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What to Pay a Travel Nurse in New York, NY (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$135,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$115K–$158K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.0%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~10
New York metro average
To hire a Travel Nurse in New York at market, plan on a base salary range of $115,000 to $158,000, with $135,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 10 days, expect to lead at $158K–$185K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. New York REQUIRES pay range disclosure under the NY Pay Transparency Law.

How to set your Travel Nurse pay range in New York

Three pay positions, modeled against current New York market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$98K–$115K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the New York average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$127K–$144.2K
Default for most New York employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~10 days. A range width of ~30% (min $115,000 to max $158,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a Travel Nurse's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$148.8K–$185K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

Travel Nurse salary percentile distribution in New York, NY

Where the New York market actually sits for Travel Nurse base pay.

10th $98K
25th $115K
Median $135K
75th $158K
90th $185K

Most New York employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($135,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $115,000 and a max of $158,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

New York pay transparency compliance for Travel Nurse job postings

What you must post when hiring a Travel Nurse in New York.

Required. New York requires employers with 4+ employees to include a good-faith salary range in every job posting, promotion, or transfer opportunity advertised to NYC-area candidates.
Requirement Applies When Penalty for Non-Compliance
Salary or hourly range in posting 4+ employees; role performed in NY Up to $1,000 first violation; up to $3,000 subsequent
Job description included Where description exists Same schedule

For a Travel Nurse role in New York, a compliant good-faith range looks like $115,000 to $158,000. A compliant good-faith range for this role in New York is $115,000–$158,000.

Top Travel Nurse employers in New York — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring Travel Nurses in the New York metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Aya Healthcare Travel agency $130K–$162K Common (per contract)
Cross Country Healthcare Travel agency $128K–$160K Common
Medical Solutions Travel agency $125K–$158K Common
Direct contracts (NYP, Mount Sinai) Academic hospital direct $140K–$175K Hospital-direct premium
Northwell Internal Travel Pool Health system internal $132K–$165K Internal pool premium

Travel Nurse talent supply and hiring difficulty in New York

How hard is it to fill a Travel Nurse role in New York.

~10
Avg Days to Fill
~6,800
Active Postings
~14,500
New York Travel Nurse Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Skill premiums Travel Nurse candidates command in New York, NY

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
ICU (CCRN) +15–22% Very high
ER (CEN) +12–18% Very high
OR / L&D +12–18% Very high
Crisis surge bonus +30–70% during Episodic

Travel Nurse total compensation in New York — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for Travel Nurses in New York. "Prevalence" reflects share of New York disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in New York Postings
Taxed hourly base $48–$68/hr (~$1,950–$2,750/wk) 100%
Housing stipend (NYC inflated) $2,800–$4,500/wk ~100%
Meals & incidentals $320–$550/wk ~100%
Travel reimbursement $600–$1,800 per contract ~85%
Completion bonus $500–$3,000 per 13-wk ~60%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$170K–$205K (annualized)

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

Travel Nurse pay by setting in New York — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the Travel Nurse range splits by employer type in the New York metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
ICU $155,000 $138K–$178K Very high
ER $148,000 $132K–$172K Very high
OR $152,000 $135K–$175K Very high
L&D $148,000 $132K–$170K Very high
Med-surg / telemetry $128,000 $115K–$148K High

Travel Nurse salary in New York vs. other New York and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. New York Hiring Difficulty
New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $135,000 Above national avg
Boston–Cambridge–Nashua, MA-NH $138,000 +2.2% Tight
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD $118,000 −12.6% Moderate
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV $125,000 −7.4% Above national avg
New York statewide $125,000 −7.4%
U.S. national $118,000

FAQ: hiring a Travel Nurse in New York, NY

Market median is $135,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $135,000 — typically $115,000 to $158,000. To lead the market, plan on $158K–$185K base plus a sign-on bonus.
Yes. New York's pay transparency law (effective September 2023) requires a good-faith salary or hourly range in every posting for roles that can or will be performed in New York.
$121,000 falls below the New York market median of $135,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
NYC's high cost of living shifts comp toward housing stipends ($2,800–$4,500/wk) which are untaxed. Direct hospital contracts (NYP, Mount Sinai) outpay agencies by 7–10%. Northwell's internal travel pool is a structural alternative to agency placement.
Average fill time is approximately 10 days in the New York metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($158K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($115K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By New York-metro posting volume: Aya Healthcare, Cross Country Healthcare, Medical Solutions, Direct contracts (NYP, Mount Sinai), Northwell Internal Travel Pool lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for Travel Nurse in New York — for example, $115,000 to $158,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months. New York does not specify a maximum range width, but the range must be a good-faith estimate of what the employer will pay.
Yes. New York's law covers internal transfer and promotion postings, not just external job ads.

Related Travel Nurse pay benchmarks — New York metros and nearby nursing roles

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.