Your search for “average salary for a traveling nurse” isn’t easy. You can’t simply ask a colleague because they’re not sure either, and they’re busy with patient care. But you do need to know what you can expect as a traveling nurse and how it will compare with the position at the hospital you’ve been working at the past year.
Average salary for a traveling nurse is $45,000.
Average salary for a traveling nurse
If you are a registered nurse, you know that the job comes with its own set of challenges. However, if you are interested in moving around and experiencing different regions of the country, a career as a traveling nurse might be of interest to you. In this article, we will discuss what traveling nurses do and how much they typically make.
Where a traveling nurse works
Traveling nurses work in many different settings, including rural and urban hospitals, critical care units, ambulatory clinics and physician offices. They may be assigned to work on the same unit for several months or rotate from unit to unit. Travelers can also choose from more than 20 specialties including surgical and emergency medicine; anesthesiology; pediatrics; OB/GYN; psychiatry; radiology; geriatrics and palliative care.
Traveling nurses frequently move between states as well as countries (especially those with limited access to healthcare), though depending on their location of residence, some may not travel very far at all.
What a traveling nurse does
Traveling RN’s are different from staff nurses, in that they do not work for one hospital. Instead, they take their skills to other hospitals around the country and sometimes even internationally. This can be a great way to see more of the nation or the world.
Traveling doctors also have a different role than traveling nurses. They are usually physicians who are looking for temporary work doing specialties like surgery or cardiology at other hospitals while they wait for their next job opportunity. That said, there is often some overlap between traveling doctors and traveling nurses because many hospitals would rather employ a traveler than bring on an extra permanent position with its associated costs (such as benefits).
The effects of supply and demand upon salary
You can expect to earn more as a traveling nurse than you would as a stationary one. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the average salary for a traveling nurse is $64,890 (as of 2018). The average salary for stationary nurses is $57,850. However, keep in mind that salaries can vary depending on which region or state you’re working in and what type of facility it is—for example, rural hospitals tend to pay less than urban ones.
The reason why there’s such an obvious discrepancy between these two groups is because supply and demand affects everything in life. If there are more people who are willing to take jobs than there are available openings then those companies will raise their prices until they find someone who meets their criteria perfectly; otherwise they won’t be able to fill it at all!
Factors that can affect salary
There are many factors that can affect your salary as a traveling nurse. These include:
- Specialization (acute care, oncology, labor & delivery).
- Location (urban vs rural).
- Company (national vs regional).
- Experience level (new grad vs seasoned traveler).
- Hours worked per week and/or month.
If you’re working for yourself instead of an agency, it’s also important to consider how much time you want to spend on the road each year.
It is possible to make between $60,000 and $120,000 as a traveling nurse.
It is possible to make between $60,000 and $120,000 as a traveling nurse. The average salary for someone who has been in the industry for one year is around $65,000, and it grows with experience. However, most of these positions are not advertised on job boards because they’re specific to a hospital or an area that needs nurses but can’t afford to pay them what they’re worth.
Typically, the more experience a nurse has had in the field — specifically at hospitals where he or she has worked before — the higher his or her salary will be when negotiating with new employers.
Nurses with less than two years of experience may make significantly less than those who have gained more skills over time because they haven’t established themselves well enough yet in their careers yet.
Conclusion
Remember, while there are a lot of variables that go into determining your yearly salary as a traveling nurse, you can still make a pretty decent living with this gig. Not only will you be doing rewarding work, but you’ll also have the opportunity to experience different cities and health care systems across the country. If you have any questions or concerns about becoming a traveling nurse, be sure to consult with a recruiter or other professional who can help guide you along in your career path.
