Travel nursing roles are short-term work assignments at hospitals, filled by nurses who travel around the country to fill in gaps in hospital staffing. Curious about how to become a travel nurse? Leverage your academic history to enroll in an Accelerated BSN program and pass the NCLEX-RN to get started.
If you have an adventurous spirit and want to become a nurse, you might consider becoming a travel nurse. Travel nursing combines the benefits of nursing, a competitive salary and opportunities to travel around the country. As a travel nurse, you could work in a variety of different healthcare facilities in your chosen nursing specialty.
If you want to become a nurse and have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 non-nursing college credits, you can switch to a nursing career quickly. At Northeastern University, our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to leverage your experience to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 16 months.
What Is Travel Nursing?
Hospitals and clinics often face staffing gaps that can be filled with temporary professionals. Travel nurses help meet demand and fill these roles for a set amount of time. As a travel nurse, you can work at a children’s hospital in Denver, Colorado, for three months, then move to New York City for a six-month assignment at an outpatient clinic.
Travel nurses do not arrange their own work assignments. Instead, they work for a travel nursing agency. Some RNs choose to contract with multiple travel nurse agencies to increase their opportunities.
These agencies offer perks such as comprehensive insurance coverage, free housing or a housing stipend, free continuing education credits, retirement plans, and various reimbursements.
All nurses must obtain licensure in the state where they work; however, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need to obtain dozens of RN licenses. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) establishes criteria for a multistate license, allowing nurses to work in participating states without obtaining additional licensure.
To earn a multistate license, your primary residence must be in a participating state. As of 2026, 43 U.S. jurisdictions are members of the NLC.
What is a Magnet hospital, and why might you want to pursue employment at one?
What Do Travel Nurses Do?
When you become a nurse, you can specialize in a clinical area just like any other nurse. Some examples include oncology nursing, pediatrics, dermatology, and critical care. What is travel nursing, then?
Travel nursing might seem like a specialty, but it’s not. It is simply a form of employment, not a clinical practice area. So, travel nurses handle the same responsibilities as other nurses in their clinical specialty. They assess patients, administer medications, set up IV lines, and deliver patient education.
Other tasks vary by specialty. A labor and delivery nurse, for example, will care for patients during childbirth and help new parents learn how to care for their newborns.
Benefits of Travel Nursing
One of the benefits of this career is the travel nursing salary outlook. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for RNs was $93,600 as of May 2024. The BLS doesn’t track salary data for travel nurses, but travel nurses tend to earn more to make short-term positions more attractive.
In addition, travel nurse agencies compete for nurses by offering great benefits. It’s standard to offer a housing benefit as part of the compensation package. You can choose to live in the agency-provided accommodations or arrange your own housing and receive a housing stipend.
Other common perks include the following:
- Complete medical coverage (including dental and vision)
- Continuing education credits
- Licensure reimbursements
- Professional liability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Travel reimbursements
- Workers’ compensation
Another benefit of travel nursing is that you’ll be able to learn from many different coworkers, enabling you to grow as a healthcare professional. You could also be exposed to a wide range of patient cases across different hospitals, which helps you develop stronger clinical skills and better judgment.
There is also the advantage of frequent travel. As a travel nurse, you’ll be immersed in various regional cultures for a longer time than is typically possible on a vacation. You can enjoy seeing the sights on your days off. Because of this, travel nursing can be a great way to figure out where you may eventually want to settle down.
How to Become a Travel Nurse
Learning how to become a travel nurse is the first step toward an exciting career. If you lack prior college education, you’ll need to enroll in a traditional four-year BSN program. If you have at least 62 non-nursing college credits or a bachelor’s degree, you may be eligible for an accelerated pathway.
The ABSN program at Northeastern provides a comprehensive nursing curriculum comprised of classroom instruction, nursing skills labs, and clinical rotations that enable students to earn a degree in as few as 16 months.
A BSN is just one of the travel nursing prerequisites. After earning your nursing degree, the next step is to pass the NCLEX-RN. This is the nationally required licensure exam for nurses. It’s a rigorous exam that requires thorough preparation. Northeastern ABSN graduates benefit from our dedicated faculty, who provide support throughout the NCLEX prep process and professional guidance. Once you pass, you can register with your state’s board of nursing to earn an RN license.
You shouldn’t expect to become a travel nurse as soon as you are licensed. Travel nurses are placed in hospital units and are expected to quickly adapt, which is why you must gain a few years of experience to be ready for travel nursing. Many agencies require applicants to have at least two to three years of clinical experience.
Look for RN positions in your chosen specialty area at your local hospitals and clinics. You might also check for professional certifications in your specialty area. Some certifications require clinical experience for eligibility, while others are designed for new nurses. Earning one or more certifications can enhance your competitiveness as a travel nurse candidate.
Is Travel Nursing Right for You?
Travel nursing might not be for everyone, but for those who love to travel and meet new people, it can be a fantastic way to enjoy a meaningful career. Although you could certainly take a vacation to a new location, most vacations aren’t long enough to take a deep dive into the locale’s culture, sights, entertainment scene, and attractions. With a three-month or longer travel nurse placement, however, you’ll have plenty of time to explore your new location and forge new friendships.
Another career possibility for nurses who love to travel is remote nursing. Explore five remote nursing careers and learn how to get started.
Begin Your Path Toward Travel Nursing at Northeastern
No matter where your career path takes you, you can get your start at Northeastern University. Our Accelerated BSN program allows you to earn your nursing degree in as few as 16 months, and our faculty will support you throughout the process. Learn from dedicated nursing instructors and practice clinical skills as you decide which type of nurse you’d like to become.
Our ABSN program offers a hybrid approach for greater flexibility, with online coursework paired with in-person learning experiences. You can choose from three ABSN learning sites in Massachusetts and North Carolina.
Contact an admissions counselor today to get started.