Travel Nurse Salary in North Carolina
What each specialty pays in North Carolina
What a North Carolina contract pays comes down mostly to your specialty, with demand split between Charlotte's community systems and the academic centers around Raleigh-Durham. The units taking travelers now are below.
North Carolina travel pay in plain terms
Steady growth from Charlotte to the Triangle keeps North Carolina demand strong. Below sits the going weekly rate, how far it spreads, and how the state measures against the national average.
How travel nurse salary in North Carolina 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina You're here | $1,906 | 3.99% flat | ~12,500 RN shortfall by 2033 (~11%) NC Nursecast · UNC Sheps | Yes ✓ | |
| 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 ✓ | |
| Massachusetts | $2,412 | 5.0% flat + 4% surtax >$1M (top 9.0%) | Surplus statewide; turnover/specialty-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| 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 ✓ | |
| 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 ✓ |
Comparing North Carolina metros on pay
North Carolina's travel work centers on Charlotte and the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), with Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Asheville adding volume. The two big markets offer different mixes of community and academic assignments.
How a North Carolina weekly rate breaks down
North Carolina's flat income tax keeps the base's withholding simple and low. Weekly pay pairs taxable wages with non-taxable housing and meal allowances, and how those pieces balance matters more than the posted figure.
North Carolina take-home after living costs
In North Carolina a competitive rate tends to keep its value, since the cost of living runs close to the national average. There's a flat state income tax, but the state's affordable housing helps offset it. See what the rate holds after local rent below.
Top-paying North Carolina contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across North Carolina, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
North Carolina pay, question by question
How do Charlotte and the Research Triangle differ for travelers?
Is North Carolina compact for licensing purposes?
What's happening with North Carolina's income tax?
Where outside the big two markets is there work?
What should I confirm before a Duke or UNC assignment?
North Carolina travel nursing jobs & pay
North Carolina travel RN contracts are paying a median of $1,906/week right now.
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