Is Travel Nursing Worth It? 8 Reasons to Chart Your Adventure (2024)

Last Updated on April 19, 2024

Is Travel Nursing Worth It? 8 Reasons to Chart Your Adventure (1)

Chart your adventure and level up in the new year! As we enter 2024, everyone’s starting to ask the same question: Is travel nursing worth it? Spoiler alert: It is!

Imagine a career in healthcare where you could explore parts of the country you never thought you’d see — where you could make your days off feel like a vacation, put more money into savings, open career opportunities, and choose your schedule. It’s all possible with traveling nurse jobs!

Discover the biggest opportunities to level up your nursing career, and reasons to chart your adventure as a travel nurse.

Chart Your Adventure Now: Explore Travel Nurse Jobs

How Do Traveling Nurse Jobs Work?

First things first: How do travel nurse jobs work? Travel nurses take on short-term assignments in various healthcare facilities across the country. These assignments typically last around 8 to 13 weeks, offering flexibility and the chance to explore different locations.

Once the contract is over, nurses can take a break in between, travel to their next assignment, and start working in a fresh, new environment.

Pro Tip: Many travel nurses work with agencies to help them level up with assignments at top facilities across the country, explore dream destinations, and more!

Level Up: 8 Reasons Why Travel Nursing is Worth It in 2024

Now, is travel nursing worth it, still? Even as the market begins to stabilize, there are still several opportunities and reasons to seek out traveling nurse jobs in 2024:

Higher Pay

You can’t answer the question, “Is travel nursing worth it?” without talking about pay. Travel nurses get paid more than the traditional nursing crew. On average, travel nurses pull in around $2,122 a week. This averages out to $8,211/month or $115,969/year, according to Indeed.com as of December 2023. However, some CareerStaff travel nurses make up to $3,000* weekly! Of course, salaries vary depending on the location of your assignment, travel stipends, and more.

One of the greatest benefits of traveling nurse jobs is the bonuses. Many assignments and agencies offer incentives, tax-free stipends, quick start, and holiday bonuses! This can significantly increase your take-home pay and quality of life as a nurse.

Decreased Burnout & Increased Flexibility

Feeling burnt-out? Traveling nurse jobs open up opportunities to level up your work-life balance, lifestyle freedom, and scheduling flexibility. You can take longer breaks between assignments — maybe even a few weeks off. You decide! Travel nurses can pick when they want to work when working out the contract, too.

Of course, the flexibility of traveling nurse jobs goes beyond time-off and scheduling. It’s also about where you work. You can choose assignments based on weather, personal interests, travel destination goals, or even locations near friends and family across the country. It’s your career on your terms.

New Career Opportunities & Resume-Building Experiences

For many travel nurses, it’s not just about the money. Traveling nurse jobs open doors to new career paths. As you work in different places with different people, you gain different skills, experiences, and knowledge.

The diverse experiences you gain with travel nursing are worth gold to your resume. Employers love seeing that you can thrive in various environments and adapt alongside their teams, making you a standout candidate.

New Connections in Your Career

Travel nurses have the unique opportunity to make friends and build a network across the country. Connect with new people and discover opportunities — it’s a whole world beyond your standard nursing routine.

Building a network in the healthcare industry can create future opportunities, too. Your fellow travel nurses might become lifelong friends or even valuable professional contacts.

Opportunity to Travel

Ready for the fun part? With travel nursing, your days off can turn into mini-vacations at locations worth exploring!

Explore vibrant areas like New York and Pennsylvania with endless things to do, see, and eat. Or, enjoy the great outdoors the best warm-weather destinations for travel nurses. The options are endless! Not many jobs let you travel while you work, in and outside of healthcare.

Traveling nurse jobs allow you to experience the rich culture of the U.S. Every state and even city is filled with unique cultures and subcultures. From bustling cities to serene landscapes, your assignments become more than just work — they become unforgettable adventures.

Quick Apply: Chart Your Travel Nursing Adventure!

Variety of Lifestyle

Every assignment brings something new for travel nurses: A new specialty, a new workplace, and a new home to explore. Say goodbye to routine boredom. It’s a lifestyle that keeps both work and life interesting. The variety and flexibility that come with traveling nurse jobs can help reduce burnout and keep your day-to-day interesting.

Personal Growth

For travel nurses, what you learn on the job goes beyond work. Adaptability, independence, cultural skills — it’s not just professional growth. You can become a more confident person, too. The challenges you overcome and the skills you develop make you more resilient, adaptable, and self-assured.

Travel nurses can also gain cultural competence as they build relationships with patients and colleagues across the U.S.

Travel Nurse Agencies Take Care of Everything for You

Let’s talk logistics. Moving can be stressful, right? Not as much for travel nurses. Agencies like CareerStaff handle it all — finding the positions, stipends, and negotiations, making travel nursing all the more worth it. They take the stress out of some of the most daunting parts of relocating.

How to Find Traveling Nurse Jobs

So, is travel nursing worth it? Yes! With more money, flexibility, career options, travel perks, and personal growth, it’s still one of the most exciting nursing opportunities in 2024. If you’re thinking of level up in your nursing career now, travel nursing jobs might just be the adventure you’re looking for.

Ready to chart your adventure with travel nursing? Search available travel nurse jobs, or Quick Apply below to get connected with a CareerStaff recruiter today!

Chart Your Adventure Now: Travel Nurse Jobs

Is Travel Nursing Worth It? 8 Reasons to Chart Your Adventure (2024)

FAQs

Is Travel Nursing Worth It? 8 Reasons to Chart Your Adventure? ›

So, is travel nursing worth it? Yes! With more money, flexibility, career options, travel perks, and personal growth, it's still one of the most exciting nursing opportunities in 2024. If you're thinking of level up in your nursing career now, travel nursing jobs might just be the adventure you're looking for.

Is travel nursing still worth it in 2024? ›

However, travel nurse pay remains very strong. According to surveys by staffing agencies, the average weekly gross pay for travel nurse assignments in early 2024 is around $2,800 for a 48-hour week. This still represents a pay premium of 30-50% over commensurate permanent staff nurse positions at most facilities.

What is the point of traveling nurses? ›

One of the primary reasons travel nurses are crucial to the healthcare system is their ability to alleviate staffing shortages. Healthcare facilities often face seasonal fluctuations or unexpected patient surges.

What is the hardest part of being a travel nurse? ›

The Hardest Things About Being a Travel Nurse
  • Being Away From Family & Friends.
  • Job Search More Often.
  • Paperwork.
  • Taxes.
  • Medical Insurance.
  • More to Learn.

Is being a travel CNA worth it? ›

Higher pay rates

Most travel CNAs can make an annual salary of between $40,000 - $70,000. This depends on the amount of experience you have and location. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), travel CNAs earned an average of around $22 more per hour.

Is travel nursing worth it anymore? ›

So, is travel nursing worth it? Yes! With more money, flexibility, career options, travel perks, and personal growth, it's still one of the most exciting nursing opportunities in 2024. If you're thinking of level up in your nursing career now, travel nursing jobs might just be the adventure you're looking for.

Do hospitals save money using travel nurses? ›

Travelers also come without a long-term financial commitment, and will go places other RNs might not want to work. Hiring travel nurses can also offset other major costs for hospitals and other facilities. For instance, they can help employers cut down on overtime.

Are travel nurses happy? ›

Whether you're a new nurse or an experienced veteran, you've likely heard all about the many perks of travel nursing. Looking in from the outside, it looks like travel nurses are happy in their roles, reporting better compensation and higher job satisfaction than their permanent counterparts.

Why is travel nurse salary so high? ›

It all comes down to one thing: flexibility. Travel nurses are willing to accept short-term assignments that may end in as little as a few weeks. Some travel nurses also take assignments in multiple states throughout the year, making them eligible for housing stipends and sign-on bonuses.

What is the downside to travel nursing? ›

Travel Nurses Lack Job Security

Travel nursing positions are usually easy to come by, as there is a nationwide nursing shortage and it's more extreme in some states than in others. However, there are no guarantees that you'll have work one month to the next.

Where do most travel nurses go? ›

Popular Travel Nursing Destinations
  • California. Although the Golden State may have a higher cost of living than some other areas, the job prospects are robust thanks to the plethora of healthcare facilities throughout the state. ...
  • New York. ...
  • Washington. ...
  • Texas. ...
  • Florida. ...
  • North Carolina. ...
  • Virginia. ...
  • Maryland.
Apr 25, 2024

What kind of travel nurse is in most demand? ›

Here are some of the most in-demand specialties for travel nurses in 2024.
  • ICU Nursing. ...
  • Emergency Nursing. ...
  • NICU, MBPP, and L&D Nursing. ...
  • Medical Surgical Nursing. ...
  • Telemetry Nursing. ...
  • Psychiatric Nursing. ...
  • Home Health Nursing. ...
  • Oncology Nursing.
Mar 1, 2024

Is travel nursing worth it in 2024? ›

A travel CVOR RN can expect to make closer to $3,000/week, even in 2024. It's important to note that many healthcare organizations offered “COVID rates” during the state of emergency, which went on for the better part of 18 months in the U.S.

Do travel nurses pick where they go? ›

Can travel nurses choose where they go? A. Yes. You get to pick the state, the hospital, and the healthcare setting.

Is travel nurse a fun job? ›

Travel nursing offers an abundance of opportunities to learn new things, visit amazing places, make new friends and become a more seasoned nurse. Caring for an ill or injured patient and knowing you gave that person the best care possible is rewarding for all nurses.

Is nursing still in demand in 2025? ›

According to a Health Workforce Analysis published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in November 2022, federal authorities project a shortage of 78,610 full-time RNs in 2025 and a shortage of 63,720 full-time RNs in 2030.

What is the future outlook for travel nurses? ›

The demand for travel nurses has steadily increased, driven by factors such as nursing shortages, an aging population, and the need for specialized healthcare services. As healthcare facilities struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels, travel nurses remain invaluable assets to fill critical roles.

Is travel nursing being phased out? ›

Despite the end of “the travel nurses' gold rush,” the travel nursing industry is still going strong and continues to be a viable option for skilled nurses, says TravelNursing.org. In the past several years, the travel nursing industry has grown by more than 600%, according to Supplemental Health Care.

Where are travel nurses needed most right now? ›

California has the highest demand for travel nurses, and med-surg was the specialty in highest demand, according to a Nomad Health report. The "Nomad Health Q4 2023 Healthcare Jobs Report" examined internal job data collected from Oct.

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