From bustling cities to quiet rural communities, Travel Nurses, Inc. offers contracts in almost every corner of the country. Our state guides highlight licensure details, travel guides and open opportunities so you can choose your next destination with confidence.
Click each state to learn more about each location's jobs, licensing information and destination highlights.
Every quarter, we highlight the top five states for travel nurses and allied health professionals based on pay, demand and cost of living. These destinations are perfect for your next adventure.
The best spring travel contract balances competitive pay, cost of living, and a healthcare environment where your skills matter. California and New York offer high-volume, high-acuity settings with elite academic systems, though coastal living costs can offset strong headline rates. Texas and Georgia combine competitive pay with below-average cost of living and zero or low state income tax, maximizing your take-home. Washington State delivers a Pacific Northwest pay premium with no state income tax, while Georgia rounds out the Southeast as a breakout market with lower costs and compact license acceptance. Choose based on your professional goals, lifestyle preferences, and financial priorities.
We compared the top destinations from Travel Nurses, Inc. with data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and regional healthcare facilities, which measure healthcare cost of living impact, facility demand by specialty and local economics for long-term traveler growth and healthcare worker support. This targeted highlighting ensures you pick out-of-state assignments that deliver both professional and lifestyle benefits for travelers.
• Jobs on the board: L&D, Vascular IR, ICU/CVICU, OR, Oncology, ER
• Weekly pay: $3,100–$3,600/week; IR and ICU specialties can exceed $4,000/week.
• Cost of living: ~42% above the national average — inland markets like Sacramento Valley and the Inland Empire are far more affordable than coastal metros.
• Healthcare landscape: Home to UCSF, Cedars-Sinai, Stanford, and UCLA Health, with mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios and crisis-level incentives at rural facilities in the San Joaquin Valley and Northern California.
• Jobs on the board: L&D, Cath Lab, ICU, ER, Telemetry, OR, Med-Surg
• Weekly pay: $2,800–$3,100/week; Cath Lab and ICU specialties push higher at academic and community hospitals.
• Cost of living: ~8% below the national average with zero state income tax — one of the strongest purchasing-power markets in travel nursing.
• Healthcare landscape: Home to MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, Texas Children's, and UT Southwestern. Rural areas — West Texas, the Panhandle, and the Rio Grande Valley — often offer crisis-level incentives.
• Jobs on the board: ER, Med-Surg, MICU/SICU, Telemetry, L&D, PACU
• Weekly pay: $2,700–$3,300/week statewide; NYC specialty roles up to $4,000/week. Upstate markets ($2,600–$2,900/week) often net more once housing and taxes are factored in.
• Cost of living: ~34.5% above the national average — NYC housing is among the most expensive in the world; upstate is significantly more affordable.
• Healthcare landscape: Home to New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, NYU Langone, and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Upstate systems are solid; rural North Country facilities reflect typical critical access challenges.
• Jobs on the board: ICU, Neuro ICU, Trauma/ER, OR, Vascular IR, L&D, Cardiac
• Weekly pay: $3,000–$3,400/week with zero state income tax — take-home often exceeds higher-paying states like California once taxes are factored in.
• Cost of living: ~16% above the national average, driven by Seattle housing — Spokane, Tacoma, and the Tri-Cities offer significantly lower costs.
• Healthcare landscape: UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center anchor a high-acuity academic market with strong union contracts and structured staffing protections.
• Jobs on the board: Med-Surg Telemetry, PACU, OR, ER, L&D, ICU, Home Health
• Weekly pay: $2,400–$2,900/week — lower headline rates, but cost of living and a flat 5.49% income tax mean strong effective take-home.
• Cost of living: ~7% below the national average — suburban Atlanta and regional markets offer materially lower housing costs than any coastal state.
• Healthcare landscape: Emory Healthcare, Grady Memorial (Level I trauma), and Wellstar anchor a growing Atlanta market. Rural assignments carry premium rates. Compact license accepted — no waiting period or extra fees.
