Travel nursing wages rose for the second consecutive month in November, breaking a long period of falling pay and offering good news for travel nurses as the end of the year draws near. The national average weekly travel nursing salary increased by 0.7% to $2,286 in November 2024 from an average of $2,272 in October. The November wage increase builds on the 0.5% increase Vivian Health reported in October. The October increase marked the first since November 2022, nearly a two-year stretch.
|
October 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
November 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
Monthly Change |
Year-over-Year Change |
|
|
National Average |
$2,272 |
$2,286 |
0.7% |
-3.3% |
Although average travel RN salaries are finally on the rise again, it would take some time or more significant increases to reverse the pay decreases accumulated over the past 12-month period. A year ago, in November 2023, the average weekly travel RN pay was $2,365. Compared to $2,286 today, it marks a decline of 3.3%. At the current pace of pay increases, it would be another five months before salaries show a positive gain across a 12-month period.
The following chart demonstrates the percent change in travel nurse wages from October to November 2024 for all 50 states. The area shaded in gray helps illustrate the band in which wages shifted less than 1% up or down, a level we consider relatively unchanged.
Month-over-Month Changes Nationwide
The monthly percent change in the average travel nursing pay for all 50 states is based on a comparison of pay for all travel RN jobs staffing partners posted on Vivian Health in October 2024 and all jobs posted in November 2024.
States Where Travel Nursing Pay Increased
With the national average travel pay rising, it’s no surprise that 17 individual states saw average travel nurse pay climb by 1% or more in November. Minnesota and Arkansas stood out among those states with substantial increases of at least 3%.
Minnesota topped the list, with its pay rising from $2,445 in October to $2,541 in November, a 3.9% increase. Meanwhile, the average wage in Arkansas climbed 3% from $2,034 to $2,095. While Minnesota’s average is well above the national average of $2,286, Arkansas travel nurse pay remains among the lowest in the nation despite the recent surge.
|
State |
October 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
November 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
Monthly Change |
|
Minnesota |
$2,445 |
$2,541 |
3.9% |
|
Arkansas |
$2,034 |
$2,095 |
3.0% |
|
South Dakota |
$2,303 |
$2,369 |
2.9% |
|
Oklahoma |
$2,131 |
$2,189 |
2.7% |
|
New Hampshire |
$2,324 |
$2,371 |
2.0% |
|
Vermont |
$2,365 |
$2,406 |
1.8% |
|
Arizona |
$2,179 |
$2,210 |
1.4% |
|
Massachusetts |
$2,516 |
$2,552 |
1.4% |
|
Mississippi |
$1,801 |
$1,825 |
1.3% |
|
Oregon |
$2,437 |
$2,469 |
1.3% |
|
Texas |
$1,959 |
$1,984 |
1.3% |
|
Colorado |
$2,188 |
$2,214 |
1.2% |
|
Idaho |
$2,261 |
$2,288 |
1.2% |
|
Wisconsin |
$2,404 |
$2,433 |
1.2% |
|
Hawaii |
$2,296 |
$2,320 |
1.1% |
|
Nevada |
$2,507 |
$2,532 |
1.0% |
|
Pennsylvania |
$2,320 |
$2,342 |
1.0% |
States Where Travel Nurse Salaries Decreased
Only three states experienced decreases of at least 1%, helping prompt the national average travel nurse wage increase in November. Among these states, Florida and Alaska both dropped 1.2%, with California dropping 1.1%. However, Florida stands out for its low absolute pay level. As of November, travel pay in Florida stood at just $2,117 a month, significantly below the national average of $2,286. On the other hand, despite the recent decrease, Alaska and California still have the nation's two highest travel nursing salaries.
|
State |
October 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
November 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
Monthly Percent Change |
|
Florida |
$2,142 |
$2,117 |
-1.2% |
|
Alaska |
$2,718 |
$2,687 |
-1.2% |
|
California |
$2,811 |
$2,779 |
-1.1% |
States Where Travel Nurse Wages Stayed the Same
Most U.S. states—30 out of the total 50—experienced relatively stable wages in November, shifting within a range of less than 1% up or down. However, of those 30 states, 21 experienced a modest increase, further contributing to the overall increase in average pay during this month.
|
State |
October 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
November 2024 Average Weekly Pay |
Monthly Percent Change |
|
Georgia |
$2,017 |
$2,035 |
0.9% |
|
Kentucky |
$2,210 |
$2,229 |
0.9% |
|
North Dakota |
$2,322 |
$2,343 |
0.9% |
|
Tennessee |
$1,999 |
$2,017 |
0.9% |
|
Washington |
$2,349 |
$2,369 |
0.9% |
|
Missouri |
$2,240 |
$2,258 |
0.8% |
|
Louisiana |
$2,031 |
$2,045 |
0.7% |
|
New York |
$2,532 |
$2,550 |
0.7% |
|
Maryland |
$2,186 |
$2,198 |
0.6% |
|
Nebraska |
$2,187 |
$2,198 |
0.5% |
|
Rhode Island |
$2,424 |
$2,433 |
0.4% |
|
Wyoming |
$2,331 |
$2,339 |
0.4% |
|
Illinois |
$2,369 |
$2,375 |
0.3% |
|
Alabama |
$1,954 |
$1,957 |
0.2% |
|
Delaware |
$2,588 |
$2,595 |
0.2% |
|
Indiana |
$2,219 |
$2,223 |
0.2% |
|
Maine |
$2,411 |
$2,416 |
0.2% |
|
Michigan |
$2,149 |
$2,153 |
0.2% |
|
Montana |
$2,305 |
$2,308 |
0.2% |
|
Virginia |
$2,194 |
$2,197 |
0.1% |
|
New Mexico |
$2,198 |
$2,199 |
0.0% |
|
Iowa |
$2,212 |
$2,210 |
-0.1% |
|
Ohio |
$2,237 |
$2,233 |
-0.2% |
|
Connecticut |
$2,387 |
$2,380 |
-0.3% |
|
Kansas |
$2,172 |
$2,166 |
-0.3% |
|
New Jersey |
$2,528 |
$2,520 |
-0.3% |
|
South Carolina |
$2,108 |
$2,101 |
-0.3% |
|
North Carolina |
$2,093 |
$2,084 |
-0.4% |
|
West Virginia |
$2,283 |
$2,272 |
-0.5% |
|
Utah |
$2,210 |
$2,192 |
-0.8% |
Travel RN Pay Is Up for the Year in a Growing List of States
With November and October suggesting a possible reversal in the falling average travel nursing salaries trend, it’s a good time to examine the accumulated pay changes of the past 12 months. The table below shows the 12 states where pay was higher in November 2024 than in November 2023, including the percent increase recorded during this period. Back in August, only 7 states had recorded year-over-year increases in pay.
|
State |
Percent Increase Since November 2023 |
|
Idaho |
5.9% |
|
Oklahoma |
4.7% |
|
Missouri |
3.8% |
|
Kansas |
3.1% |
|
Iowa |
1.4% |
|
New Hampshire |
1.2% |
|
Montana |
0.9% |
|
Oregon |
0.7% |
|
Virginia |
0.6% |
|
Connecticut |
0.4% |
|
Wisconsin |
0.4% |
|
Arkansas |
0.1% |
Schedule a Demo to Learn How Vivian Can Support Your Hiring
With wages rising, a new generation of nurses might ask about and/or gain interest in travel nursing. Vivian Health can help you source these candidates and find the best ones to fill your acute nursing needs. We prescreen candidates for the appropriate availability and credentials to support an efficient and cost-effective search. Learn how we can help with your hiring needs by clicking the link below to schedule a demo today.
Average salary data based on travel RN jobs posted on Vivian Health during the complete month of October 2024 compared to the jobs posted during the complete month of November 2024.