Year-in-Review: A Look Back at 2024 Travel Nursing Salary Trends
The onset of the pandemic in 2020 unexpectedly accelerated the demand for travel nurses, driving their weekly pay rates to unprecedented levels across the nation. As the pandemic's grip has eased over recent years, travel nursing salaries have settled into what appears to be a new normal. Notably, the end of 2024 saw a modest uptick in travel RN wages, following a two-year period of declines, hinting at potential wage stability continuing into 2025. Travel nurses recorded an average weekly pay of $2,386 in December 2023, which decreased by 3.8% throughout 2024, reaching $2,294 by December. This decline was much less severe than the 11.3% drop in 2023 and the 15.1% fall in 2022. Over the last couple of years, we observed healthcare systems increasing efforts to revert to staff nursing, easing some demand pressure on travel nurses and contributing to the downward trend in wages. Looking ahead, travel nurse pay rates may become more closely tied to the broader economy and healthcare expenditure, experiencing fewer dramatic shifts than in previous years. Although the wage premium over staff nursing has diminished from pandemic peaks, travel nursing still tends to offer better pay and remains attractive to nurses eager to explore new employers and regions in the U.S.
Monthly and Quarterly Travel Nurse Wage Analysis A chart below shows the national monthly average travel nursing salary for 2024, with wages declining each month until September, when they began to rise, recovering some of the losses earlier in the year. The chart starts from $2,000 per week instead of $0 for better visual representation of fluctuations. As the chart and accompanying table show, travel nursing salaries in 2024 experienced four primary movements corresponding with the year's quarters.
**First Quarter: January – March** During the first quarter, travel nursing pay remained relatively stable, with slight monthly declines. Nearly half of the states saw wages change by less than 1% each month. This quarter mirrored the slow declines seen in the last quarter of 2023, leading to speculation at the time that travel RN pay had bottomed out. However, subsequent quarters told a different story.
**Second Quarter: April – June** In April, wages dropped by 1.1%, revealing that travel pay hadn't yet hit the bottom. Over 20 states observed significant monthly pay reductions during this quarter. With low unemployment suggesting a robust labor market, it was clear the travel nursing market was still recalibrating to pre-pandemic norms. By June, the average travel nurse wage matched its inflation-adjusted level from January 2020, just before the pandemic declaration.
**Third Quarter: July – September** Data showed one more dip in travel RN wages before stabilizing at the end of the third quarter. Wages fell another 1% in July, leveling off with declines of 0.4% and 0.2% in August and September, respectively. September's wage of $2,260 per week marked the lowest point for travel nurse pay, indicating the pandemic's impact on this market had concluded, and future wage increases might be possible.
**Fourth Quarter: October – December** The most recent quarter, from October to December 2024, marked a return to rising travel nurse wages, a phenomenon not seen in years. Weekly pay increased by $34 on average, partially offsetting the year's earlier declines. This reversal has generated anticipation for early 2025 data. The following table details travel nursing pay changes by month in 2024, including national average wages, percentage changes, and state-level fluctuations.
In April 2024, we broadened our travel nurse wage database to incorporate more nurse specialties, leading to revisions in our national average calculation compared to the January-March 2024 data. The table reflects this updated method, but earlier reports may show the unrevised figures.
**State-by-State Travel Nursing Pay in 2024** The national average travel nurse wage serves as a benchmark for health systems and recruitment agencies to evaluate current offers for travel RNs. This is especially useful for systems and agencies with extensive multi-state or regional operations. However, many hiring managers prefer focusing on local market rates, so we provided annual wage data for all 50 states below. This table compares each state's average wage in December 2023 with December 2024, showing the percentage change. Data is based on all travel RN jobs posted during these months. States are sorted by largest year-over-year change.
In 2024, Idaho, Missouri, Oklahoma, Vermont, and New Hampshire led with the highest average travel RN pay increases. Idaho, in particular, saw wages rise dramatically, with a 6.5% increase from $2,160 per week in December 2023 to $2,301 in December 2024, elevating it from below-average to above-average pay. Idaho's rapid population growth may partly explain the acute demand for travel nurses. Conversely, states like Utah, North Dakota, Colorado, Arizona, and Nebraska experienced the largest pay declines, each dropping by at least 8%. Utah notably saw an 11.6% decrease, from $2,518 in December 2023 to $2,225 in December 2024, the only state to reach double digits. North Dakota closely followed with a 9.9% decline by year-end.
Unlike the end of 2023, when travel nurse wages remained above pre-pandemic levels, December 2024 wages fell below that threshold—$2,294 compared to $2,319 in January 2020 when adjusted for inflation. This shift may lead to modest pay changes in 2025, more aligned with the overall economic landscape, including U.S. unemployment levels, which have been low but are rising slightly. Nonetheless, 2025 could introduce unpredictable elements to the healthcare market. A new Congress and Presidential administration may bring fresh healthcare policies. Substantial legislative changes or shifts in public healthcare funding could cause significant volatility in travel nurse wages if enacted. Regardless of 2025's outcomes, you can prepare to hire staff and travel nurses, along with allied healthcare professionals and advanced practice providers across various specialties."
