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Most Popular Cities for Travel Nurses 2020-2021

The Trusted Team
September 29, 2020
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Through a combination of comprehensive data points (such as top paying travel nursing jobs) and some anecdotal evidence, we’ve listed below the most popular travel nursing destinations in the United States for 2020 thus far (and likely similar for 2021)!

Many of these cities are flocked to for their competitive travel nursing pay packages, while others for the culture, social ambience, or even beaches and natural beauty (and maybe all of these reasons!). Assignments can range from 4 to 13 weeks depending on the needs of the facility or travel nursing agency. 

Below are the most popular cities for travel nursing to work in throughout 2020 thus far, along with the average weekly pay travel nurses working in these cities receive. We used nursing’s most comprehensive salary calculator to put together this list, so if you’re looking for even more nursing salary details (whether it be on a state-by-state or city-by-city basis), check it out after you finish the article!

If you're just starting to think about travel nursing, we highly recommend you read this Travel Nursing Guide. It covers everything from how to become a travel nurse to how to maximize your pay.

Without further ado…

Most Popular Travel Nursing Destinations of 2020-2021

San Francisco, California

  • Average weekly pay - $2,598
  • 28% above national average of $2,014
  • Staff nurses: $50.20/hour, 84% above national average
san francisco city street victorian house travel nursing in san francisco


New York, New York

  • Average weekly pay - $2,187
  • 8% above national average of $2,014
  • Staff nurses: $41.01/hour, 27% above national average
new york cityscape travel nursing in new york


Las Vegas, Nevada

  • Average weekly pay - $2,123
  • 5% above national average of $2,014
  • Staff nurses: $40.97/hour, 22% above national average
las vegas night cityscape travel nursing in las vegas


Washington, D.C.

  • Average weekly pay - $2,044
  • 1% above national average of $2,014
  • Staff nurses: $42.69/hour, 10% above national average
washington DC street view travel nursing in washingon DC


Honolulu, Hawaii

  • Average weekly pay - $1,952
  • 3% below national average of $2,014
  • Staff nurses: $50.62/hour, 48% above national average
cityscape beachscape of honolulu hawaii travel nursing in honolulu


While the above cities earned their place largely thanks to their greater than average compensation packages, the following cities present strong ties between popularity and overall cost effectiveness, especially in terms of cost of living (and so shouldn’t be ignored!).

If you’re prioritizing cost living instead of overall compensation, you might want to take a look at these great cities.

Top Cities for Travel Nurses by Cost of Living

Memphis, Tennessee

  • Average weekly pay - $2,079
  • Average apartment rent - $793/month
  • Average home price - $267,740
street view in memphis tennessee travel nursing in memphis


San Antonio, Texas 

  • Average weekly pay - $1,995
  • Average apartment rent - $1,276/month
  • Average home price - $250,921 
cityscape of san antonio texas travel nursing in san antonio


Boise, Idaho

  • Average weekly pay - $1,959
  • Average apartment rent - $1,189/month
  • Average home price - $356,416
cityscape night of boise idaho travel nursing in boise


Tucson, Arizona

  • Average weekly pay - $1,895
  • Average apartment rent - $893/month
  • Average home price - $332,838
desert landscape of tucson arizona travel nursing in tucson


Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Average weekly pay - $1,484
  • Average apartment rent - $1,214/month
  • Average home price - $307,320
cityscape night of charlotte north carolina travel nursing in charlotte


Find Your Next Travel Nurse Position

If you're interested in finding a new opportunity in any of the cities mentioned in this piece, simply create a free Trusted profile to be matched with the best opportunities for you based on your location preferences!

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