The Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs in 2022

• The average travel nursing salary is around $100,000 and growing! 
• There are multiple factors that contribute to payout for travel nursing contracts. 
• This article breaks down the highest paying travel nursing jobs in 2022.

Travel nursing is gaining much popularity, and rightfully so! Think about it. You can go where you want, when you want, and get to explore a new city on your days off. Not to mention the annual travel nurse salary is over $100,000. 

With facilities facing record-high nursing shortages, they can pay more for assignments because they desperately need positions filled. 

There is a lot to consider before taking your next travel assignment, but we are going to break down what the highest paying travel nursing jobs are in 2022. 

Considerations For Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs

The highest paying travel nursing jobs are multi-faceted. A lot goes into determining payout for travel nursing contracts such as specialty, location, and shift schedules.  

This article contains a comprehensive list containing all the factors to consider about travel assignment pay. 

Certain specialties may pay more than others as additional training or experience may be needed for those. 

Location may also determine payout. If it is a rural area or somewhere more obscure, they might be willing to pay more to attract nurses to go there. 

On the other hand, the opposite may be true. More popular areas, think California, may pay more because they have the funding and resources to do so. 

The state’s cost of living is another concern. The payout will likely line up to match the state’s cost of living because that is what the market is for that area. 

The shift will also be a driving factor for determining contract payout. Like any other job, night shift is typically the least popular, especially among those with a family and kids at home. Night shift does pay more. 

If you are looking for the highest paying travel nursing jobs, you might want to be willing to do or go where others are not. 

This may look like going to middle-of-nowhere Alaska, working night shift in the psych ward! Just kidding…but really. 

The Highest Paying Travel Nursing Jobs

Previously mentioned, contract pay is dependent on various factors. The highest paying travel nursing jobs will vary by state, but in general, these specialties are paying the top dollar. 

Be careful in reading travel assignment requirements, as you usually need at least 1 year experience in some specialties due to limited orientation training at the start of assignments.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

It comes as no surprise that ICU is one of the most lucrative.  Taking care of those critically ill comes with a larger price tag. These individuals in this specialty are highly skilled due to the complexity of care they deliver. The compensation reflects as much, at $112,228 annually.

Operating Room

ZipRecruiter reports the average OR travel nurse makes $113,613 a year. An OR travel nurse would have the same responsibilities of a traditional OR nurse such as oversight of patient care from pre- to post-op and assisting the surgeons. 

Emergency Room

If you previously have ER experience, an ER travel assignment would be great for you. You can exhibit your skills and ability to work under pressure all while being compensated at an average of $106,709 per year. 

Pediatric

If your specialty is caring for children, then being a pediatric travel nurse for you. Caring for pediatrics can be tricky as you must alter your communication and techniques to be able to cater to their needs. This special skill set is needed and is rewarded with a salary on average of $98,343 a year!

Cardiac Catheterization (Cath) Lab

Cardiac cath lab travel nurses are one of the top paid specialties at $110,540 annually. A nurse in this role will be responsible for patient care before, during, and after cardiac catheterization procedures.

OBGYN

Obstetrics and Gynecology nurses can make up to $126,270 annually. These travel nurses work in clinics, birthing centers or hospitals, assisting OBGYN physicians with patient exams, education, and delivery.

Labor and Delivery

Similar to OBGYN travel nurses, labor and delivery nurses assist in the delivery process from beginning to end. They are the nurses that help bring life into the world. Although the thought of swaddling newborns may be exciting, this job isn’t stress-free.  

There can be high-risk situations in which the momma or baby’s life can be in danger. Because of that, labor and delivery travel nurses are compensated on average of $111,149 a year.

Hospice

A travel hospice nurse position can be emotionally taxing caring for terminally ill patients. Their job is to provide care and support to patients and their loved ones as they approach end-of-life. Nurses who specialize in this field can make $97,700. 

Post Anesthesia Care Unit

PACU travel nurses are the of the highest paid travel nursing jobs with an annual salary reaching $124,195. The skill set these nurses must possess include taking post-operative vital signs, monitoring for any adverse reactions to anesthesia or the procedure and observing the procedure sites.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

NICU travel nurses must be highly skilled to take care of critically ill newborns. It can be intimidating to deliver care to such tiny humans. If you have what is takes to work in the NICU, you could be averaging about $105,500 a year.

The Bottom Line

Generally, you can always ask your travel nurse recruiter for the highest paying travel nursing jobs. They will filter out the search to exclude anything lower than your bottom dollar amount. Keep in mind rates will change depending on location, demand, and shift availability. 

All things considered, you want to make even more, this article by Nurse.org shares insider tips on making even more money on top of your contract pay. 

Travel nursing can be worth it physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. You can be on your way to a 3-figure travel nursing salary in no time.

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