Advantis salary data Updated today · 25 open Boston jobs

Travel Nurse Salary in Boston, MA

Median weekly · Boston
$2,591
+$179/wk vs the Massachusetts median · range $2,154–$2,958
Pay after Boston rent / mo
≈ $8,930/mo
$2,591/wk × 4.33 − $2,289 typical 2-BR rent. Before taxes. (HUD FMR FY2026.)
State income tax
5.0% flat + 4% surtax >$1M (top 9.0%)
Specialties in demand

The specialty board in Boston

Boston's teaching hospitals keep a deep set of units posting, with ICU, OR, and pediatric lines especially active alongside the general floors. The open specialty carries the rate more than the institution behind it. Filter by specialty to pull the live Boston rates.

Operating Room ER Oncology ICU Labor and Delivery Med Surg
Specialties with open contracts in this metro. Tap any for current openings. Rates vary by facility, shift, and start date.
What the number includes

The three parts of a Boston weekly rate

In Boston, the housing stipend is under real pressure: a two-bedroom near $2,941 runs about 48% above the national norm and above the roughly $2,289 Massachusetts average, so the stipend rarely covers the whole cost. The base and a meal stipend complete the week, but in Boston rent is what separates a strong headline from real take-home.

Hourly base, the wage portion of the rate Housing stipend, a weekly housing allowance Meals & incidentals, a daily meals allowance
The exact split varies by contract and location.
Boston context

What a Boston rate nets after rent and tax

Boston's hospitals cluster teaching and referral volume few regions match, so openings refresh as positions fill. The catch for a traveler is cost. Greater Boston's living costs run well above the national average and rent about 48% above it, a two-bedroom near $2,941 against the roughly $2,289 Massachusetts average, so the after-rent figure can sit well below the headline rate.

Taxes are simpler than the rent. Massachusetts taxes income at a flat 5%, with a 4% surtax that applies only above $1 million, so most travelers pay the flat rate, and there is no local income tax. Licensing is the bigger step: Massachusetts enacted the compact in November 2024 but has not yet switched it on, so a multistate license will not cover a Boston assignment. You license through the Massachusetts board by endorsement first, about four to six weeks; the board has set no go-live date for the compact, so check its current status. The Massachusetts RN licensing guide spells out the process.

5.0% flat + 4% surtax >$1M (top 9.0%)
State income tax
Factored into take-home; travel stipends are typically tax-free.
Single-state
Start on your license
Licensure by endorsement.
12.36 /1k
RN per 1,000 residents
Below the national 9.92, so the market is structurally under-supplied, which keeps demand high.
Surplus statewide; turnover/specialty-driven demand
HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term
Sustained demand keeps contracts open.
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 (2-BR rent), BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 (cost of living), NCSBN; MA Board of Registration in Nursing (license status), Tax Foundation; MA DOR (state tax); all Boston, MA. General information.
Live openings

See Boston travel nurse jobs

With Boston rent far above the national norm, the rate worth taking is the one that survives housing. The open roles follow, each listing its pay, specialty, and shift in full.

Cath Lab · Boston, MA
Days · 13 wks
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Oncology · Boston, MA
Days · 13 wks
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CVOR · Boston, MA
Nights · 13 wks
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Labor and Delivery · Boston, MA
Rotating · 13 wks
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Boston salary questions

Salary FAQs for Boston travelers

What's the weekly pay for a Boston, MA travel nurse?
Boston posts strong headline rates from an academic market with few peers, paid by the contract week. The number that counts, though, is what survives the city's steep rent and tax. Read the median and range in the pay range above against the cost before judging an offer.
Which units drive Boston's top rates?
Boston's referral acuity concentrates the premium at the high-acuity units. Boston's upper rates land on OR, ICU, ER, pediatric, and Labor and Delivery contracts, with Med Surg lower and off-shifts paying more. The live board sits above.
Does a high Boston rate actually go further?
In Boston, not always. Boston's rates run strong, but its rent and overall cost run well above the national norm, so a high headline can net like a cheaper market once housing is paid. The after-rent figure is the one to weigh.
Is a compact license enough for Boston?
Not yet. Massachusetts signed the compact into law in late 2024 but has not switched it on, so a multistate license will not cover a Boston assignment. You need a Massachusetts license by endorsement, about four to six weeks; the board has not set a go-live date, so check its status before counting on it. The Massachusetts board lists the current steps.
How heavily do Massachusetts taxes cut into Boston pay?
Lightly, relative to the rent. The state income tax is a flat 5%, and the 4% surtax applies only to income above $1 million, so most traveling nurses just pay the 5% with no local tax on top. Rent, not tax, is what moves Boston take-home.
Does Boston pay stretch further than the state or national average?
Rarely, after rent. Boston pays above most of Massachusetts, but its rent runs about 48% above the national norm and above the state average, so the cost erases much of the premium. The comparison above measures the city against state and national cost.
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Boston travel nursing jobs & pay

Jobs by specialty
ICU →Oncology →
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