The nationwide average travel nursing salary declined 0.2% from the $2,422 per week recorded in our October report to $2,417 per week in November. This slight decrease continues the trend of recent months in which travel nursing pay is experiencing a “soft landing” following a period of steeper declines early in 2023.

November 2023: A “Soft Landing” for the Average Travel Nursing Salary by State Data Report

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Earlier in 2023, and as depicted in the chart below, average travel nurse pay was falling more rapidly. Those decreases have slowed in recent months, with pay actually remaining flat in September 2023. Cumulatively, compared with November 2022, year-over-year travel RN pay has fallen 10.9% from $2,714 per week to $2,417.

While those figures represent national averages, pay rates and recent changes across the 50 states vary considerably. Travel nurse wages in November ranged from as low as $1,983 per week in Mississippi to as much as $2,936 in California. 

Furthermore, we recorded 10 states with weekly pay increases of 1.0% or more and 13 states with decreases of -1.0% or more. The remaining 27 states had shifts in pay that were less than 1.0% up or down, marking them as relatively stable for the month. The shaded gray area in the chart below depicts this zone of relatively stable wages of less than 1.0% up or down, with the green representing states with increases and the red for those with declines.

States with Travel RN Salary Increases

In November, Rhode Island and Delaware led the pack with travel nurse pay increases of 4.9% and 4.6%, respectively. The average travel RN salary in the Ocean State climbed from $2,438 in October to $2,556 in November, putting Rhode Island well above the national average. 

Delaware, meanwhile, has been experiencing some swings in wages lately. November’s 4.6% increase nearly makes up for the 4.7% drop in wages in our October report and puts the state back above the national average as well.

States with Travel RN Pay Decreases

While 13 states recorded travel nurse salary decreases of 1.0% or greater this month, South Dakota was in a league of its own. Travel nurse wages in the Mount Rushmore State fell a dramatic 6.4% this month, more than twice the rate of Florida, with the second-highest dip of 3%. 

Like Delaware, South Dakota has been experiencing some whiplash in wages recently. Last month, South Dakota took the crown with the largest pay increase among states, rising 4.1% in our October 2023 report. The wage decrease in November to $2,366 wipes out October’s gains and puts the state below the national average of $2,417.

Travel Nurse Wages Remained Relatively Flat in Most States

Keeping with the theme of “soft landings” that economists have been discussing in recent months when examining the U.S. economy, most states – 27 out of 50 – saw relatively flat wages in November. Fifteen of the 27 were slightly up, while the remaining 12 were slightly down.

Though travel nurse wages have been relatively flat in recent months and falling over the past year, trends have been moving in the opposite direction when it comes to wages for permanent staff hires. Rising HCP pay for these perm staff RNs suggests healthcare systems are now redoubling efforts to fill staff roles and rely less on travel nurses. Learn more in Vivian’s recently published report, “Rising HCP Pay as Facilities Woo Perm Staff,” which takes a deep dive into the rising HCP staff wage trend.

Whatever your facility’s needs, Vivian can help your system recruit talented travel nurses or permanent staff. Schedule a demo to learn more today.

All average salary data based on travel RN jobs posted on Vivian Health during the complete month of November 2023 compared to the jobs posted during the complete month of October 2023.