Highest Paying Travel Nurse States (2026)

Explore the highest paying states for travel nurses with real-time compensation intelligence, specialty demand trends, and market forecasting.

Updated Weekly

Nationwide Pay Intelligence

AI-Powered Market Forecasting

Highest Average Weekly Pay

$5,200

California ICU contracts

Fastest Pay Growth

+14%

Phoenix, Arizona market growth

Top Shortage Specialty

ER

Emergency Room travel nursing

Top Housing Stipends

$1,900

Los Angeles premium contracts

Highest Paying States by Weekly Pay

Rank	State	Typical Weekly Pay	Top Specialty	Demand Level	Market Trend
1	California	$4,800 – $5,200	CVICU	Extreme	Rising
2	Washington	$4,500 – $4,900	ER	High	Rising
3	Massachusetts	$4,400 – $4,800	ICU	High	Strong Growth
4	Arizona	$4,300 – $4,700	ER	High	Rapid Growth
5	Texas	$4,100 – $4,600	ICU	Moderate	Stable
6	Florida	$3,900 – $4,300	Telemetry	Moderate	Stable

See the Highest Paying Travel Nurse Contracts This Week

View real travel nurse compensation packages submitted nationwide with live pay intelligence and market trend analysis.

View Live Contracts

Check Your Travel Nurse Contract Pay

Use the free Travel Nurse Intel analyzer to estimate whether your current contract is above or below market compensation.

Analyze Your Contract

Disclaimer

Travel nurse pay estimates shown on this page are based on market trends, publicly available compensation data, recruiter submissions, and internal analytics. Actual contract compensation may vary depending on specialty, shift differentials, hospital systems, regional demand, recruiter margins, stipend structures, certifications, and experience levels. Information is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, financial, or employment advice.