If you’re a registered nurse (RN) who’s looking for a change of pace from retirement or a permanent job, travel nursing jobs are a great way to see new areas of the country, work in different practice environments, and potentially make more money.Â
Last week, we released a 2024 job outlook for travel allied health jobs—so to continue the trend, we wanted to do the same for travel nursing. Our team gathered the past year of our travel nursing jobs listing data and extrapolated it to create a non-exhaustive and tentative outlook of what you might expect to see in 2024 by the top specialties. Be aware: these predictions are made based on our 2023 listing data—anything can change, so make sure to do your own due diligence!
Emergency Room (ER) Nurse Travel Job Outlook
Between triaging patients, performing minor medical procedures, and assisting doctors, emergency room (ER) nurses play a critical role in providing lifesaving care to people who come into a hospital’s ER. In 2023, we saw the highest number of listings for travel ER nurses compared to any other nursing specialty, which suggests that there will be a continued need for these clinicians as we move into 2024.Â
Some states had a greater need for travel ER nurses than others, and these numbers aren’t likely to change much in the new year. Here are the states that had the most listings for ER nurses in 2023, which we expect to follow a similar pattern in 2024:
- California
- MaineÂ
- New York
- MontanaÂ
- North CarolinaÂ
- Colorado
- South Dakota
- Washington
Medical-Surgical Nurse Travel Job Outlook
Not only do medical-surgery nurses help prep a patient for surgery—they also educate them about post-operative treatment plans. In 2023, we saw a lot of listings for travel medical-surgical nurses, which makes sense since they are extremely important to the success of hospitals and outpatient surgical centers.Â
Here are the states that had the highest need for travel medical-surgical nurses in 2023, which may continue on the same path in the next year:
- New York
- Vermont
- North DakotaÂ
- California
- New Hampshire
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- MaineÂ
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Travel Job Outlook
LPNs primarily support RNs and doctors at healthcare facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, and more—providing basic care to patients. We had a fair amount of job listings come through for travel LPNs, and since these clinicians are needed in so many different types of medical settings, we don’t expect to see a major decline in their demand in 2024.
However, like all of the other specialties on this list, some states had a greater need for LPNs than others in 2023, which may continue into 2024:
- Iowa
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- New HampshireÂ
- Washington
- Nevada
- California
Primary Care Nurse Travel Job Outlook
In doctor’s offices, primary care nurses are normally the first contact for patients. Among other responsibilities, these clinicians handle records; take diagnostic tests such as blood pressure, height, and weight; administer vaccinations and much more.Â
Everyone needs a primary care doctor, and those doctors need nurses to help, so we expect that there’ll continue to be a need for primary care nurses in 2024. In 2023, we saw the most listings for these critical clinicians in:
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Pennsylvania
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- New Hampshire
- California
- Nebraska
Psychiatric Nurse Travel Job Outlook
More than one in five American adults live with mental illness according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s more, a 2022 CNN poll found that 90% of adults believe there’s a mental health crisis in the United States. With many people seeking treatment for mental illness, the need for clinicians who specialize in this area, such as psychiatric nurses, grows.Â
In 2023, we saw many listings for travel psychiatric nurses, and we don’t expect the need to ease up anytime soon. Here are the states that we saw the most need for these clinicians in 2023, which may continue into 2024:Â
- Massachusetts
- New Mexico
- New York
- Connecticut
- Missouri
- ArizonaÂ
- South CarolinaÂ
- Virginia
Long-Term Care Nurse Travel Job Outlook
America is aging—fast. As the Baby Boomer generation graces into old age, they require more frequent and complex medical care, increasing the demand for healthcare clinicians. This trend is most apparent in nursing homes, which houses the elderly and often employs long-term care nurses to provide quality healthcare.Â
Expect to see the need for travel long-term care nurses to increase as we move through the rest of the decade. When it comes to 2023, however, we saw the greatest need for these clinicians in the following states:Â
- Maine
- California
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Wyoming
- OregonÂ
- Massachusetts
- Colorado
Labor and Delivery Nurse Travel Job Outlook
In the delivery room, labor and delivery nurses help OB/GYNs with administering medications, taking the vital signs of both mothers and newborns, and much more. In 2023, we saw the most need for these travel clinicians in the following states:Â
- New Mexico
- West Virginia
- Missouri
- New York
- WashingtonÂ
- California
- Kansas
- Texas
Operating Room (OR) Nurse
Inside the operating room, surgeons employ the assistance of nurses to ensure the procedure goes smoothly. If you’re an OR nurse looking for a travel job in 2024, consider looking into these states—we saw demand for clinicians like you here in 2023:
- West Virginia
- New Jersey
- New York
- CaliforniaÂ
- VirginiaÂ
- Vermont
- Washington
- New Hampshire
Other SpecialtiesÂ
This isn’t a complete of all of the specialties we expect to see travel job listings for next year—here are some more nursing roles we saw need for in 2023, which may continue in 2024:
- Home Health Nurse: Massachusetts, Georgia, Missouri, Pennsylvania
- ICU Nurse: Nevada, New Hampshire, California, New Jersey
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurse: Virginia, Texas
Become a Travel Nurse with BHS
Are you looking for a travel nursing job in 2024? This list is purely an extrapolation of the job listings we saw in 2023, and while things are always subject to change, there’ll likely be jobs in other states not covered in this list as we move into the coming year. Check out our online job board and reach out to a recruiter today to get started!