February 15, 2023

4444 Views

Pay Rates: A Changing Trend

Posted on February 15, 2023January 30, 2024 by Medical Edge Recruitment

Medical Edge Recruitment provided this article.

Written by: Taylor Dupont, Recruitment Consultant, Medical Edge Recruitment

It’s official. We have entered the post-pandemic phase where we, as an industry, are no longer seeing “COVID pay” or “crisis rates”, which were often considerably above average pay rates being offered to nurses. For many professionals in the medical industry, this has likely led to a lifestyle change as take-home pay has decreased for the majority of individuals. This transition has not only been a harsh reality for nursing staff and medical personnel, but it has also initiated tough conversations for recruiters who now have to explain why they are offering rates that seem low compared to the amounts being offered and earned just one to two years ago.

The unfortunate truth is that requests for local and travel contract pay rates that match or exceed pandemic earnings are hard to come by the further out we are from the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that you can still find opportunities through recruiting agencies offering more money versus staff jobs, but you will see below how the pay rates have changed overall.

States with the highest registered nurse employment numbers

California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania are the five states with the highest registered nurse (RN) employment numbers as of May 2021 (Bureau of Labor Statistics section 4). In 2019, the average annual salary for registered nurses were as follows for the states mentioned previously, respectively: $113,240, $74,540, $87,840, $67,610, and $71,410 (Nurse License Map, section 4). As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020. This led to an increase in rates across the nursing profession. Flash forward to 2021 – pay rates increased due to the simple economic concept known as “supply and demand”. The pandemic caused a high demand for medical staff, highlighting the shortage of staff (or “supply”) amongst the medical industry. As of May 2021, the average annual salaries for RNs in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania are as follows respectively: $124,000, $79,120, $93,320, $72,000, and $76,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics section 4). Now that we have entered the year 2023, we have an idea of what the projected annual salaries for RNs might be in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania: $109,900, $76,470, $88,570, $68,300, and $74,260.

This table provides a comparison-style view of the above-mentioned states and associated pay rates for all RNs, both agency and staff, employed during 2019, 2021, and 2023:

State	Average Annual RN Salary in 2019	Average Annual RN Salary in 2021	Average Annual RN Salary Projected for 2023
California	$113,240	$124,000	$109,900
Texas	$74,540	$79,120	$76,470
New York	$87,840	$93,320	$88,570
Florida	$67,610	$72,000	$68,300
Pennsylvania	$71,410	$76,000	$74,260

Table 1: The data gathered for this table provides a comparison of average annual wages for registered nurses from 2019-2023.

When comparing the changes in pay from 2019 to 2021, there was an increase in the average annual salary of RNs, and then there is a decrease in the numbers from 2021 to 2023. As you may have assumed, LPN and CNA rates have followed very similar trends over the same time frame (Nightingale College section 6, Nursing License Map, section 2, and CNA Free Training Resources, section 2).

RNs, LPNs, and CNAs are often given offers in terms of hourly wages. The conversions for the average annual salaries into hourly rates are below:

State	Average RN Hourly Rate in 2019	Average RN Hourly Rate in 2021	Average Projected RN Hourly Rate in 2023
California	$54.44	$59.62	$52.84
Texas	$35.84	$38.04	$36.76
New York	$42.23	$44.86	$42.58
Florida	$32.50	$34.62	$32.84
Pennsylvania	$34.33	$36.54	$35.70

Table 2: These calculations are based on the annual salaries from Table 1 for a full-time position totaling 2080 hours worked in one calendar year.

Graph 1: Provides a visual of the average annual RN salary for the 5 US states that had the highest number of RNs employed in May 2021.

Do nurses and other healthcare staff deserve this higher pay rate as the norm? ABSOLUTELY! The unfortunate side of this is that it is physically impossible for your recruiter to offer these rates to you because of the amount of money that they are receiving from facilities, which in turn is used to pay your hourly rate and, if applicable, your stipends, has also decreased. It’s the trickle-down effect – as the urgency for nurses decreases (aka the “demand”), the rates that facilities are willing to pay staffing agencies decreases, leaving less money to pass on to you.

While we might not be happy about decreasing rates, the bright side is that we made it through the pandemic! It was a rough few years, and although it was a challenging time, COVID-19 highlighted the demand and need for nurses and healthcare staff. It led to a greater appreciation for everyone in the medical field and set a new precedent for the perception and value that society has on the importance of practicing medicine.

Looking For an Agency to Help Navigate the Changing Pay Rates?

Medical Edge Recruitment is the premier travel nursing recruitment agency specializing in providing top talent to clients in the healthcare industry. We connect clinical and allied providers to their ideal opportunities, focusing on building long-lasting relationships through honesty and transparency. In travel nursing, bigger does not always mean better. While we have an extensive network of job opportunities, our experienced team is dedicated to making a personalized provider experience a priority. There are a lot of moving parts in getting set up for a new assignment, but we take care of all the details along the way. Adventure awaits; let Medical Edge Recruitment show you where to go next!

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

WORKS CITED

“2023 RN to BSN Salary – Learn How Much RN to BSN Graduates Earn?” RN to BSN Salary in 2023 – Learn How Much RN to BSN Graduates Earn?, https://www.nursingprocess.org/rn-to-bsn-salary/.

Admin. “CNA Salary: How Much Does a CNA Make in 2023?” CNA Free Training, https://cnafreetraining.com/cna-career-info/cna-salary/.

Logan, Kylie. “Nursing Salaries Surge 4% to Combat Burnout and Worker Shortages.” Fortune, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2021, https://fortune.com/2021/11/19/nursing-shortage-salary-increases-average-pay/.

LPN/LVN Salary by State [ Updated 2022] – Nightingale College. https://nightingale.edu/blog/lpn-salary/.

“Registered Nurse Salary 2023: How Much Does an RN Make?” Registered Nurse Salary || Latest 2023 Data, https://www.nursingprocess.org/rn-salary/.

“Registered Nurses.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 31 Mar. 2022, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm.

By AMN Healthcare

October 27, 2022

5448 Views

Unlocking Prosperity: Travel Nurse Earnings – Average Pay and Salary Insights

Posted on October 27, 2022December 19, 2023 by AMN Healthcare

AMN Healthcare provided this article.

When healthcare facilities need experienced nurses to fill nurse-to-patient ratios, they rely on travel nurses to fill in the void and get the job done. Travel nurses accept short-term assignments – typically thirteen weeks, to ensure high-quality patient care regardless of whether the healthcare facility has staffing shortages. Due to the flexible nature of the job and the experience the nurse brings to the table, travel nurses are typically paid more than permanent staff nurses.

Average Travel Nurse Salary

As of September 2022, the average travel nurse’s salary is $1,998 per week. (Indeed) There is potential for nurses to earn even more based on their location and specialty.

Highest Paying Travel Nursing Specialties

Speaking of specialties, the higher the demand for a nurse specialty, the higher the salary. The top five specialties for travel nurses include:

Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) is the most sought-after nurse specialty because CVICU nurses are responsible for caring for patients after heart transplants and open-heart surgeries. CVICU nurses can generally earn $2,223 to $4,406 per week.

Labor and Delivery (L&D) nurses are also in high demand. These nurses are invaluable and work in the maternity wards. An L&D travel nurse generally earns anywhere from $2,342 to $6,231 per week.

Emergency Room (ER) nurses treat patients in critical condition and suffering from trauma or a condition requiring emergency attention. ER nurses can earn up to $1,900 to $4,284 per week.

Progressive Care Unit (PCU) is a high-demand nurse specialty. PCU nurses quickly think on their feet as they monitor patients’ vital signs. PCU nurses can earn up to $1,914 to $4,333 a week.

Telemetry (TELE) travel nurses monitor patients’ vital signs and assist doctors with various procedures. TELE travel nurses perform the same duties as nurses in permanent positions but earn $1,967 to $4,191 per week, depending on the assignment.

Highest Paying Travel Nurses Locations

The highest-paying travel nurse locations are typically always in California and New York; other cities outside of California and New York with high-paying contracts include; Orlando, FL., and Atlanta, GA. The highest-paying cities in the U.S. for travel nurses are New York, New York; San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; Omaha, Nebraska; and Fort Myers, Florida. (Indeed)

As of September 2022, the states with the highest demand for travel nurses are California, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Traveling Nurse Competition and Benefits

Travel nurses are always in demand, but the competition is chasing the highest salary. Fortunately, salary can be supplemented with benefits. Some agencies offer benefits that may include; health insurance, vision insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance.

How to Increase your Travel Nurse Pay

Travel nurses can increase their pay, which doesn’t require negotiations. American Mobile recruiter, Levi L., shared, “If you want to maximize how much you make, there are different strategies such as finding low housing cost so that you can take home more money, take housing we provide, or take the housing subsidy. Also, take a look at tax rates. Some states don’t have a state income tax, while in California, nurses receive time and a half (overtime pay) if they work over eight hours.

Another option would be to consider various certifications. For example, some ER nurse positions pay more for nurses who have a TNCC certification.”

“The best option is to tell your recruiter your financial or compensation goals. While you can easily find the highest wages using AMN Passport, you don’t always want to base your final decision on the wage to meet your compensation goals.

That’s what the recruiter is here for – to maximize your compensation and optimize your experience.”

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Fusion Marketplace

February 23, 2022

2718 Views

Healthcare Travel Pay Trends by State

Posted on February 23, 2022November 28, 2023 by Fusion Marketplace

Fusion Marketplace provided this article.

Written by: Megan Bebout

The past few years have brought major changes in the world of healthcare travel. It seems like the notorious coronavirus, and its variants have virtually taken over the entire healthcare field, causing an influx in travel healthcare professionals like yourself. The dramatic increase in demand has also come with wage increases for healthcare professionals across the board. Let’s take a look at a breakdown of healthcare wage trends by state to gain a better idea of what to expect for the rest of 2022.

Recent changes in healthcare pay

Within a year, every state in the U.S. experienced changes in healthcare wages and, out of the 50 states, 44 of them saw at least a 10 percent growth in wage. With a 51.6 percent pay increase, Alaska tops the U.S. state as no. 1 for the highest healthcare pay growth, with Georgia followed behind at 47.7 percent and New Mexico at 40 percent.

Since winter enhances the spread of most viruses, the industry has seen a recent trend where wage increases mirror virus outbreaks within a particular state. In other words, the more infectious patients there are to treat, the more money you can make as a healthcare traveler.

Of course, what comes up must come down, and Wyoming healthcare workers felt firsthand the decrease in pay. For example, at the beginning of August 2021, healthcare professionals could expect a weekly salary of $2,538. But by the end of the month, that wage had decreased to $2,417, which is a decrease of 4.8 percent within the month.

There are several ways to compare your next travel assignment’s pay, including Fusion Marketplace. And regardless of where you live or where you travel to, you’re bound to feel the changes of healthcare pay eventually. When it happens, you can be as prepared as possible with Fusion Marketplace’s comprehensive job search platform and these recent trends broken out by state.

Healthcare travel wage trends by state

State	Weekly salary at the beginning of 2021	Weekly salary at the end of 2021	Percentage difference
Alabama	$2,074	$2,821	36%
Alaska	$2,154	$3,265	51.6%
Arizona	$2,375	$3,069	29.2%
Arkansas	$2,455	$2,911	18.6%
California	$2,587	$3,313	28.1%
Colorado	$2,157	$2,652	23%
Connecticut	$2,472	$2,542	2.8%
Delaware	$1,716	$2,810	38.9%
Florida	$2,402	$3,173	32.1%
Georgia	$2,456	$3,627	47.7%
Hawaii	$2,327	$2,367	1.7%
Idaho	$2,474	$3,173	28.3%
Illinois	$2,461	$2,879	17%
Indiana	$2,241	$2,908	20.1%
Iowa	$2,422	$2,677	10.5%
Kansas	$2,453	$2,756	12.4%
Kentucky	$2,325	$2,843	22.3%
Louisiana	$2,331	$2,925	25.5%
Maine	$2,311	$2,355	1.9%
Maryland	$2,284	$2,574	12.7%
Massachusetts	$2,419	$2,492	3%
Michigan	$2,296	$2,701	17.6%
Minnesota	$2,584	$2,970	14.9%
Mississippi	$2,348	2,814	19.9%
Missouri	$2,600	$3,022	16.2%
Montana	$2,091	$2,665	27.5%
Nebraska	$2,448	$2,680	9.5%
Nevada	$2,326	$2,863	23.1%
New Hampshire	$2,333	$2,600	11.4%
New Jersey	$2,309	$2,726	18.1%
New Mexico	$2,430	$3,401	40%
New York	$2,417	$2,788	15.4%
North Carolina	$2,289	$2,773	21.1%
North Dakota	$2,680	$3,396	26.7%
Ohio	$2,180	$2,581	18.4%
Oklahoma	$2,559	$3,025	18.2%
Oregon	$2,456	$3,211	30.7%
Pennsylvania	$2,441	$2,996	22.7%
Rhode Island	$2,259	$2,772	18.5%
South Carolina	$2,377	$2,749	15.7%
South Dakota	$2,392	$2,817	17.8%
Tennessee	$2,172	$2,588	19.2%
Texas	$2,270	$2,558	12.7%
Utah	$2,175	$2,727	25.4%
Vermont	$2,363	$2,457	4%
Virginia	$2,246	$2,546	13.4%
Washington	$2,307	$2,957	28.2%
West Virginia	$2,195	$2,569	17%
Wisconsin	$2,440	$3,159	29.5%
Wyoming	$2,538	$2,417	-4.8%

The healthcare industry goes through constant change, especially as the nation experiences infectious waves from illnesses like the coronavirus and influenza. As healthcare travelers become more and more in demand throughout the year, we can expect to see fluctuations in pay that mirror the demand. For you as a professional healthcare traveler, it’s important to keep up with current wage trends so you’re able to negotiate your pay with each assignment and ensure you’re making the most you can.

We hope you found this article on healthcare travel pay trends by state informational and helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please comment below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.

Author Bio

Megan Bebout

Megan is a professional writer and marketer, producing high-quality content to make a positive impact in the healthcare industry. She has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Journalism from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

January 20, 2022

3795 Views

A New Traveler’s Guide to Understanding Travel Nurse Pay

Posted on January 20, 2022January 17, 2022 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

TNAA Healthcare provided this article.

Lots of RNs use the fresh start of the new year as motivation to jump into a travel nurse career. Life as a travel nurse is exciting, but it also requires a lot of research to make sure you understand everything that goes with the profession. How do you move from place to place every three months? What is a tax home? What factors go into travel nurse pay? Whether you’ve already done your research or you’re just beginning, here’s some information about travel nurse pay that you might not have already known.

Who Sets Travel Nurse Bill Rates?

Travel nurse bill rates are set by healthcare facilities based on market demand, and that is constantly fluctuating. You’ll see fluctuations in travel nurse pay based on which areas of the country are being hardest hit with illness or nurse shortages, which specialties are in highest demand at a particular time, and so much more. Right now, pay rates for several specialties are up, but at some point, they’ll level off. For instance, once elective surgeries were back on hospital agendas, more OR nurses were needed. As COVID-19 cases ramp up again, ICU and ER nurses top the list of facility needs.

What Factors Go Into a Travel Nurse’s Pay Rate?

We’ve already talked about how market demand affects travel nurse bill rates. Market demand also impacts travel nurse pay rates. You might also see some pay differences for the same assignment from agency to agency based on other factors. Your pay rate depends on the benefits your agency offers and that you use (like housing per diems, paid sick leave, health insurance, etc.), the support your agency gives (like guaranteeing your pay if a hospital calls off your shift or help finding housing), and much more. The important thing to do is to identify what your needs are and find the contracts that fit your lifestyle the best. To understand the full compensation package and the help available for each assignment, your best bet is to talk with an experienced recruiter who can explain the details.

Where Do I Go For Issues With My Pay?

If you have any issues with your travel nurse pay, you’ll want to go straight to your agency. Your nurse manager likely doesn’t know or have a say in your compensation package. However, as your advocate, your travel nurse agency can review your timecard, discuss discrepancies with the hospital, and work out any issues.

When it comes to travel nurse pay, there are many factors to consider beyond the number listed with an assignment. There are benefits, taxes, and the list keeps going. Take the time to do your homework to understand what is going into your full compensation package and what you are actually bringing home.

We hope you found this article on understanding travel nurse pay helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below.

Are you considering travel nursing and need to find a travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Medely

September 22, 2020

10681 Views

Seven Ways Travel Nurses Can Maximize Their Pay

Posted on September 22, 2020May 19, 2021 by Medely

This article was provided by Medely.

From picking up per diem shifts to going back to school, there are multiple ways for travel nurses to earn more.

No one goes into nursing to get rich – most nurses are answering a call to help others. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ensure you’re being paid well while providing care. There’re many different ways to increase your pay as a nurse, but we’ve put together some of our top suggestions. Some of these tips are easy to implement – others will take time, a personal investment, and drive.

If you’re here, it’s likely you’re already a travel nurse – or at least considering it. This is a great first step to maximizing your earnings. Travel nurses make 20% more than non-travel nurses on average.

These tips assume you’re already working as a travel nurse. But enough preamble – let’s jump into our…

Seven tips to maximize pay as a travel nurse

Tip #1: Location, location, location

It’s true in real estate and it’s true for travel nurses. Whether it’s a local shortage of qualified professionals or just a higher cost of living, some markets simply pay better. Metropolitan areas typically pay better than rural ones. Non-hospital roles often pay better as well.

Just be careful of the geographies that pay more because the cost of living is higher. You might wind up just spending that extra pay on higher rent and groceries.

Tip #2: Pick up per diem shifts while on assignment

Picking up per diem shifts is a great way to maximize your pay during the coronavirus pandemic. Many cities are still under fairly strict lockdown mandates and your options for fun and adventure are limited. If your contract allows for overtime, working an extra shift or two at your current facility is easy to do. But it’s probably better for your career to work with different facilities in your market.

Working extra shifts at different facilities isn’t just about more money. It allows you to grow your network by working with different staff and doctors. Not only that, but you’re also able to see how different professionals approach various procedures and how they provide care.

Your choice in a travel nursing agency may impact this. Some agencies don’t offer per diem work or allow you to work with another agency to book shifts. While some travel nursing tech platforms, like Medely, offer both assignments and per diem right in the same app.

While there are a lot of benefits to working per diem shifts while on assignment, there can be drawbacks too. It’s important to make sure you get enough time off and rest. Your patients deserve the best care you can give, not what little gas you have left in the tank.

Tip # 3: Take less desirable shifts

From TGIF to “Woo-hoo! Three day weekend!” most of us think of work as Monday through Friday day shifts. But weekends, holidays, and night shifts all typically pay better for the exact same work as a weekday shift. Not everyone can make these less-desirable shifts fit their day-to-day schedule or travel plans, but the benefits are clear. If it works for you, these shifts can earn you an average of a few dollars more per hour.

Tip #4: Maximize your tax benefits and travel perks

Travel nursing typically includes per diem stipends for lodging and meals. These are generally tax-free up to a certain amount, which is set by the General Services Administration (GSA) and differs by geography and time of year.

How travel nursing agencies approach stipends can be wildly different. Some reimburse you for your actual expenses, up to the maximum. Others will offer a flat amount lower than the GSA recommendations for your location. And others, like Medely, offer the maximum tax-free stipend amount for your location on every assignment.

Obviously this isn’t the only deciding factor in the agency you choose. But if you work as a travel nurse for the majority of the year, they can add up to a large amount of your income quickly.

Tip #5: Pursue a new specialty

It’s no secret that certain specialties pay better. CRNA and Nurse Practitioners are at the top of the list but come with an advanced degree requirement. ICU and ER nursing traditionally pay well – but they come with a higher stress level. And any change in specialty will require you seizing the right opportunity. Yet another reason for building your professional network is important.

But if you’re up for the challenge, the pay off is clear. The degrees, certifications, and experience can add up to a specialty that pays six figures instead of five. Speaking of getting a new degree…

Tip #6: Earn an advanced degree

Earning a master’s degree is the first step to becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). It’s also the way to move into education, research, or climbing the ladder in healthcare administration. Each of these career paths holds considerable income potential, but they’re not for everyone. Not only do they require an incredible investment of time and money, but the programs themselves are rigorous and competitive. On top of that, several of these career moves will limit how much direct patient care you provide.

Tip #7: Get creative with facility and industry choices

Most people automatically think of hospitals and family practice when thinking of nursing – and certainly, that’s where many nurses work. But there’s plenty of work for nurses outside of that setting in both full-time roles and as side work. You can pick up shifts as an insurance nurse, tutor local nursing students, provide telehealth support, offer medical transcription or technical writing services, and much more. Not only can you earn extra income by working in these areas, but you might also discover something new that you’re passionate about.

Find the right balance for you

Whether you need a couple of extra dollars an hour or you want to move into a new tax bracket – the right choice will be different for everyone.

Some of these choices are fairly simple. Picking up travel assignments in a better market or finding an agency that pays you better can maximize your pay with minimal risk. Working third shift or eating up your time off with per diem shifts may help you meet a temporary goal, but may not fit your lifestyle.

Working around the clock can quickly lead to burnout. Providing medical transcription may bore you to tears. So don’t be afraid to try something and decide it’s not for you. No matter your choices, money is secondary to your health, happiness, and the level of care you give your patients.

We hope you found these tips for to help maximize pay helpful. Have you found any ways to help you maximize pay? Comment them below.

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

By The Gypsy Nurse

March 10, 2019

42153 Views

Diagnosing Your Travel Nurse Pay Package- Part 1

Posted on March 10, 2019June 5, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

Tips to determine your best Travel Nurse Pay Package options

Many components make up a travel nurse’s pay package. When comparing pay packages, don’t just look at the numbers. Travel nurses should dig deeper to see what other benefits are provided. Those additional benefits and bonuses can result in thousands of realized dollars on each contract.

Whether you’re ready to take on your first contract in travel nursing—or perhaps you’ve been at it for a while—determining the best compensation package can be daunting. With so many variables and agencies making promising claims, it’s important to understand what will work best for you and your financial well-being. As part of our ongoing “Truth in Travel Nursing” series, The Gypsy Nurse team has compiled the following first key steps in what to look for in your travel nurse pay package.

Hourly Equivalent

Several factors impact the hourly rate offered for travel nursing assignments. These include:

location: or the region and cost of living where the assignment is located
nursing specialties
timing: how quickly you can start the assignment
even some general supply and demand factors

A travel nurse’s pay will generally consist of two main components:

The regular, taxable hourly rate
The non-taxable reimbursements for housing and meals/incidentals. These are also called stipends, subsidies, allowances, or per diems. These reimbursement payments are meant to cover meals and lodging costs resulting from the duplicate costs of living away from home for the job. Note that you will not receive a housing subsidy if you take company housing.

While sometimes the taxable hourly rate can seem low, agencies structure pay packages to be tax-efficient for the nurse. The less money that goes to a taxable hourly rate and the more that goes to the non-taxable subsidies, the better the net pay for the nurse. This cannot be very clear. Let’s look at some variables and what they may mean for your situation.

Take a Closer Look at Your Taxable Rate

The taxable hourly rate calculates several benefits should you need to use them. Unemployment, workers’ compensation, and disability payments are based on taxable income. Taxable earnings are also where social security contributions originate. Therefore, if you are nearing retirement, lower taxable earnings could significantly impact your future social security payments. In addition, if you need to borrow money for a home or auto loan, the lender will determine your loan amount qualifications from your taxable income.

Take a Closer Look at Non-Taxable Amounts:

Higher non-taxed reimbursements will make your net paycheck increase. At face value, this is appealing. However, it may not be quite that simple. The tax code allows tax-free stipends only while working away from one’s tax home. In many pay-package discussions, the aspect of “per diems” comes up. Here is some further information to help clarify:

You must be eligible for the tax-free per diems. Do you qualify?

There is a widespread myth that if you live (tax home) more than 50 miles away from your assignment, you are entitled to, eligible for, or guaranteed the per diems completely free of taxes. IRS Publication 463 states that you can accept tax-free stipends if “you need to sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away from home.” There are no guidelines, no specific distance given that would constitute your need to sleep or rest. Therefore, if a traveler prefers to drive 70 miles each way to work and back each shift, they do not qualify for tax-free lodging allowances. Why? Because they are commuting. Further, if you commute or are within a “commutable distance,” you don’t qualify. There are no duplicate lodging expenses to reimburse.

The Per Diem amounts

The General Services Administration (a federal government agency) sets GSA Per Diem Rates. These are “the maximum allowances federal employees are reimbursed for expenses incurred while on official travel.” Although designed for government employees, these rates are also applied by the IRS to private sector employees. The travel nurse industry uses these in determining per diem rates. Therefore, these reimbursements are paid free of taxes. Above all, you mustn’t assume you will be paid the exact current GSA table rates. Here are three GSA realities:

GSA rates are the maximum amounts that can be reimbursed without the requirement to turn in receipts. There is NOT a requirement that these maximum amounts be paid out.
GSA rates are based more on short-term hotel housing, which tends to be pricier than the longer-term housing used for a typical travel nurse assignment.
Bill rates are what determine what travel pay and per diems will be. Very rarely is an agency bill rate high enough to pay out the GSA table maximum amount and retain a profit.

Stick with The Gypsy Nurse as we continue to evaluate additional factors that ultimately make up your compensation and your paycheck. We’ll continue to explore more benefits, total package value, guaranteed pay, low census protection, and more in our next article.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By The Gypsy Nurse

October 11, 2017

9172 Views

Ask A Travel Nurse: What’s Up With The Horrid Pay?

Posted on October 11, 2017March 21, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

Gypsy,

I’ve just received an offer for a travel position. I’m a new traveler, and I really don’t understand the offer. The pay offered is $30/hour, and the company will pay for housing. The second offer is for $22/hr, and they give me a weekly $645 tax-free stipend. These are both horrid pay rates!! Is this normal?

Lee

Thank you for reading The Gypsy Nurse. You have taken the first step on your journey to becoming A Gypsy Nurse.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it…DO NOT TRAVEL JUST FOR THE MONEY!!

Travel nursing ‘myths’ about pay are highly inflated. The market tanked (2008), and travel nursing cannot catch up from a financial standpoint. The offer that you have presented sounds about right (without doing the calculations myself) for the area. Travelers RARELY receive a shift differential, so this is a moot point.

With either one of these scenarios, your approximate take home (Approximate because I do not know your personal tax situation and any other benefits you are being offered.) would be around $800-1000 weekly after you account for housing costs. In my experience, this is about the norm. You could probably put a little more in your pocket each week by finding your own housing. I would think that you could find your own housing for less than what the company is accounting for.

You should also remember that you do not have to accept the first offer that the company gives to you. There is always room to negotiate. The thing to understand and remember in negotiating is that one way or another, it all comes out of the ‘Bill Rate.’

Don’t forget to get everything written into the contract as well. If the company ‘promised’ something, it doesn’t mean anything if it isn’t written into the contract.

I love hearing the opinions of my readers. Your opinion could be the perfect solution for someone. Please share your thoughts below in the comments.

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

March 6, 2017

20331 Views

Why Don’t Some Travel Nursing Agencies List Pay Rates?

Posted on March 6, 2017January 16, 2023 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

This article was provided by Travel Nurse Across America®

Travel nursing isn’t your average career for a long list of reasons – new locations, new workplaces, and new faces every few months, to name a few. But in some ways, looking for a new travel nursing assignment is the same as searching for any new job, and all job seekers want to know the facts before they apply. So what’s a savvy travel nurse supposed to think when the travel agencies they’re thinking about working with aren’t advertising how much their jobs pay? Let’s look at some of the reasons why travel agencies don’t post pay rates and what it means for travel nurses.

Are They Trying to Keep Me in The Dark?

The short answer is no. While it might look suspicious that a travel agency doesn’t list pay rates for travel nursing assignments, their motivation is not to mislead you. Because of each traveler’s unique situation, pay rates and packages can vary from person to person and contract to contract, even at the same facility. Often, agencies choose not to list pay rates because they don’t want a nurse to apply, thinking they will be paid a certain amount to find out it is different due to their particular circumstances and preferences not determined until later.

Like Snowflakes, No Two Pay Packages Are the Same.

Although it might not sound fair for two nurses to be paid different hourly rates at the same facility, this is sometimes the case. The key to travel nurse pay is considering the entire package, not just the hourly rate. Many factors contribute to a travel nurse’s compensation package, including the hourly rate, benefits, housing, meals, and incidentals – some of which are taxable and some possibly not, again depending on each individual’s circumstances. An “hourly equivalent” can be calculated from the total compensation package, which is a more accurate way to evaluate travel nurse pay in each unique scenario.

What About The Pay Rates Do I See Online?

Some travel nursing agencies will advertise pay rates on their companies’ websites or social media pages. While you may see some big numbers, keep in mind that this may not represent what is available to every nurse who applies. Consider the weight loss commercials you have seen on TV. While the celebrity on the screen has seen great results, the fine print says your results may vary. These are advertisements meant to capture your attention and your application with an agency, and the pay rates may not be realistic.

In some cases, agencies will take a non-taxable benefit such as per diems and gross the amount up for taxes as a “tax-equivalent” hourly rate. Be careful, as taxable pay rates and per diems are not the same, and everyone’s tax rates differ. Always make sure that the package is not skirting IRS or state tax laws to put more in your pocket today at the risk of an audit in the future.

When trying to find the travel nursing assignment that’s right for you, it’s always best to develop a relationship with a recruiter who can advise you with your best interests in mind to find the assignment that’s right for you. The top agencies will provide an apples-to-apples comparison of competing pay packages to ensure you do not make a financial decision on incorrect information. That way, you’ll get the best of everything that travel nursing has to offer, which includes pay rate – but as you can see, a whole lot more.

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