Travel Nurse Salary in Texas
Compare travel nurse Texas salary across specialties and major markets with live weekly pay from travel RN jobs. Then factor in housing costs, cost of living, no state income tax, and estimated pay after rent to see what that salary may be worth.
The highest-paying Texas specialties
From the Texas Medical Center's specialty floors in Houston to ERs and ICUs statewide, Texas hires deep, and specialty drives the rate more than anything else. Open one below to see what's open.
The full Texas pay range
Texas keeps no state income tax, and demand runs deep across its four big metros. The table lays out the going weekly rate, how it moves by specialty, and how the state stacks up against national travel pay.
How travel nurse salary in Texas 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas You're here | $1,920 | No | 57,000+ RN shortfall by 2032 (~16%) TX DSHS 2024 · 739 hospitals | 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 ✓ | |
| Tennessee | $1,926 | No | 8,500+ RN shortfall projected by 2035 TN 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 ✓ | |
| Hawaii | $1,957 | up to 11.0% (graduated) | Surplus statewide; neighbor-island/specialty gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | No |
Where Texas travel nurses earn most
Most Texas contracts cluster in four metros: Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Each pays and costs differently, so the right city depends on what you want from the assignment.
What builds a Texas weekly package
With no state income tax, the taxable base of a Texas contract isn't trimmed by state withholding. A weekly rate pairs that base with housing and meal stipends the IRS leaves untaxed, and the balance between them drives your take-home.
What your Texas pay is really worth
Texas keeps two things working for travelers: no state income tax, and a cost of living that stays near or below the national average across most of the state. That combination means a strong weekly rate holds more of its value here. Below is how the market's tax, licensing, and demand picture shapes what a rate is worth.
Top-paying Texas contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across Texas, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
Common Texas travel pay questions
What does no state income tax mean for a Texas contract?
Is a multistate license enough to start in Texas?
Should I target Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or Austin?
What kind of facilities will I work at in Texas?
How do I compare two Texas offers at the same headline rate?
Is Texas a good first state for travel nursing?
Open travel RN contracts are paying a median of $1,920 per week right now.
Explore current assignments by location, setting, shift and weekly pay, then let us know which opportunities interest you.
Get a text the moment a matching job opens, no account needed.

