Traveling nurse demographics and statistics in the US
Traveling nurse demographics research summary. Zippia estimates traveling nurse demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our traveling nurse estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about traveling nurses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,733,502 traveling nurses currently employed in the United States.
- 84.1% of all traveling nurses are women, while 15.9% are men.
- The average traveling nurse age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of traveling nurses is White (65.8%), followed by Black or African American (11.9%), Asian (8.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (8.7%).
- Traveling nurses are most in-demand in Aurora, CO.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for traveling nurses.
- 9% of all traveling nurses are LGBT.
On this page
Traveling nurse demographics by:
Traveling nurse gender statistics
84.1% of traveling nurses are women and 15.9% of traveling nurses are men.
- Female, 84.1%
- Male, 15.9%
Traveling nurse gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 84.1% |
| Male | 15.9% |
Traveling nurse gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$90,252
Female income
$85,231
Traveling nurse gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in traveling nurse positions over time. Currently, 84.1% of traveling nurses are female.
Traveling nurse gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.08% | 87.92% |
| 2011 | 12.55% | 87.45% |
| 2012 | 12.70% | 87.30% |
| 2013 | 13.21% | 86.79% |
| 2014 | 14.37% | 85.63% |
| 2015 | 13.91% | 86.09% |
| 2016 | 14.40% | 85.60% |
| 2017 | 15.12% | 84.88% |
| 2018 | 15.55% | 84.45% |
| 2019 | 15.62% | 84.38% |
| 2020 | 15.92% | 84.08% |
| 2021 | 15.90% | 84.10% |
Traveling nurse related jobs gender ratio
We compared traveling nurses with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Traveling Nurse | 16% | 84% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Traveling nurse demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among traveling nurses is White, which makes up 65.8% of all traveling nurses. Comparatively, 11.9% of traveling nurses are Black or African American and 8.9% of traveling nurses are Asian.
- White, 65.8%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Asian, 8.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.7%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Traveling nurse race
| Traveling nurse race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.8% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Asian | 8.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.7% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Traveling nurse race and ethnicity over time
See how traveling nurse racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Traveling nurse race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.83% | 12.05% | 7.11% | 6.17% |
| 2011 | 72.42% | 12.42% | 7.03% | 6.24% |
| 2012 | 72.02% | 12.55% | 7.12% | 6.46% |
| 2013 | 71.86% | 12.48% | 7.23% | 6.42% |
| 2014 | 70.67% | 12.62% | 7.75% | 6.94% |
| 2015 | 70.86% | 12.74% | 7.28% | 7.07% |
| 2016 | 70.66% | 12.26% | 7.72% | 7.33% |
| 2017 | 70.30% | 11.77% | 7.90% | 7.67% |
| 2018 | 70.10% | 12.43% | 7.63% | 7.57% |
| 2019 | 70.12% | 11.78% | 7.93% | 7.93% |
| 2020 | 67.98% | 11.39% | 7.95% | 8.40% |
| 2021 | 65.83% | 11.86% | 8.93% | 8.70% |
Traveling nurse wage gap by race
According to our data, asian traveling nurses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White traveling nurses have the lowest average salary at $86,725.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $87,863 |
| White | $86,725 |
| Black or African American | $87,039 |
| Asian | $101,713 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $88,765 |
Average traveling nurse age
See how the average age of traveling nurses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Traveling nurse age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 45 |
| Unknown | 39 | 40.5 |
| Asian | 39 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 38 |
| White | 42 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Traveling nurse age breakdown
The average age of traveling nurses is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the traveling nurse population.
Traveling nurse age breakdown
| Traveling Nurse Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Traveling nurse educational attainment
The most common degree for traveling nurses is bachelor's degree, with 47% of traveling nurses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 38% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 38%
- Master's, 7%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Traveling nurses by degree level
| Traveling nurse degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Associate | 38% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Traveling nurse jobs you might like
Traveling nurse wage gap by degree level
According to the data, traveling nurses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $105,791 annually. With a Doctorate degree, traveling nurses earn a median annual income of $97,379 compared to $93,788 for traveling nurses with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,791 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $93,788 |
| Doctorate Degree | $97,379 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $80,244 |
Traveling nurse employment statistics
Most traveling nurses work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where traveling nurses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where traveling nurses work.
Traveling nurse jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 37% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Traveling nurse jobs by company type
Employees with the traveling nurse job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most traveling nurses prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Traveling nurse jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 90% |
| Government | 2% |
Traveling nurse jobs by industry
The most common industries for traveling nurses are health care, professional and education.
Traveling nurse industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 71% |
| Professional | 15% |
| Education | 3% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Traveling nurse turnover and employment statistics
Traveling nurse unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for traveling nurses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Traveling nurse unemployment rate by year
| Year | Traveling nurse unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.90% |
| 2011 | 1.97% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.69% |
| 2014 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | 1.37% |
| 2016 | 1.10% |
| 2017 | 1.04% |
| 2018 | 1.07% |
| 2019 | 1.04% |
| 2020 | 1.45% |
| 2021 | 1.37% |
Average traveling nurse tenure
The average traveling nurse stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,316 traveling nurses resumes in Zippia's database.
Traveling nurse tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 54% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 8% |
| 5-7 years | 8% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Traveling nurse LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of traveling nurses that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Traveling Nurse | 8.72% | - |
| Pediatrician, Managing Partner | 9.88% | 29,264 |
| Certified Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 123,124 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Anesthetist | 13.05% | 27,823 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar traveling nurse jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician, Managing Partner | 9.88% | 29,264 |
| Certified Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 123,124 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Anesthetist | 13.05% | 27,823 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by traveling nurses
The most common foreign language among traveling nurses is Spanish at 65.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.9% and Swedish is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 65.9%
- French, 4.9%
- Swedish, 3.3%
- Chinese, 3.3%
- German, 2.4%
- Other, 20.2%
Traveling nurse languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.9% |
| French | 4.9% |
| Swedish | 3.3% |
| Chinese | 3.3% |
| German | 2.4% |
| Other | 20.2% |
