Travel Nurse Salary in Massachusetts
Which Massachusetts specialties pay most
The heaviest Massachusetts demand sits in Boston's teaching hospitals and specialty centers, with steady volume in Worcester and Springfield, and your specialty is the main driver of pay. Pick one below for current rates.
Massachusetts travel pay, top to bottom
Led by Boston's academic hospitals, Massachusetts pays at the top of New England. Below: the weekly rate, how high it climbs around Boston, and how the state ranks nationally.
How travel nurse salary in Massachusetts compares
Same paycheck, very different economics. This ranks top travel markets by what a contract is worth after typical rent, alongside each state demand outlook. Texas ranks well: no income tax and below-average rent stretch the check further than several higher-posted states. Each state links through to its own salary page.
| State | Median pay | State income tax | Market outlook | Compact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts You're here | $2,412 | 5.0% flat + 4% surtax >$1M (top 9.0%) | Surplus statewide; turnover/specialty-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Rhode Island | $2,709 | up to 5.99% (graduated) | Above balance; turnover- & acuity-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Alaska | $2,507 | 0% | Statewide surplus; remote/bush coverage drives travel need HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Vermont | $2,507 | up to 8.75% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| North Dakota | $2,331 | up to 2.5% (graduated) | Statewide surplus; frontier/oil-region demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New Jersey | $2,597 | up to 10.75% (graduated) | Among 10 states with the largest projected RN shortage by 2036 NJ Collaborating Center for Nursing | Yes ✓ | |
| West Virginia | $2,240 | up to ~4.58% (graduated) | Above balance; aging/rural Appalachian demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Nevada | $2,404 | 0% | Surplus statewide; Vegas/Reno growth keeps demand high HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Nebraska | $2,264 | up to 4.55% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Wisconsin | $2,255 | up to 7.65% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; distribution & specialty-mix demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Wyoming | $2,189 | 0% | Largest projected surplus; frontier/rural demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Maine | $2,303 | up to 7.15% (graduated) | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; aging population HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Iowa | $2,171 | 3.8% flat | Near balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Washington | $2,366 | 0% | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~17% by 2038 (~15,020 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Illinois | $2,260 | 4.95% flat | ~27% of RNs plan to retire within 5 years IL Nursing Workforce Center | No | |
| Kentucky | $2,153 | 3.5% flat | Near balance; metro + rural Appalachian demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New Mexico | $2,166 | up to 5.9% (graduated) | Slight RN shortage (~2% by 2038); below-avg density HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| California | $2,464 | up to 13.3% (graduated) | ~78,000 RNs not working in nursing (57% age 65+) CA BRN · UCSF 2022 | No | |
| Ohio | $2,137 | 2.75% flat | Surplus statewide; high-acuity & rural distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New Hampshire | $2,320 | 0% | ~7% RN shortfall by 2038; aging population HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Minnesota | $2,176 | up to 9.85% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; greater-MN distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Idaho | $2,147 | 5.3% flat | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; below-avg RN density HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Louisiana | $2,079 | 3.0% flat | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~11% by 2038 (~5,680 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Oklahoma | $2,077 | up to 4.5% (graduated) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~13% by 2038 HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Indiana | $2,100 | 2.95% flat | ~5,000 more nurses needed by 2031 (72% of need met) Indiana Hospital Assn. · IU Bowen | Yes ✓ | |
| Kansas | $2,071 | up to 5.58% (graduated) | Above balance; rural hospitals at closure risk HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Michigan | $2,096 | 4.25% flat | 22,000+ unfilled nursing roles projected by 2030 Michigan Health Council 2024 | No | |
| Missouri | $2,055 | up to 4.7% (graduated) | Statewide balance; KC/STL turnover + rural gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Montana | $2,133 | up to 5.65% (graduated) | Above balance; frontier/rural coverage drives demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Connecticut | $2,244 | up to 6.99% (graduated) | Above balance; turnover- & acuity-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Arizona | $2,159 | 2.5% flat | Population & retiree growth sustain metro demand BLS Occupational Outlook | Yes ✓ | |
| Pennsylvania | $2,104 | 3.07% flat | ~8% RN shortfall by 2038 (~11,970 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Oregon | $2,147 | up to 9.9% (graduated) | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; Portland-anchored HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Colorado | $2,165 | 4.4% flat | ~15% RN shortfall by 2030 (~10,000 nurses) CO Center for Nursing · Mercer | Yes ✓ | |
| New York | $2,275 | up to 10.9% (graduated) + NYC local | ~40,000 nurse shortage by 2030; 17,000+ RN openings/yr NY State DOH · DOL | No | |
| Alabama | $1,966 | up to 5.0% (graduated) | Statewide surplus; demand in rural/non-metro facilities HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Tennessee | $1,972 | 0% | 8,500+ RN shortfall projected by 2035 TN Hospital Assn. | Yes ✓ | |
| Maryland | $2,117 | up to 6.5% (graduated) + county | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~16% by 2038 (~10,890 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Florida | $2,111 | 0% | 59,000+ nurse shortage by 2035 (vacancy 7.8%) FL Hospital Assn. | Yes ✓ | |
| Virginia | $2,054 | up to 5.75% (graduated) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~8% by 2038 (~8,020 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| South Carolina | $1,949 | 0%–6% graduated (top 6%) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~12% by 2038 (~7,250 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Georgia | $1,984 | 4.99% flat | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~20% by 2038 (~25,110 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| North Carolina | $1,906 | 3.99% flat | ~12,500 RN shortfall by 2033 (~11%) NC Nursecast · UNC Sheps | Yes ✓ | |
| Mississippi | $1,811 | 4.0% flat | Statewide balance; Delta/Gulf-Coast distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Texas | $1,892 | 0% | 57,000+ RN shortfall by 2032 (~16%) TX DSHS 2024 · 739 hospitals | Yes ✓ | |
| Hawaii | $2,104 | up to 11.0% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; neighbor-island/specialty gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Arkansas | $1,741 | up to 3.7% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Utah | $1,785 | 4.45% flat | Above balance; fast growth keeps demand elevated HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ |
How Massachusetts pay varies by metro
Massachusetts travel work concentrates in Greater Boston, home to its some of the nation's top-ranked academic medical centers, with Worcester, Springfield, and the Cape adding volume. Boston pays the most and costs the most by a wide margin.
Inside the Massachusetts travel nurse paycheck
Around high-cost Boston, the tax-free portion of a package pulls extra weight. A weekly rate is taxable base wages plus non-taxable housing and meal allowances, and what you take home turns on how that package is built.
The cost side of a Massachusetts contract
Massachusetts pays among the top rates in the country, anchored by Boston's academic hospitals, but Greater Boston also carries some of the nation's highest housing costs. The state levies a flat income tax. Strong rates still net well, though where you work matters. Below is what the rate holds once Boston-area rent is out.
Top-paying Massachusetts contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across Massachusetts, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
Common Massachusetts travel pay questions
What defines the Massachusetts travel market?
Can I use a compact license in Massachusetts?
How much does Boston rent eat into a contract?
What acuity should I expect on a Boston assignment?
Is Worcester a smart alternative to Boston?
Massachusetts travel nursing jobs & pay
Massachusetts travel RN contracts are paying a median of $2,412/week right now.
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