<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="18" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> USC`s Online Master of Science in Nursing Program </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Earn Your MSN Online From USC in Just 21 Months </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>Become a family nurse practitioner online in as few as 21 months with top-ranked USC's CCNE and BRN-Accredited online Master of Science in Nursing program.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-18" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-18" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://nursing.usc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Visit Website</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USC-MSN_Formal-Vertical_Ver_S.Dworak-Peck-School-of-SW_CardOnTrans.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://nursing.usc.edu/requestinfo/index/">Visit Website</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="19" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> Online MS in Nursing From Georgetown University </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Earn Your Master’s in Nursing Online From Georgetown University </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months. </p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-19" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-19" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Georgetown_S_SNHS_grayCMYK.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/requestinfo/index/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="20" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> Advance Your Career With Nursing@Simmons </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Earn Your MSN and Become an FNP or PMHNP Online From Simmons University </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP — and prepare to raise the standard of patient care. Explore Nursing@Simmons programs for RNs who hold a BSN or bachelor’s degree.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-20" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-20" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://online.simmons.edu/requestinfo/msn-fwp/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SC-MSN_University_Nursing_Color_Stacked.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://online.simmons.edu/requestinfo/msn-fwp/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

ad_Nursing

cat_Other

Low Intent

ptype_Explainer

ptype_News

Sydney Lake

<p>While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly exposed talent shortages in the health care industry, signs point to a continued need to fill nursing jobs. In fact, nursing shortages have reached “crisis levels” according to a <a href="https://www.relias.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/B2B_NurseSalaryReport_2022.pdf">2022 report</a> by health care company <a href="https://www.relias.com/">Relias</a>. Turnover rates for nurses are rising, standing at roughly 22% in 2022—plus nursing jobs take about three months to fill on average, according to the report.</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>To fill roles more quickly, many health care companies, hospitals, and private practices resort to hiring travel nurses who take temporary assignments in high demand areas. These nurses come with a premium, and often make higher salaries than other workers in the field. Travel nurses typically work with staffing agencies to find assignments and often work in specialty areas, including psychiatry, dermatology, aesthetics, and fertility. </p>



<p>During the pandemic, salaries for <a href="https://www.nurse.com/blog/travel-nursing-demand-waning-hospitals-want-full-time-nurses/">travel nurses surged to as much as $10,000 per week</a>, according to reports, and they can still earn more than $3,000, on average. The national average for travel nurse pay in October 2022 was $3,080, down about 18% from a year ago, according to a report from <a href="https://www.vivian.com/nurse-practitioner/travel/salary/">Vivian Health</a>, a national health care hiring platform. The year-over-year drop in travel nurse salaries can be attributed to the fact that nurses were in higher demand last year during the spikes in COVID-19 variants, experts agree.</p>



<p>“The decreasing travel rates were caused by a decrease in demand as the Omicron wave subsided, and by health systems’ incremental success in recruiting nurses back to direct employment roles,” a spokesperson from Vivian Health tells <em>Fortune</em>. “It is also worth noting that some COVID-era federal funding designed to support increased labor costs due to travel nursing ended in spring 2022, further reducing health systems’ financial flexibility.”</p>



<p>Even with the decrease, travel nurses can make nearly $200,000 per year, assuming a weekly rate of $3,080. Meanwhile, salaries for full-time nurses have been steadily increasing, according to Vivian Health. The median salaries for registered nurses and <a href="https://fortune.com/education/careers/how-to-become-an-advanced-nurse-practitioner/">nurse practitioners</a> in 2021 was $77,600 and $120,680, respectively, U.S. Department of Labor Statistics data shows. As both the demand and need for nurses continues to rise, “nurses are in an excellent position to negotiate better salaries, benefits, and working conditions,” according to the Relias report.</p>



<p>For travel nurses in particular, their salaries may be more variable than the weekly rate implies. Travel nurse contracts typically last 13 weeks with no commitment to extend, “so travel nurses may have gaps between assignments while they seek their next facility,” a spokesperson from Vivian Health tells <em>Fortune. </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-travel-nurses-get-paid-a-premium">Why travel nurses get paid a premium</h2>



<p>The nursing workforce is in dire need of talent. In fact, the number of registered nurses decreased by more than 100,000 between 2020 and 2021, according to an April 2022 <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20220412.311784/">workforce analysis</a> report. That’s the largest drop in nursing talent in the past four decades, the report shows. And nurses under the age of 35 are leaving the industry in droves.</p>



<p>“A sustained reduction in the number of younger age RNs would raise ominous implications for the future workforce,” according to the report, <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20220412.311784/"><em>A Worrisome Drop In The Number Of Young Nurses</em></a>. “Because RNs typically remain working in nursing over their career, a reduction of younger RNs in the workforce would exert an impact that is felt over a generation.”</p>



<p>Aside from supply and demand, travel nurses also make more in total compensation than staff nurses because they have to pay for temporary housing while they’re on assignment, Katelyn Harris, director of client development at Vivian Health, previously told <em>Fortune</em>. </p>



<p>“It’s also expected that travel nurses have at least one or two solid years of experience under their belts, so we tend to see more senior nurses traveling, which translates to higher wages,” she added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-become-a-travel-nurse">How to become a travel nurse</h2>



<p>Travel nursing jobs are available for both registered nurses and nurse practitioners. To become a certified registered nurse, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program, according to the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>. </p>



<p>To become a nurse practitioner requires more specialized training because these health care professionals have the power to diagnose and treat illnesses as well as prescribe medications. These nurses must earn at least a master’s degree in the field; they also have to be licensed in their state and pass a national certification exam.</p>



<p>Many master’s degree programs in nursing can now be completed online. Top schools like <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/masters/rankings/georgetown-university/">Georgetown University</a> and <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/masters/rankings/the-ohio-state-university/">The Ohio State University</a> offer these programs to nurses who have earned a bachelor’s degree in the field. These programs also prepare students for the required certification and licensure exams.</p>



<p><em><em>Check out all of </em></em>Fortune’<em><em>s <a href="https://fortune.com/education/">rankings of degree programs</a>, and learn more about specific <a href="https://fortune.com/education/careers/">career paths</a>.</em></em></p>



<div class="wp-block-group pro-tip-box-widget"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<h3 class="wp-block-heading pro-tip-box-heading">Read more</h3>



<li>If you want to find great resources to become a health coach, check out the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-health-coach-certifications/">best health coach certifications</a>.</li>
<li>Interested in a psychology degree? Here are some of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/best-online-masters-in-psychology-degree-programs/">best online masters in psychology programs</a> you can find.</li>
<li>Want a more flexible way to earn an online master’s degree in nursing? Explore our list of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/best-online-msn-nurse-practitioner-programs/%22">best online MSN nurse practitioner programs</a>.</li>
<li>Choose one of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/best-online-masters-in-public-health-programs/">best online masters in public health programs</a> to help you find the right school for you.</li>
<li>Our ranking of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/best-online-masters-in-nursing/">best online masters in nursing programs</a> can be a useful tool in your search for advanced online learning.</li>
<li>Many universities offer <a href="https://fortune.com/education/health/most-affordable-online-msn-nurse-practitioner-programs/">affordable online MSN nurse practitioner programs</a>.</li>
<li>For those looking to learn the basics of nutrition, one of the programs in our list of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-nutritionist-certifications/">best nutritionist certifications</a> is a great first step.</li>
<li>Fulfill your ambitions of being a personal trainer with one of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-personal-trainer-certifications/">best personal trainer certification</a> programs. </li>
</div></div>
</div>

The national average for travel nurse pay in October 2022 was $3,080, which is down about 18% from this time last year.

Travel nurse salaries float around $200K as staffing crisis continues

F-Search

Education

Education Articles

Jasmine Suarez

Health and Wellness

Fortune earns a commission for purchases made from affiliate partners via some links on our site; other links are not affiliate partner links. <a href='/affiliate-disclosure/'>Click here</a> to read the full Fortune advertiser disclosure and how we earn commissions.

We have independently evaluated the products and services below. We may earn affiliate revenue from links in the content.

Fortune Editors

Fortune Education is designed to be your guide to navigating this new, rich and somewhat overwhelming world of education. Our team of experienced editors is committed to scouring the universe of online offerings in order to rank, rate, provide comparisons and recommend the right solutions for you and your career.

Fortune Education

Uncategorized

homepage

articles

Articles Hub

By Region

By State

By Cost

Business

Career Hub

Tech

EDUCATION

EDUCATION ARTICLES

TRAVEL NURSE SALARIES FLOAT AROUND $200K AS STAFFING CRISIS CONTINUES

Travel nurse salaries float around $200K as staffing crisis continues | Fortune Education

Rich Griset

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

https://fortune.com/education/articles/free-data-analytics-courses/?itm_source=parsely-api

Preston Fore

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

https://fortune.com/education/articles/real-estate-school-review-aceableagent/?itm_source=parsely-api

Brad Haft

The best software engineering bootcamps of 2024 to help strengthen your coding skills

https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-software-engineering-bootcamps/?itm_source=parsely-api

Brit Morse

A law associate making $300,000 a year at Skadden Arps quit over the firm’s deal with Donald Trump

/article/rachel-cohen-making-300k-year-law-associate-skadden-arps-quit-protest-firms-deal-trump/

Get ready to pay more than $2,000 for a new iPhone: Experts say Trump’s 125% tariff on China is a ‘complete disaster for Apple’ akin to ‘Armageddon’

/2025/04/10/apple-iphone-16-price-complete-disaster-china-trump-tariffs/

It’s about to get a lot harder for job seekers as tariffs are set to make the hiring landscape even more daunting

/2025/04/07/trump-tariffs-labor-market-more-challenging-job-seekers-economists-say/

This company does peer performance reviews—And then lets everyone read each other’s evaluations

/2025/03/24/performance-review-process-company-allows-all-workers-read-garner-health-workplace-culture/

2024 health coach certification review: Catalyst Coaching Institute

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-catalyst-coaching-institute/

A guide to a nurse’s salary: Broken down by all 50 states and industry type

/education/careers/nurse-salary/

2024 health coach certification review: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-institute-for-integrative-nutrition/

10 high-paying public health jobs right now

/education/careers/public-health-jobs/

Jason Del Rey

Is eBay actually sexy again as the ecommerce old-timer’s stock surges to an all-time high?

/2025/07/31/ebay-earnings-live-sports-cards-trading-pokemon/

Erik German

Meet the CIA-backed venture fund behind Palantir, Anduril—and a spy tool that might be on your phone

/2025/07/29/in-q-tel-cia-venture-capital-palantir-anduril/

Dana Hull

Kiel Porter

Bloomberg

Tesla engineering VP Moravy says company in ‘big swing moment’

/2025/07/27/tesla-engineering-vp-lars-moravy-big-swing-moment-musk-robotaxi-optimus-semi/

Christiaan Hetzner

Volkswagen seeks audience with Trump, dangling more than $10 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for tariff exemptions

/2025/07/25/volkswagen-trump-tariffs-exemptions/

Whether you’ve just completed your undergraduate degree or you are a professional with years of experience, Fortune is here to guide you on the next step of your educational journey.

Travel nurse salaries float around $200K as staffing crisis continues

About the Contributors

Top Articles

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

The best software engineering bootcamps of 2024 to help strengthen your coding skills

Advance Your Career With Nursing@Simmons