Travel Nurse Salary in Washington
Washington combines no state income tax on wages with higher housing costs in some markets, so weekly pay needs context. Use live travel nurse Washington salary data from travel nursing jobs to compare specialties and markets, then weigh cost of living and estimated pay after rent.
The Washington specialty picture
UW Medicine, Providence Swedish, and Virginia Mason Franciscan anchor Seattle's Washington demand, with Spokane and Tacoma adding volume, and your specialty matters more than the city. The specialties hiring now are listed below.
A first look at Washington weekly figures
Washington's open roles run high. The figures below show the typical weekly rate, the spread across specialties and metros, and Washington's position against the national midpoint.
How travel nurse salary in Washington 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington You're here | $2,237 | None on wages | Among 10 largest RN shortages · ~17% by 2038 (~15,020 FTE) HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | 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 | $2,342 | 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 | $2,414 | 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 ✓ | |
| Arizona | $2,187 | 2.5% flat | Population & retiree growth sustain metro demand BLS Occupational Outlook | Yes ✓ | |
| Missouri | $2,053 | up to 4.7% (graduated) | Statewide balance; KC/STL turnover + rural gaps HRSA 2023–2038 · long-term | Yes ✓ | |
| New York | $2,337 | up to 10.9% (graduated) + NYC local | ~40,000 nurse shortage by 2030; 17,000+ RN openings/yr NY State DOH · DOL | No | |
| Pennsylvania | $2,095 | 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 | $1,929 | 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 ✓ | |
| 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 |
How the Washington metros stack up
Most Washington contracts are in Seattle, with Spokane, Tacoma, and Vancouver next and Bellingham and Olympia adding volume. Seattle's dedicated salary page holds the metro-level ranges, hospitals, and rent picture for travelers focused there.
Breaking down the Washington weekly rate
On a Washington contract, the weekly number blends a taxable base with non-taxable housing and meal stipends, and with no state income tax, more of that base reaches your account than in most states.
What your Washington pay is really worth
Washington runs well above the national average on cost of living, with Seattle's housing among the priciest in the West, but no state income tax offsets part of that, and rates are scaled to match. Seattle's salary page tests a strong rate against equally high local rent.
Top-paying Washington contracts open today
A live view of the highest weekly rates open across Washington, pulled from the Advantis feed. Specialty, metro, and start timing vary from one contract to the next.
What travelers ask about Washington pay
How does no income tax interact with Seattle costs?
Where do Washington contracts concentrate?
Will a multistate license clear me for Washington?
What acuity do Seattle's systems run?
Is Spokane a good value play in Washington?
Open travel RN contracts are paying a median of $2,237 per week right now.
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