Travel Nurse Salary in Colorado
Where Colorado specialty demand runs hottest
Denver concentrates Colorado demand across UCHealth, HCA HealthONE, and Intermountain Health, with Colorado Springs and Fort Collins adding volume, and specialty drives the rate more than location. Pick one below for live pay.
Colorado contract pay at a glance
Colorado draws travelers as a destination market. Below is what open contracts pay weekly, how the figure shifts by specialty and metro, and where the state ranks across the Mountain West and nationally.
How travel nurse salary in Colorado 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado You're here | $2,165 | 4.4% flat | ~15% RN shortfall by 2030 (~10,000 nurses) CO Center for Nursing · Mercer | 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 ✓ | |
| New Mexico | $2,184 | up to 5.9% (graduated) | Slight RN shortage (~2% by 2038); below-avg density 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 | |
| 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 | $2,153 | up to 9.9% (graduated) | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; Portland-anchored HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| 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 ✓ |
Where Colorado travel nurses earn most
Denver and its suburbs hold most of Colorado's travel contracts, with Colorado Springs second and Fort Collins, Boulder, and Aurora adding volume. Denver-specific ranges, hospitals, and living costs live on the Denver salary page for anyone zeroed in on that metro.
The parts of a Colorado travel rate
With Colorado's above-average living costs, the untaxed stipend portion carries weight. A weekly figure is a taxable base plus non-taxable housing and meal stipends, and that combination, not the base alone, sets what you keep.
The cost side of a Colorado contract
Colorado's cost of living runs above the national average, with Denver and the mountain towns carrying the steepest housing, though a low flat income tax helps. Where you land decides how far a rate goes, and Denver's salary page tests it against local rent and everyday costs.
Top-paying Colorado contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across Colorado, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
Colorado travel nurse salary questions
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Colorado travel nursing jobs & pay
Colorado travel RN contracts are paying a median of $2,165/week right now.
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