Travel Nurse Salary in Tennessee
With no state income tax on wages and relatively affordable living costs, Tennessee gives travelers useful context beyond weekly pay. Compare travel nurse Tennessee salary by specialty and market using live data from travel nursing jobs, then weigh housing costs and estimated pay after rent.
Tennessee specialties with the most demand
Tennessee demand leans on Nashville's dense hospital and health-company presence plus Memphis to the west, and specialty is the biggest lever on pay. Choose one below to see current openings.
The Tennessee pay range in full
No income tax and a deep Nashville-and-Memphis market draw travelers to Tennessee. Below: the weekly rate, how wide the range runs, and where the state falls against the national midpoint.
How travel nurse salary in Tennessee 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. No-income-tax states are marked so you can weigh them separately. States with their own salary page link through.
| State | Median weekly pay | Market outlook | Compact | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee You're here | $1,926 | No | 8,500+ RN shortfall projected by 2035 TN Hospital Assn. | Yes ✓ | |
| Rhode Island | $2,723 | up to 5.99% (graduated) | Above balance; turnover- & acuity-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Nevada | $2,460 | No | Surplus statewide; Vegas/Reno growth keeps demand high HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Minnesota | $2,345 | up to 9.85% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; greater-MN distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Alaska | $2,363 | No | Statewide surplus; remote/bush coverage drives travel need HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Vermont | $2,361 | up to 8.75% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| West Virginia | $2,206 | up to ~4.58% (graduated) | Above balance; aging/rural Appalachian demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New Jersey | $2,485 | up to 10.75% (graduated) | Among 10 states with the largest projected RN shortage by 2036 NJ Collaborating Center for Nursing | Yes ✓ | |
| Nebraska | $2,243 | up to 4.55% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Montana | $2,318 | up to 5.65% (graduated) | Above balance; frontier/rural coverage drives demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Oregon | $2,355 | up to 9.9% (graduated) | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; Portland-anchored HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Oklahoma | $2,210 | up to 4.5% (graduated) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~13% by 2038 HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Wyoming | $2,173 | No | Largest projected surplus; frontier/rural demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| California | $2,541 | up to 13.3% (graduated) | ~78,000 RNs not working in nursing (57% age 65+) CA BRN · UCSF 2022 | No | |
| Iowa | $2,171 | 3.8% flat | Near balance; rural/critical-access distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Wisconsin | $2,204 | up to 7.65% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; distribution & specialty-mix demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Louisiana | $2,172 | 3.0% flat | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~11% by 2038 (~5,680 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New Mexico | $2,202 | up to 5.9% (graduated) | Slight RN shortage (~2% by 2038); below-avg density HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Idaho | $2,222 | 5.3% flat | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; below-avg RN density HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Maine | $2,278 | 5.8%–9.15% (incl. 2% surtax) | ~6% RN shortfall by 2038; aging population HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Illinois | $2,253 | 4.95% flat | ~27% of RNs plan to retire within 5 years IL Nursing Workforce Center | No | |
| North Dakota | $2,123 | up to 2.5% (graduated) | Statewide surplus; frontier/oil-region demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Connecticut | $2,341 | up to 6.99% (graduated) | Above balance; turnover- & acuity-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Ohio | $2,137 | 2.75% flat | Surplus statewide; high-acuity & rural distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Kentucky | $2,095 | 3.5% flat | Near balance; metro + rural Appalachian demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Massachusetts | $2,413 | 5.0% flat + 4% surtax (top 9.0%) | Surplus statewide; turnover/specialty-driven demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No | |
| Indiana | $2,107 | 2.95% flat | ~5,000 more nurses needed by 2031 (72% of need met) Indiana Hospital Assn. · IU Bowen | Yes ✓ | |
| Michigan | $2,118 | 4.25% flat | 22,000+ unfilled nursing roles projected by 2030 Michigan Health Council 2024 | No | |
| New Hampshire | $2,286 | No | ~7% RN shortfall by 2038; aging population HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Kansas | $2,071 | up to 5.58% (graduated) | Above balance; rural hospitals at closure risk HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Missouri | $2,067 | up to 4.7% (graduated) | Statewide balance; KC/STL turnover + rural gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Arizona | $2,185 | 2.5% flat | Population & retiree growth sustain metro demand BLS Occupational Outlook | Yes ✓ | |
| New York | $2,336 | up to 10.9% (graduated) + NYC local | ~40,000 nurse shortage by 2030; 17,000+ RN openings/yr NY State DOH · DOL | No | |
| Washington | $2,237 | None on wages | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~17% by 2038 (~15,020 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Pennsylvania | $2,100 | 3.07% flat | ~8% RN shortfall by 2038 (~11,970 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Alabama | $1,970 | up to 5.0% (graduated) | Statewide surplus; demand in rural/non-metro facilities HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Colorado | $2,110 | 4.4% flat | ~15% RN shortfall by 2030 (~10,000 nurses) CO Center for Nursing · Mercer | Yes ✓ | |
| Utah | $2,033 | 4.45% flat | Above balance; fast growth keeps demand elevated HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Mississippi | $1,907 | 4.0% flat | Statewide balance; Delta/Gulf-Coast distribution demand HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Maryland | $2,116 | up to 6.5% (graduated) + county | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~16% by 2038 (~10,890 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Georgia | $2,021 | 4.99% flat | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~20% by 2038 (~25,110 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| North Carolina | $1,973 | 3.99% flat | ~12,500 RN shortfall by 2033 (~11%) NC Nursecast · UNC Sheps | Yes ✓ | |
| Virginia | $2,046 | up to 5.75% (graduated) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~8% by 2038 (~8,020 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Arkansas | $1,879 | up to 3.7% (graduated) | Above balance; rural/critical-access gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Florida | $2,079 | No | 59,000+ nurse shortage by 2035 (vacancy 7.8%) FL Hospital Assn. | Yes ✓ | |
| South Carolina | $1,924 | 1.99% / 5.21% (two brackets) | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~12% by 2038 (~7,250 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| Texas | $1,920 | No | 57,000+ RN shortfall by 2032 (~16%) TX DSHS 2024 · 739 hospitals | Yes ✓ | |
| Hawaii | $1,957 | up to 11.0% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; neighbor-island/specialty gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No |
Top travel nurse cities in Tennessee
Tennessee's travel work centers on Nashville and Memphis, with Knoxville and Chattanooga adding steady volume. Nashville's healthcare concentration makes it the busiest market, while a low cost of living statewide compounds the advantage.
How Tennessee packages come together
Tennessee's no-income-tax status leaves the base untouched by state withholding, and low costs lift what the rest buys. Travel pay arrives weekly as a taxable base alongside non-taxable housing and meal stipends, and the mix shapes your real income.
The real value of Tennessee travel pay
Tennessee is one of the more affordable states in the country and charges no state income tax, so a mid-range weekly rate tends to net out ahead of a higher one in a coastal market. Below, see what a contract clears once Tennessee rent is paid.
Top-paying Tennessee contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across Tennessee, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
Clear answers for Tennessee travelers
Does Tennessee take anything out of wages?
Why is Nashville such a busy travel market?
Is my compact license valid in Tennessee?
How do Memphis and the eastern cities compare to Nashville?
What systems will I encounter in Tennessee?
Open travel RN contracts are paying a median of $1,926 per week right now.
Explore current assignments by location, setting, shift and weekly pay, then let us know which opportunities interest you.
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