—just before the pandemic really kicked off.
Third Quarter (Jul – Sep)
Travel nurse pay took one last dive before bottoming out in September. July saw another 1% drop, followed by minor dips in August and September. By the end of the quarter, we hit $2,260 a week, marking the lowest point we’d seen since the pandemic. In fact, it was even lower than January 2020 pay, which felt like a sign that the wild ride from COVID was officially over—and maybe things were about to turn around for travel nurses.
Fourth Quarter (Oct – Dec)
Finally, some good news for travel nurses arrived in the fourth quarter. From October through December, travel nurse pay actually started to climb—something we haven’t seen in a while. Weekly pay went up by $34 on average during the quarter, chipping away at the losses from earlier in the year. It’s not a complete turnaround, but it’s enough to make us hopeful for what’s coming in 2025.
| Month | Average National Wage | % Change from Previous Month | Largest Increase in any state | Largest Decrease in any state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | $2,371 | 0.0% | 3.4% | 5.0% |
| February | $2,363 | -0.4% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| March* | $2,360 | -0.1% | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| April | $2,333 | -1.1% | 3.8% | 5.5% |
| May | $2,317 | -0.7% | 1.9% | 4.9% |
| June | $2,298 | -0.8% | 2.1% | 4.1% |
| July | $2,275 | -1.0% | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| August | $2,265 | -0.4% | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| September | $2,260 | -0.2% | 2.2% | 2.7% |
| October | $2,272 | 0.5% | 2.9% | 1.5% |
| November | $2,286 | 0.7% | 3.9% | 1.2% |
| December | $2,294 | 0.1% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
Average travel nursing wages for each month are based on the average of all travel nursing jobs posted to Vivian during the entire month in question. *Wages for January, February and March in the data above may differ from those we previously reported due to a change in the way we calculated the national average starting in April 2024, which included more nursing specialties thereafter.
Significant State Changes in Travel RN Salaries
The national average for travel nurse pay offers all travel nurses a benchmark for comparing and contrasting job offers. Of course, travel wages differ significantly from state to state, affected by factors like the state’s population, the presence of major metro areas, the cost of living and the current demand for travel nurses in that area. Therefore, we also track the average wage in each state over the year.
Top Five States with RisingTravel Nurse Salaries
With wages down nationwide on average, only eight states saw a year-over-year wage increase during 2024. The chart above illustrates the top five, led by Idaho and rounded out by Missouri, Oklahoma, Vermont and New Hampshire. Idaho clearly outperformed the rest with its 6.5% wage increase, taking the state from a below-average weekly wage of $2,160 in December 2023 to an above-average $2,301 in December 2024. We speculate that the robust wage growth in Idaho may be partially due to the significant population growth that the state has seen in recent years, potentially straining the resources of the state’s existing healthcare facilities.
Five States with Largest Drops in Travel Nurse Salaries
Meanwhile, the remaining 42 states saw wages decline to some extent over 2024. The chart below depicts the states with the five most significant decreases in travel nursing pay, shown as a percentage. This group includes Utah, with the most distinct drop, followed by North Dakota, Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska. Wages in Utah were well above average in December 2023 at $2,518 per week, but after its precipitous 11.6% slide, pay hit a below-average level of $2,225 weekly by the end of 2024.
Travel Nurse Wage Data for All 50 States
Review the table below to see how your preferred travel destination ranks. We provide the December 2024 wage level and the year-over-year percent change for all 50 states, ranked from highest to lowest average pay at year-end.
| State | Average Pay December 2024 | Year-over-Year % Change vs. December 2023 |
| California | $2,852 | -4.9% |
| Alaska | $2,669 | -7.0% |
| Delaware | $2,596 | -5.6% |
| Nevada | $2,592 | -6.0% |
| Massachusetts | $2,570 | -5.6% |
| Minnesota | $2,561 | -5.8% |
| New York | $2,555 | -4.1% |
| New Jersey | $2,533 | -6.8% |
| Oregon | $2,501 | -1.5% |
| Maine | $2,459 | -1.9% |
| Vermont | $2,443 | 1.9% |
| Rhode Island | $2,434 | -6.3% |
| Wisconsin | $2,430 | 0.2% |
| Montana | $2,399 | -2.5% |
| New Hampshire | $2,396 | 1.6% |
| Illinois | $2,368 | -1.6% |
| South Dakota | $2,364 | -2.0% |
| Washington | $2,364 | -1.8% |
| Connecticut | $2,353 | -1.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $2,343 | -4.5% |
| Wyoming | $2,327 | -7.0% |
| Hawaii | $2,313 | -4.7% |
| North Dakota | $2,309 | -9.9% |
| Idaho | $2,301 | 6.5% |
| Missouri | $2,252 | 2.9% |
| West Virginia | $2,244 | -6.0% |
| Arizona | $2,240 | -8.0% |
| Ohio | $2,240 | -5.7% |
| Colorado | $2,235 | -8.1% |
| Virginia | $2,235 | 0.6% |
| Kentucky | $2,230 | -4.1% |
| New Mexico | $2,226 | -1.3% |
| Maryland | $2,225 | -4.2% |
| Utah | $2,225 | -11.6% |
| Nebraska | $2,224 | -8.0% |
| Iowa | $2,217 | -2.4% |
| Indiana | $2,208 | -3.2% |
| Oklahoma | $2,205 | 2.1% |
| Kansas | $2,177 | 1.5% |
| Michigan | $2,145 | -6.2% |
| South Carolina | $2,114 | -1.4% |
| Florida | $2,103 | -7.0% |
| North Carolina | $2,100 | -4.7% |
| Louisiana | $2,047 | -0.5% |
| Georgia | $2,046 | -5.7% |
| Arkansas | $2,019 | -3.9% |
| Tennessee | $1,993 | -2.8% |
| Texas | $1,982 | -5.4% |
| Alabama | $1,922 | -7.9% |
| Mississippi | $1,814 | -4.5% |
Specialties in the Travel RN Market
Just like travel nursing pay varies from state to state, wages also vary based on specialty or position type. In 2023, we saw several travel nursing specialties experience double-digit decreases in the average salary. Not so in 2024.
Perioperative nurses—who assist with patient care before, during and after operations—experienced the largest average wage decrease, just shy of 10% at 9.9%. Operating room (OR) nurses—who strictly work in the OR but are a type of perioperative nurse—and House supervisors saw wage declines of 9.7% and 9.5%, respectively.
| Specialty | 2024 Percent Decrease in Travel Wage |
| Perioperative Nurse | -9.9% |
| OR Nurse | -9.7% |
| House Supervisor | -9.5% |
Meanwhile, while no nursing specialty recorded a double-digit wage increase in 2023, two specialties did in 2024. Trauma nursing saw the most significant upturn in wages, rising 16% in 2024. The resource nurse and neuro trauma nurse specialties were next in line, experiencing wage growth of 12% and 7.8%, respectively.
| Specialty | 2024 Percent Increase in Travel Wage |
| Trauma Nurse | 16% |
| Resource Nurse (aka Float Nurse) | 12% |
| Neuro Trauma Nurse | 7.8% |
There are perhaps no surprises regarding travel RN specialties with the highest pay as of the end of 2024. These specialties involve roles in the OR, such as pediatric cardiovascular operating room (CVOR) and First Assist, or are within supervisory roles, including Director of Nursing, nurse educators and nurse managers.
| Specialty | Pay as of December 2024 |
| Pediatric CVOR | $3,403 |
| First Assist Nurse | $3,346 |
| Director of Nursing | $3,145 |
| Nurse Educator | $3,074 |
| Nurse Manager | $3,035 |
Meanwhile, at year-end, certain roles caring for children, seniors or patients recovering from serious injuries or illnesses had the lowest rates in travel nursing. School RNs clock in with the lowest average pay, followed by burn care, nurseries, rehabilitation and long-term care nurses.
| Specialty | Pay as of December 2024 |
| School RN | $1,927 |
| Burn Care Nurse | $1,941 |
| Nursery Nurse | $1,950 |
| Rehabilitation Nurse | $2,038 |
| Long Term Care | $2,040 |
Pay Is Just One Consideration for Travel Nurses
Just before the pandemic started, in January 2020, the national average travel RN pay was $2,316 per week when adjusted for inflation. Once the pandemic began, and for several years thereafter, travel RN salaries remained above this level, reflecting the robust demand for healthcare providers during this unprecedented pandemic. In June 2024, that finally changed when pay fell below the January 2020 level, and where it has remained since.
This observation suggests that travel pay is “back to normal.” On the one hand, travel roles still offer a pay premium over staff positions. For example, as of January 10, 2025, the average staff nurse wage was $45.36 or about $1,814 weekly when multiplied by 40 hours, substantially less than the $2,294 weekly rate for RNs at the close of 2024. However, the travel pay premium is simply not as high as it used to be.
Those considering travel nursing should reflect on the full range of potential benefits of such work, including exploring new parts of the country, meeting new people, experiencing different types of employers and potentially earning tax-free travel stipends that increase their overall take-home pay.
If you think travel nursing is for you, we can help you find roles in a wide array of specialties in all 50 states. You can use Vivian Health’s salary tool to compare pay rates by specialty and location. Begin your job search and see postings from top travel agencies and health systems hiring for in-demand roles today.
