Traveling Nurses: The pay and the benefits

Traveling Nurses: The pay and the benefits

There are a lot of benefits to becoming a traveling nurse not to mention top pay in a very high demanding field.  There is a huge demand in the nursing profession and travel nurses are placed in areas around the country to fill those vacancies.

A quick overview of all the benefits you may find when becoming a travel nurse is listed below. These benefits are just a few of the many rewarding benefits you will experience.

Travel: 

As a traveling nurse you are reimbursed for all your travel expenses from moving to and from each assignment. Some agencies cover gas mileage while some will offer up to 650 for air travel expense.  Most agencies have worked it in a way that your travel expensive is tax free. 

Housing:

While on assignment your housing is paid for including your basic utilities. Private housing usually includes a one bedroom apartment close to your assignment that is full furnished.  If your needs are greater then a 1 bedroom then you may have to pay a small portion towards your special housing needs. You can also choose to live in your own accommodations that you find yourself and will be given a housing allowance based on area of assignment.  Some of the communities that travel nurses are placed in include gyms, pools, spas and clubhouses.  You can even travel with your spouse, children or pets. Depending on your needs your agency will help you obtain the housing that you need to suit your lifestyle. 

Retirement Plans:

Most agencies will offer you some kind of retirement plan, a 401K or something of that nature. You will want to see if the agency you work matches your contributions. 

Medical, Dental and Eye Insurance:

Most of the top agencies will offer you medical, dental and eye insurance at no cost to you. Your dependent coverage will depend on the company and is usually available for a minimal fee.  You are usually offered a choice of plans that you can choose from that will suit your lifestyle and needs.

Top Rate Pays:

As a traveling nurse you will be opened up to a higher pay level then if you where a non-travel nurse.  As a traveling nurse you can obtain hourly pay up to $60.00 per hour depending on the assignment and the location of the assignment.

Sign on Bonuses: 

Depending on the type of assignment available and the demand for the position to be filled some facilities will offer a sign on bonus. A sign on bonus can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars easy.  Some agencies will even offer you a sign on bonus to sign on with their agencies. As the needs in the nursing field grow more agencies are looking to fill positions. 

Completion Bonus:

Although not as common as the sign on bonuses some agencies will offer a completion bonus for when you complete an assignment. 

Referral Bonus:

Some agencies also offer their employees a referral bonus when they have someone sign up with the agency and say that their employee referred them to the agency. Sign on bonuses can range from a hundred to a thousand dollars. Some agencies have even offered more for their referral bonuses.