As May comes to an end and we get closer to the summer season, Vivian Health examined changes in travel nursing salary data for all 50 states to learn of new fluctuations. Nationwide average travel RN pay continued to decline in May 2024, albeit a bit less rapidly compared to our April wage trends report. After falling 1.1% in April compared to March, the average weekly travel nursing salary slipped another 0.7% from $2,333 in April to $2,317 in May.
While pay declines occurred more slowly during the autumn of 2023 and over the winter months through March 2024, the recent steeper drops have seen travel nurse wages fall 6.0% overall compared to May 2023 wages. This time last year, the average travel nurse wage was $2,465 per week.
|
April 2024 |
May 2024 |
Monthly Change |
Year-over-Year Change |
|
National Average Weekly Pay |
$2,333 |
$2,317 |
-0.7% |
-6.0% |
The area shaded in gray highlights changes of less than 1% up or down, indicating states with relatively minor monthly changes in travel nurse wages.
States Where Travel Nursing Pay Increased
With travel nursing pay in a period of decline, only eight states managed to record significant wage gains in May. The leader was Oklahoma, though not by any appreciable amount compared with runner-up Nebraska. The Sooner State saw wages rise from $2,093 in April to $2,132 in May; however, that still leaves average travel nurse pay in Oklahoma well below the national average of $2,317.
|
State |
April 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
May 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
Month-over-Month Change |
|
Oklahoma |
$2,093 |
$2,132 |
1.9% |
|
Nebraska |
$2,313 |
$2,352 |
1.7% |
|
South Carolina |
$2,060 |
$2,093 |
1.6% |
|
Vermont |
$2,298 |
$2,331 |
1.4% |
|
North Dakota |
$2,403 |
$2,435 |
1.3% |
|
Idaho |
$2,182 |
$2,210 |
1.3% |
|
Florida |
$2,168 |
$2,191 |
1.1% |
|
South Dakota |
$2,325 |
$2,351 |
1.1% |
States Where Travel Nurse Salaries Decreased
Conversely, 20 states saw wage declines. Standing out from the crowd was the beautiful Aloha State. Average travel nurse pay in Hawaii fell a substantial 4.9% from $2,405 in April to $2,288 in May, moving the state’s average pay below the national average. This lower rate poses a challenge for travel nurses in Hawaii, considering the state’s higher-than-average cost of living according to data from Sperling’s Best Places.
Oregon also saw an appreciable wage decrease of 3.6%, from $2,521 to $2,430. However, the Beaver State’s new average travel nurse wage is above the national average.
|
State |
April 2024 Avg Pay |
May 2024 Avg Pay |
MoM Change |
|
Hawaii |
$2,405 |
$2,288 |
-4.9% |
|
Oregon |
$2,521 |
$2,430 |
-3.6% |
|
Arkansas |
$1,961 |
$1,903 |
-2.9% |
|
Louisiana |
$2,111 |
$2,054 |
-2.7% |
|
Alaska |
$2,926 |
$2,860 |
-2.3% |
|
Minnesota |
$2,655 |
$2,600 |
-2.0% |
|
California |
$3,100 |
$3,037 |
-2.0% |
|
Mississippi |
$1,882 |
$1,844 |
-2.0% |
|
Massachusetts |
$2,593 |
$2,541 |
-2.0% |
|
Utah |
$2,360 |
$2,314 |
-2.0% |
|
Alabama |
$1,984 |
$1,947 |
-1.9% |
|
Wisconsin |
$2,467 |
$2,422 |
-1.8% |
|
New York |
$2,578 |
$2,539 |
-1.5% |
|
Georgia |
$2,159 |
$2,126 |
-1.5% |
|
Texas |
$2,097 |
$2,066 |
-1.5% |
|
Montana |
$2,353 |
$2,322 |
-1.3% |
|
Nevada |
$2,572 |
$2,542 |
-1.2% |
|
Kansas |
$2,163 |
$2,141 |
-1.0% |
|
Missouri |
$2,238 |
$2,216 |
-1.0% |
|
Tennessee |
$1,998 |
$1,979 |
-1.0% |
States Where Travel Nurse Salaries Stayed the Same
Twenty-two states saw their average travel RN pay remain within a relatively narrow range, changing less than 1% up or down during May. Average weekly pay in these states experienced a bump or a fall of less than $22 in either direction.
|
State |
April 2024 Average Pay |
May 2024 Average Pay |
MoM Change |
|
Iowa |
$2,219 |
$2,236 |
0.8% |
|
Wyoming |
$2,457 |
$2,473 |
0.7% |
|
Michigan |
$2,160 |
$2,174 |
0.6% |
|
Delaware |
$2,637 |
$2,652 |
0.6% |
|
Indiana |
$2,184 |
$2,193 |
0.4% |
|
Rhode Island |
$2,505 |
$2,513 |
0.3% |
|
Maine |
$2,515 |
$2,516 |
0.0% |
|
Ohio |
$2,313 |
$2,312 |
-0.1% |
|
Maryland |
$2,258 |
$2,254 |
-0.1% |
|
Colorado |
$2,244 |
$2,240 |
-0.2% |
|
New Mexico |
$2,206 |
$2,199 |
-0.3% |
|
Illinois |
$2,357 |
$2,349 |
-0.3% |
|
Connecticut |
$2,371 |
$2,363 |
-0.4% |
|
Virginia |
$2,265 |
$2,255 |
-0.5% |
|
Arizona |
$2,385 |
$2,373 |
-0.5% |
|
North Carolina |
$2,132 |
$2,120 |
-0.6% |
|
Pennsylvania |
$2,377 |
$2,363 |
-0.6% |
|
West Virginia |
$2,311 |
$2,295 |
-0.7% |
|
Washington |
$2,488 |
$2,472 |
-0.7% |
|
New Jersey |
$2,646 |
$2,628 |
-0.7% |
|
Kentucky |
$2,234 |
$2,213 |
-0.9% |
|
New Hampshire |
$2,400 |
$2,378 |
-0.9% |
A Look at Year-Over-Year Changes in Travel Nursing Salaries
This month, Vivian also examined how travel nursing salaries have changed year-over-year, comparing wages in May 2024 with those in May 2023. As mentioned above, the national average travel RN salary fell 6.0% over the past year. We divided this data by state to demonstrate where wages fell much further and where travel nurse salaries actually saw a gain.
Wages have fallen year-over-year in all but six states: Maine (8.9%), Oklahoma (4.1%), Kansas (3.0%), Missouri (1.8%), South Carolina (1.2%), and Rhode Island, the last of which only eked out a negligible 0.2% increase. Among this group, Maine stands out, having seen wages climb from $2,311 in May 2023 to $2,516 in May 2024.
The other 44 states experienced wage decreases over the past year, some of which were significant. Eight states recorded double-digit decreases: North Dakota (-10.1%), New Jersey (-10.2%), Pennsylvania (-10.4%), Kentucky (-10.7%), New York (-11.1%), Wyoming (-12.7%), Massachusetts (-13.1%) and Mississippi. Mississippi stands out with the only decrease greater than 15%, having seen wages fall 18.5% from $2,262 in May 2023 to $1,844 in May 2024 – the lowest travel nurse salary in the nation.
|
State |
YoY Change (by month) |
|
Maine |
8.9% |
|
Oklahoma |
4.1% |
|
Kansas |
3.0% |
|
Missouri |
1.8% |
|
South Carolina |
1.2% |
|
Rhode Island |
0.2% |
|
Idaho |
-0.8% |
|
Florida |
-1.2% |
|
New Hampshire |
-1.7% |
|
South Dakota |
-2.7% |
|
Connecticut |
-3.1% |
|
Virginia |
-3.5% |
|
Montana |
-4.0% |
|
New Mexico |
-4.0% |
|
Alabama |
-4.0% |
|
Nebraska |
-4.1% |
|
Utah |
-4.2% |
|
Arizona |
-4.3% |
|
Delaware |
-4.3% |
|
Indiana |
-4.4% |
|
Georgia |
-4.5% |
|
Wisconsin |
-5.4% |
|
Michigan |
-5.4% |
|
California |
-6.0% |
|
National Average |
-6.0% |
|
Illinois |
-6.1% |
|
Hawaii |
-6.4% |
|
Washington |
-7.1% |
|
Louisiana |
-7.1% |
|
Colorado |
-7.2% |
|
Tennessee |
-7.4% |
|
North Carolina |
-7.5% |
|
Alaska |
-7.6% |
|
Nevada |
-8.0% |
|
Oregon |
-8.0% |
|
Maryland |
-8.2% |
|
Iowa |
-8.2% |
|
West Virginia |
-8.3% |
|
Vermont |
-8.4% |
|
Arkansas |
-9.0% |
|
Minnesota |
-9.3% |
|
Texas |
-9.7% |
|
Ohio |
-9.9% |
|
North Dakota |
-10.1% |
|
New Jersey |
-10.2% |
|
Pennsylvania |
-10.4% |
|
Kentucky |
-10.7% |
|
New York |
-11.1% |
|
Wyoming |
-12.7% |
|
Massachusetts |
-13.1% |
|
Mississippi |
-18.5% |
Schedule a Demo to Learn How Vivian Supports Healthcare Hiring
Whether wages are rising or falling, Vivan Health can help your recruiters and HR team navigate the ongoing fluctuations in travel nurse pay and better position you to hire top clinicians in the competitive healthcare jobs market. We offer services for finding travel nurses and staff hires across nursing and allied health disciplines and specialties. Schedule a demo to learn how we can help today.
Average salary data based on travel RN jobs posted on Vivian Health during the complete month of April 2024 compared to the jobs posted during the complete month of May 2024.