Working as a travel nurse offers a vast range of opportunities. It can be a rewarding way to build a resume at the best hospitals in the country, to develop professional skills and hone experience in a subspecialty.

Working as a travel nurse offers a vast range of opportunities. It can be a
 rewarding way to build a resume at the best hospitals in the country, to
 develop professional skills and hone experience in a subspecialty, to enjoy
 housing, travel reimbursements and competitive pay, and to experience life in
 a new part of the country &mdash; or even the world.



 So, why is there so much buzz in the marketplace that travel nurse pay is
 declining? Is that what&rsquo;s really happening or are there other factors at
 play? While travel nursing can provide unlimited flexibility, it does come
 with the challenge of fluctuations in the job market.



 Until recently, travel nurses have enjoyed the generous compensation
 associated with &ldquo;crisis pay&rdquo; and nursing demand, creating a false
 sense of higher pay rates for travel nurses. Lately, however, rates have begun
 to equalize. In 2016 and 2017, demand for travel nurses escalated
 significantly due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid and Medicare
 changes and unemployment rates. The demand and compensation peaked during the
 first quarter of 2017, but has subsequently returned to pre-crisis levels. For
 those who are currently entering the field and for travel nurses who began
 during that time, this return to standardized travel nurse pay rates has given
 the perception that travel nurse pay is falling, when in reality it&rsquo;s a
 return to non-crisis rates.


<h2>Is Travel Nursing Still Worth it?</h2>

<div>
 <img
 class="pull-right"
 src="/sites/ccs-cctc/image/travel-nurse-pay-2.jpg"
 style="height: 208px; width: 375px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;"
 />
 
 Absolutely! During this transitional time, it may be helpful to explore the
 underlying factors driving travel nurse pay and to learn why the benefits of
 travel nursing outweigh this return to equilibrium and pre-crisis
 compensation.
 

 <h2>What Drives Travel Nurse Pay?</h2>

 
 The healthcare field. Current healthcare policy affects the
 number of patients seeking care. Changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA),
 Medicare and Medicaid cause a flux in the number of people seeking health
 care and the demand for providers.
 

 
 The labor market. The number of available travel nursing
 positions depends not only on the labor market in general, but also on how
 many nurses are in the field and how many of them are choosing to travel.
 When hospitals implement &ldquo;crisis pay&rdquo; to entice more nurses to
 travel, the field fills quickly.
 

 
 The bottom line. Healthcare organizations are realigning
 budgets to reflect the current market. They will not be able to sustain the
 high pay rates that were used during the shortage to draw in travel nurses.
 While this feels like a significant reduction in pay for travelers, it is
 part of the return to pre-crisis standard billing rates.
 

 <h2>
 What are the Benefits of Partnering with Cross Country Nurses?
 </h2>

 
 The access. When there are fluctuations in travel nurse
 demand, smaller agencies tend to have fewer opportunities and hospitals and
 healthcare facilities rely on larger travel nurse staffing agencies to fill
 their needs. Cross Country Nurses has exclusive agreements with facilities
 across the nation, and when demand decreases, Cross Country Nurses still has
 the bulk of
 <a
 href="https://www.crosscountrytravcorps.com/travel-nursing-jobs"
 target="_blank"
 >positions available</a
 >
 due to these exclusive agreements. With thousands of travel nurse positions
 in every state across the U.S. at any given time and partnerships with more
 than 2,500 healthcare facilities, we have the jobs! Annually, we place over
 10,000 nurses on assignment.
 

 
 The pay. Although billing rates are normalizing, travel
 nursing remains a great career offering competitive compensation, housing,
 and travel reimbursements. On select assignments, Cross Country Nurses
 offers sign-on and completion bonuses. We also have a
 <a href="https://www.crosscountrytravcorps.com/referral-rewards"
 >referral bonus program</a
 >.
 

 
 The perks. Cross Country Nurses offers our nurses a
 <a
 href="https://www.crosscountrytravcorps.com/why-nurses-choose-cctc"
 target="_blank"
 >range of benefits</a
 >
 including medical, dental, prescription coverage, life insurance, portable
 insurance, dependent coverage, supplemental, short-term disability coverage,
 professional liability coverage, and optional cancer protection and critical
 illness insurance. We offer move-in ready private housing
 through our team of housing experts, and we cover your moving expenses
 between assignments. Our nurses have access to a 401k retirement plan, free
 CEUs with Cross Country University, and up to 20 percent
 <a
 href="https://www.crosscountrytravcorps.com/education-assistance"
 target="_blank"
 >reimbursement for Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs</a
 >.
 

 
 The recruiters. Our recruiters serve as a main point of
 contact, shoulder to lean on, and lifeline for our travel nurses. Cross
 Country Nurses recruiters work to help nurses find the right location, the
 right facility, and the right shift through open and honest dialog regarding
 needs, expectations, strengths, and limitations.
 

 <h2>What Travel Nurses are Saying</h2>
 <img
 class="pull-right"
 src="/sites/ccs-cctc/image/travel-nurse-pay-3.jpg"
 style="height: 208px; width: 374px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;"
 />
 
 <a href="/sites/ccn/testimonials" target="_blank"
 >Our nurse travelers recognize the benefits of working with a larger
 organization</a
 >
 and with recruiters who are highly skilled in the nuances of travel nursing
 in times of fluctuating demand. After all, we have the most experienced
 recruiters in the industry with an average 7.1 years of tenure specifically
 in recruiting travel nurses with Cross Country Nurses.
 

 
 Why is a tenured recruiter important for you as a traveler? They know how to
 navigate the nuances of travel assignments. They have seen what can go
 wrong, and they know how to handle it. When you work with a Cross Country
 Nurses recruiter, you have a trusted contact who will walk you through the
 process every step of the way. Our recruiters respond quickly, and after
 getting to know you and the facilities where we have positions, we can make
 the best placement for you. That way, you will be as happy with your
 assignment as these travelers are:
 

 <blockquote>
 
 &ldquo;I had a great recruiter. She always got back to me. As a new
 traveler, this whole process was overwhelming, and she definitely
 helped. Overall, Cross Country Nurses
 has a big selection of jobs which I like. I love that my insurance
 starts right away, and I can have up to 35 days between contracts and
 still be covered.&rdquo;
 

 - Alyssa M., Travel Nurse

 
 &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working with Cross Country for over 15 years and
 plan on working with them another 15 years. They have great locations,
 excellent pay, and top-rated staff with excellent support. My recruiter
 is the best and I can always count on her to be there for me. I have
 tried other companies in-between assignments, but it&rsquo;s like taking
 a step down &ndash; it&rsquo;s just not the same.&rdquo;
 

 - Wayne H., Travel Nurse

 
 &ldquo;My experience with Cross Country has been great! They were able
 to get me my dream job in less than two weeks. They were also able to
 find safe and nice housing that accepted my dog!&ldquo;
 

 - Alexis J., Travel Nurse

 
 &ldquo;I wouldn&#39;t travel with anyone else - and I don&#39;t! I have
 the best and most experienced recruiter in the business. Cross Country Nurses
 has the most jobs and has all of the resources I need for housing,
 payroll, benefits, etc. They make it easy to keep traveling and have
 fun!&rdquo;
 

 - Marianne T., Travel Nurse
 </blockquote>

 <h2>The Future of Nursing is Bright</h2>

 
 There will inevitably be fluctuations in the market and in compensation for
 travel nurses, but the benefits and rewards make it an ideal profession for
 those looking for flexibility and adventure.
 &ldquo;We understand on a deeper level the needs of both the healthcare
 system and the healthcare provider,&rdquo; says Cross Country Staffing Executive Vice President, Wendi Dusseault.
 It&rsquo;s easy to start exploring a travel nursing adventure. Just connect
 with us and
 <a href="/sites/ccn/start-today?leadSource=Blog" target="_blank"
 >get started today</a
 >.
 
</div>

The Myth of Declining Travel Nurse Pay