Travel Nurse Salary in Austin, TX
Austin vs other Texas metros
Austin's rent runs just behind Dallas and above the other big Texas metros, so its after-rent figure often trails cheaper markets that post a little less on paper. The comparison below weighs each metro's pay against its rent, not the sticker rate alone.
| Metro | Median /wk | 2-BR rent | Cost of living | Pay after rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $2,111 | $1,558 | 99 | ≈ $7,583 |
| Austin This metro | $2,061 | $1,852 | 98 | ≈ $7,072 |
| San Antonio | $1,913 | $1,419 | 95 | ≈ $6,862 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | $1,984 | $1,859 | 103 | ≈ $6,730 |
Austin roles by specialty
Austin's systems have grown with the city, and the mix they post, led by L&D and women's services, shapes the rate as much as the employer. A hospital network that has grown fast with the city keeps a broad set of units posting, from the downtown medical campuses to the northern suburbs. Pick a specialty to see live Austin roles and the current weekly pay.
What makes up an Austin pay package
In Austin, the housing stipend carries more weight than in most Texas metros, because rent is the steep part of the equation here. With a two-bedroom running well above the statewide norm, the gap between a strong headline rate and real take-home comes down to how far that stipend reaches. The base rate and meal stipend fill out the rest, but housing is what swings an Austin number most.
Austin pay, after rent and tax
Austin's market has grown alongside the city, so contracts post steadily across a hospital network that keeps adding capacity. For a traveler, the figure that matters is what the rate is worth after Austin's rent. Everyday costs sit close to the national average, but rent is the outlier: a typical two-bedroom runs well above the national norm and runs above the other Texas metros, so the after-rent number, not the headline, is what to watch.
Two things work in your favor here. Texas takes no state income tax, so the same gross nets more than it would in a state that taxes wages. And as a Nurse Licensure Compact member, Texas lets a multistate license start an Austin assignment with no separate application, usually within about four to six weeks by endorsement; the Texas RN licensing guide lays out the steps.
Austin travel nurse openings
Rent is the steep variable in Austin, so the rate to chase is the one that still clears once housing is in. Open any of the listings below for its specialty, shift, and start date.
Austin pay questions, answered
What's a fair travel nurse salary in Austin, TX?
Which Austin units earn above the metro median?
Does an Austin rate go as far after costs?
Is Texas a compact license state for Austin work?
Do Austin's taxes and costs eat into take-home?
Does Austin pay go further than the other Texas metros?
Austin travel nursing jobs & pay
Texas travel RN contracts are paying a median of $1,892/week right now.
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