Top Paying Travel Nurse Jobs & Locations in 2025

Travel nurses looking for the highest pay in 2025 should focus on a few key states and specialties. Washington state leads with the top average salary, closely followed by the District of Columbia, New York, and California—especially for specialty roles. Below, you'll find a breakdown of where and why these areas offer the best compensation, plus actionable tips for maximizing your earnings. ### Highest Paying Locations for Travel Nurses in 2025 - **Washington State**: Offers the highest average annual salary at $114,542 ($55.07/hr), well above the national average. [1] - **District of Columbia**: Averages $114,282 per year ($54.94/hr), making it a close second. [1] - **New York**: Travel nurses earn about $110,642 annually ($53.19/hr), though the cost of living is high. [1] - **California**: Remains the top-paying state for specialty travel nurses, with average RN salaries reaching $137,690, especially in high-demand specialties. [2] ### Specialty and City Hotspots - **Specialty Demand**: Cath-lab, NICU, OR, PACU, and telemetry nurses command premium rates across these states. [4][2] - **City Hotspots**: Kansas City (MO), Austin (TX), and Denver (CO) are highlighted as lucrative cities for travel nurses, particularly in high-need specialties. [3] ### Key Factors Influencing Pay - **Cost of Living Adjustments**: States with higher living expenses (Washington, DC, California) offer higher base salaries to offset costs. [1] - **Experience and Certifications**: Advanced skills and certifications can boost annual earnings by up to $5,000. [4] - **Non-Taxable Stipends**: Housing and meal stipends add significant value, especially in expensive markets. [4] If you're targeting the most lucrative travel nurse roles, consider searching on JobLeap, which curates high-paying, in-demand assignments and helps you filter by location, specialty, and compensation. To help you explore these opportunities, here are some of the top travel nurse job openings in high-paying areas for 2025. [[FEATURED_JOB_OPENINGS]] ### Industry Insights for Travel Nurses - Demand for travel nurses remains high due to ongoing staffing shortages, with nearly 200,000 RN job openings projected annually through 2033. [5][6] - Specialty certifications and experience in high-need areas (like OR or NICU) are increasingly valuable for negotiating top pay. [4][2] - Non-taxable stipends and cost-of-living adjustments are critical components of total compensation in high-paying states. [1][4] ### Summary of Highest Paying Areas - Washington, DC, New York, and California are the highest paying states for travel nurses in 2025, especially for specialty roles. - City hotspots like Kansas City, Austin, and Denver offer strong earning potential for in-demand specialties. - Experience, certifications, and non-taxable stipends can significantly boost your total compensation. ### Next Steps for Maximizing Your Travel Nurse Earnings - Use JobLeap to search for travel nurse assignments in top-paying states and cities, filtering by specialty and compensation. - Pursue specialty certifications (e.g., OR, NICU, cath-lab) to increase your earning potential and job options. - Compare total compensation packages, including stipends and benefits, not just base salary, when evaluating offers. [[SIMILAR_JOBS]]