Whether you are already a travel nurse or considering becoming a traveler — you probably have questions. Two of the questions we’re asked the most are: What decides how much a travel nurse is paid? And: What can I do as a travel nurse to improve my income?

This Nightingale Nurses article explains exactly what helps decide a travel nurse’s income so you can fine-tune your career path and earn more income.

How Do I Make More Money as a Travel Nurse?

Travel nursing is a hot topic in the medical profession right now. It’s no wonder: Nurses are in more demand than ever in America, and working as a travel nurse has a lot of great benefits. Working as a traveling nurse is an exciting opportunity to see more of the country and meet new people while earning an excellent salary. But how can you ensure you earn as much as you should?

Learning the factors that determine a travel nurse's income is the best way to earn the most possible.

Armed with that knowledge, you can:

1. Choose the best travel nursing agency for your needs and desires.
2. Identify the most important career skills to work on to make more as a nurse.
3. Develop a plan to advance your career as a traveling nurse.
4. Execute your plan and reach your target travel nursing income.

The 6 Factors That Affect Travel Nurse Income Most

Nursing Specialty:

What area of nursing a travel nurse specializes in often significantly impacts their income. Specialized care areas that require specific skills often command higher salaries. Before you choose an area of specialization, research which areas of travel nursing have the highest demand and which nursing jobs pay the most, don’t forget to consider your interests, though. You’re more likely to be successful if you pursue an area you are more passionate about.

Travel Nursing Locations:

Travel nurse income varies across different states and cities. Higher cost of living areas and states with nursing shortages usually pay more. If you’re good at budgeting, you can earn a lot as a travel nurse by working in an area with a high cost of living if you control your housing costs and spend wisely. Choosing states and cities with acute nursing shortages also helps you make more money.

Facility or Hospital Need:

The first law of economics is supply and demand, right? Hospitals in desperate need of traveling nurses are willing to pay more to fill those positions. It’s that simple. Working with a great travel nurse agency goes a long way toward making sure you get the nursing assignments that pay the most. The best agencies know where the demand is greatest and contract with those hospitals to guarantee that their travel nurses earn more on average.

Experience:

The number of years of experience you have in nursing can definitely play a part in how much you earn as a travel nurse. This is one of the reasons why experienced staff nurses who don’t have younger children often make the move to travel nursing. There’s a serious demand for experienced nurses across the country. Working with a top-tier agency like Nightingale Nurses helps you get your talents where they are needed most and ensures you are paid what you deserve.

Your Travel Nursing Agency:

The agency you work with is probably the biggest factor affecting your income as a travel nurse. The best agencies, like Nightingale Nurses, negotiate better contracts with hospitals. The travel nursing agency you choose to represent you will determine how much you earn, which cities and states you can travel to, and other benefits and perks.

In addition to salary, consider per diem and travel reimbursements, health insurance, and the people you work with. It’s always nicer to work with an agency that you can tell really cares about its travel nurses and prioritizes their well-being and success. Nightingale Nurses offers automatic eligibility in a complementary employee insurance plan on your first week of employment — does yours?

Education:

In addition to your experience, specialization, and certifications, your higher education can make a real difference in your travel nursing income. Indeed has a good article here about charting a career path as a travel nurse and what degrees and certifications are most helpful. Asking your travel nursing agency for advice on which certifications or advanced degrees to pursue is also a good idea.

Traveling nurse agencies have their fingers on the pulse of the hospitality industry. They know which nursing specialties are most in demand now and which are likely to be in demand soon. When you work with a travel nurse company that’s truly invested in your success, like Nightingale Nurses, you will always have support and advice for developing your career, and that’s only the beginning of what we offer.

Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Nightingale Nurse?

We are the travel nursing agency you’ve been looking for. Nightingale Nurses is different from any other traveling nurse agency you’ve worked with before. Our mission is more than just providing top-tier nursing services to our clients. We’re invested in the nurses in our Nightingale family, and there’s little we won’t do to help them succeed and prosper.

If you’re tired of hopping from agency to agency or dissatisfied with the nurse agency you're with now, we’re willing to bet you will find a home at Nightingale Nurses. We empower you to do what you love, including enjoying the adventure of travel and living in different parts of the country while you’re at it.

If you are passionate about being a nurse and you’re great at it — we’d love to have you on the team!

Contact Nightingale Nurses today at 561.314.0140 or simply click this link to submit your inquiry.