Healthcare Recruiting
Travel Nurse Salary by State 2026: Weekly Pay, Stipends, and Top-Paying Assignments
Travel nursing pay has cooled dramatically from its 2021-2022 peak, when crisis-rate contracts routinely paid $5,000-$8,000 weekly. In 2026, the market has normalized — but strong assignments still exist, and travel nurses continue to outearn staff RNs in most states. This guide breaks down current weekly rates, stipend structures, and where the highest-paying contracts are in 2026.
Whether you are a current travel nurse evaluating your next assignment or a staff nurse considering the jump, understanding how pay packages break down across states and specialties is essential to maximizing your income.
National Travel Nurse Pay Snapshot: 2026
The national average travel nurse weekly pay in Q1 2026 sits at approximately $2,340 per week (blended across specialties and states), according to data from major staffing platforms. That total typically breaks down into a taxable hourly rate and tax-free stipends for housing, meals, and incidentals.
Compared to 2022 highs of $3,500+ per week, rates are down roughly 30-40%. But they remain 25-50% above staff RN wages in most markets, and specialty premiums (ICU, ER, L&D, OR) can still push weekly totals past $3,000.
How a Travel Nurse Pay Package Breaks Down
- Taxable hourly wage: Usually $18-$35/hr depending on specialty and location
- Housing stipend (tax-free): $700-$2,200/week based on GSA rates for the assignment city
- Meals and incidentals (tax-free): $300-$500/week
- Travel reimbursement: $300-$1,000 one-time at contract start
- Completion bonus: $500-$3,000 at end of contract (on some assignments)
Top-Paying States for Travel Nurses in 2026
| Rank | State | Avg. Weekly Pay | Strongest Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $2,950 | San Francisco, LA, San Diego (ICU, L&D) |
| 2 | Alaska | $2,870 | Anchorage, Fairbanks (Med-Surg, ER) |
| 3 | Hawaii | $2,810 | Honolulu, Maui (OR, ICU) |
| 4 | New York | $2,730 | NYC metro (ICU, ER, L&D) |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $2,650 | Boston (Step-down, ICU) |
| 6 | Washington | $2,610 | Seattle (OR, ICU) |
| 7 | Oregon | $2,540 | Portland (Med-Surg, ER) |
| 8 | New Jersey | $2,480 | Newark, Jersey City (ICU) |
| 9 | Minnesota | $2,430 | Twin Cities (Specialty) |
| 10 | Connecticut | $2,390 | Hartford, New Haven (L&D, OR) |
Source: Aggregated data from Vivian, Aya Healthcare, and Nomad Health, Q1 2026. Rates reflect ICU/specialty contracts in the top-paying metros; Med-Surg and Tele typically run $300-$600 lower.
Specialty Premiums: What Pays Most in 2026
Specialty matters almost as much as location. Nurses with credentials in high-demand specialties consistently earn 15-30% more than Med-Surg peers.
| Specialty | Avg. Weekly Pay | Required Experience |
|---|---|---|
| CVICU / CVOR | $2,900+ | 2+ years ICU/OR |
| Labor & Delivery (L&D) | $2,750+ | 2+ years L&D + high-risk |
| OR / Surgical | $2,700+ | 2+ years OR, scrub/circulate |
| NICU | $2,680+ | 2+ years Level III/IV NICU |
| ICU (Adult) | $2,600+ | 2+ years adult ICU |
| Emergency Department | $2,500+ | 2+ years Level I/II ED |
| Med-Surg / Telemetry | $2,100+ | 1+ year Med-Surg |
Tax-Free Stipends: The Hidden Pay Multiplier
A significant portion of travel nurse income is tax-free, which dramatically increases your effective take-home vs. a staff position. The IRS allows tax-free housing and meals stipends when a nurse maintains a permanent "tax home" and duplicates housing expenses at the assignment location.
For a $2,400/week contract with a typical 60/40 taxable-to-stipend split, the tax-free portion can be worth an additional $200-$400/week in effective income vs. an all-taxable wage of the same gross amount. Over a 13-week contract, that difference adds $2,600-$5,200 to your real take-home.
Regions Where Rates Are Cooling
Several formerly hot travel markets have seen significant rate compression in 2025-2026 as staffing stabilizes:
- Florida: Weekly rates have dropped from a 2022 average of $3,400 to approximately $1,950 in 2026, reflecting strong staff RN recruitment in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami.
- Texas: Dallas, Houston, and Austin have seen 35-45% declines as in-house recruiting ramped up and contract labor budgets tightened.
- Arizona: Phoenix contracts that paid $3,000+ in 2022 now average $2,000-$2,200.
Travel nurses planning contracts should prioritize California, the Pacific Northwest, and Northeast corridor markets where rates have remained relatively resilient, and avoid regions where nurse oversupply is actively pushing rates down.
What Recruiters Should Know
For staffing agencies and MSPs, understanding real 2026 market rates is essential to remain competitive. Underbidding California or Alaska contracts by even $150/week means losing candidates to competitors. Overpaying in cooling markets like Florida burns margin unnecessarily.
Ava Health maintains a live database of over 1.4 million healthcare providers including thousands of travel-ready RNs searchable by specialty, license state, and availability. Explore how our data can sharpen your sourcing at providers.avahealth.co.
Related reading: Travel Nursing Guide 2026, 2026 Healthcare Salary Guide by State, Registered Nurse directory.
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