Welcome to Travel Nurse Pay
Hi guys! This article is to ask the BIG question...
How much will I get paid as a travel nurse to the U.S.?
I will walk you through...
The factors affecting travel nurse pay inside and out, and...
The process I use for getting my travel nurse contracts
Welcome to Travel Nurse Pay
External Factors Affecting Travel Nurse Pay
We talked in the previous article about Travel Nursing Job History & Market which covered all of the major outside factors affecting the job market and in turn, travel nurse pay.
For a quick recap, these factors were:
Increased agencies,
More nurses taking up travel nursing (increased supply),
Less government funding,
Increased agency rates (and in turn hospitals trying to find alternatives to travel nurses),
Changes to healthcare policies, and...
Variations (based on locations, time of year/season).
Welcome to Travel Nurse Pay
Two Internal Factors Affecting Travel Nurse Pay
Hi guys! We talked in the previous article about the travel nurse market (click here) about the outside factors affecting the job market and in turn, travel nurse pay.
For a quick recap, there are: increased agencies, more nurses taking up travel nursing, less government funding, increased agency rates (and in turn hospitals trying to find alternatives to travel nurses), changes to healthcare policies, and variations (based on locations, time of year/season).
Additionally, there are two new factors that play a key role in determining what you will be paid...
A travel nurse’s pay will also hinge on the demand for your nursing specialty (e.g. crisis contracts) and the standard pay for that specialty in different states (ie. some states pay more and others pay less).
Additionally, there are two other factors that play a key role in determining what you can expect to be paid...
A travel nurse’s pay will also hinge on...
The demand for your nursing specialty (e.g. crisis contracts during a strike), and...
The standard pay for that specialty in different states (ie. some states pay more and others pay less for different areas of nursing).
An Additional Challenge for First-Time Canadians...
Additionally, for Canadian nurses without an American Social Security Number (SSN), we may be restricted from some facilities for our first contract until we get a SSN. This may mean taking what is readily available versus having our pick of jobs.
There are many specialties and over a dozen states where a Canadian nurse can get their first state nursing license (without an SSN).
Thus far, we know the following U.S. states and territories are first-time-Canadian-friendly (ie. do not require an American SSN in order to apply):
1. Colorado,
2. Connecticut,
3. Idaho,
4. Illinois,
5. New York,
6. Massachusetts,
7. Minnesota,
8. Michigan,
9. Montana,
10. New Jersey,
11. Oregon,
12. Pennsylvania,
13. Texas,
14. Virginia,
15. Washington,
16. Washington D.C.,
17. The Northern Mariana Islands
Hiya!
Kat Ann here
How Can I Find Out What My Specialty Pays in Each of Those States?
Glad you asked! As you can see in the photo to the right, I took a selfie in the OR, my specialty.
Let’s walkthrough the process first of what I would do and then explain some of the nitty gritty things after.
Getting Your First Contract
Walkthrough
01
I’d ensure I have an active state license and preliminary visa document in hand & ready to go. You can contact recruiters and agencies before you have these documents; but without these two documents, there isn’t much of a point as no reputable agency can submit you to jobs without a state license or VisaScreen/Visa4Nurses document.
Bonus tip: If you have a specialty that is in low demand (e.g. NICU), when you look at travel jobs online (more on this to come below), then you may want to consider getting a couple state licenses versus just one state license. Keep in mind, you will still be limited to states that don’t require an SSN until you’re on your first contract though.
02
I’d contact recruiters approx. 1-2 months prior to when I expect my state license and preliminary visa document to be issued to me.
I’d contact a few select recruiters who are actively working with Canadians.
This means, personally, I would reach out to:
Dillon Cram with RNNetwork
Alison Kon with Host Healthcare
Nick Garcia with TNAA
Plus, I’d keep an eye on the average pay for my specialty on Vivian & Bluepipes (more on these websites down below) and through my top three agencies’ websites (RNN, Host, TNAA).
Then, I would voice my pay expectations to my recruiters. For example, here is a sample script,
“I see the highest pay for my specialty in my state(s) I am licensed in is roughly between $3,000-$3,300. I’d be hoping for similar pay.”
I would continue to follow the job postings on Vivian, BluePipes, and my agencies’ websites and would send any job postings I see online that I want or that are higher paying in my specialty/state(s) to my three recruiters to ask if they also have the contract with that facility and if they could match the same offer.
Bonus tip: For a list of our Canadian-expert recruiters, click here).
03
I’d keep in touch every 2-3 days with my recruiters and remind them that they must check with me before they submit me to any hospital. This means I’d be checking my email/phone A LOT since job submissions move fast!
Likewise, as a first time Canadian-to-U.S. travel nurse, I would not be fussy about where the location of the contract is or if the pay is slightly lower than I can see online as MORE and MORE facilities are requiring a SSN prior to submission. So, for the first time, it is important not to be too picky with locations/rates. You just need to get a contract and get that coveted American Social Security Number. After that, you can basically go anywhere and have nearly the same opportunities as any American travel nurse!
Bonus tip: Ensure if you are using multiple recruiters, that your recruiters DO NOT submit you to the same contract. Make it clear to your recruiters that they MUST contact you before submitting you to any contracts to get your okay first (that way you can avoid sending duplicate applications into the same job offer). Most facilities will discard both applications. I’m not entirely sure why this is but I suspect it is because they have enough applicants that they won’t want to waste time figuring out which agency to call to represent you.
Now Let’s go over How to read job postings
Read about how the pay is presented, and just below that, search your specialty (e.g. Emergency, OR, ICU, L&D, NICU, etc.) in the suggested websites and find out your current worth with your nursing specialty in the job market right now!
Input any or all of the states mentioned that do not require an SSN to see which states are paying the most for your nursing specialty and which states seem to have an abundance of jobs in your area(s) of practice too.
Why do some job offers have ranges?
Some agencies will give a range of pay (e.g. $3,107-$3,453/week) as the lower pay in the range is if you agree to their medical insurance. But the higher pay in the range is if you waive their medical coverage and get your own.
What is included in the total amount on the website?
Most agencies will post the total amount of pay on their website. This includes, both taxable and non-taxable (stipends). So, when you see a job available from agencies, bear in mind, the total amount shown is likely all-inclusive. There might be a little more from negotiating or from reimbursements and bonuses but it is safe to assume they are trying to catch your interest by showing you the complete pay package including stipends for housing, etc.
Third-Party Meta-Analysis Job Boards
Vivian & BluePipes
Aside from just looking up jobs on agency websites, there are some job boards out there that combine a number of agencies.
The issue with meta-analysis job boards like these is that often they are owned by a major agency and as a result they only feature certain agencies and leave out other agencies. Or, if these job boards are truly from third-party non-agencies, typically they still are biased depending on how they get their renumeration from agencies but most ARE affiliated with major agencies.
Therefore, I recommend just using Vivian & Bluepipes to get an idea of average pay out there. I would never upload documents or apply through the actual website and there are countless negative reviews that recommend against this as well.
I also recommend avoiding recruiter-less agencies (e.g. Trusted or Nomad) until you feel confident as a travel nurse to the U.S.A. as the support these agencies offer is minimal for any nurse and practically non-existent for Canadian nurses.
I look at these job boards occasionally and then will bring up the top jobs to my recruiters with RNNetwork, Host, TNAA, etc. as they can often try and match the job offer and I wouldn’t want to use an agency that isn’t as well-known and recruiters who may not know how to work with Canadians. For example, some agencies (like some of the ones I have mentioned) have entire ‘Canadian’ divisions aimed at helping Canadian nurses through the process. And for first time nurses, that is crucial.
Check & See the RN Salary in Your Specialty in the U.S. & Meet the team
Let them know ‘Kat Ann’ sent you and you will be paired with them!
But Is Travel Nursing Too Good to Be True or Have Some Nurses Really Succeeded?
See some testimonials for yourself...
Travel nursing has allowed me to clear roughly 70k of debt in 6 months. It allowed me to take seven months off and three vacations in one year, including a U.S. mother-daughter road trip, my first visit to my hometown and family in over 2 years, and I have a big 3.5 week trip to Japan and South Korea coming up soon! I can also spend all my free time either helping other Canadian travel nurses and creating content for them or continuing to work on a book series. It has been an incredible blessing for my health and overall lifestyle. And I can't wait to enjoy this freedom and see when and where I will travel nurse to next.
Kateri M.
"(Travel nursing) helped me balance flexibility and finances. I can work as much as I can and get contracts and during times where I don't pick up contracts I’m still financially stable and not scrambling. That’s been a huge help for us! And also sending money back home to the Philippines."
Shaira
“It is bizarre to think about but in a year, I went from completely burnt out to being able to get more vacation time, travel more, make 2-4 times my Canadian staff pay, cleared a bunch of debt, and still got to spend more times with family and friends.”
Thomas A.
I went from making about $88,000 per year working full-time in Canada to making six-figures, just shy of $160,000 per year travel nursing to the U.S. East Coast. And I only had to work full-time for 6 months... Literally half the time and almost double the money. It helps I'm OR too. ;)
Leslie R.
We were able to live on one income while having more liquid cash. I was able to take 1 month off in between contracts. It also helped that I was able to choose a city that has a direct flight going back to Calgary. I was home every 8-12 days.
Ferdinand I.
I paid off the remaining 15-year amount owing on my mortgage after just 2-3 years of travel nursing.
Anne L.
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