Current public-data snapshot · updated 2026-07-19
Highest-paying travel healthcare metros by specialty
Compare the top covered U.S. metros for nine travel healthcare roles using one consistent, auditable model. These are pre-tax gross-wage benchmarks—not live job listings or guaranteed packages—and stipends are excluded.
How to use these rankings
Start with the weekly benchmark, then open a metro to inspect its wage range, hospital sample, local staff wage, contract premium, state comparison, and exact source vintages. A high rank does not automatically mean a better assignment: housing, stipends, taxes, schedule, benefits, and licensing costs can change the practical value of an offer.
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Registered Nurse
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $3,608modeled gross wage / week | $2,747–$3,721 | 249broad |
| #2 | San Francisco–Oakland, CA | $3,106modeled gross wage / week | $2,283–$3,590 | 249broad |
| #3 | Sacramento–Roseville, CA | $2,854modeled gross wage / week | $2,195–$3,306 | 249broad |
| #4 | New York–Newark, NY | $2,637modeled gross wage / week | $2,290–$2,934 | 107broad |
| #5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $2,602modeled gross wage / week | $1,896–$2,693 | 11limited |
| #6 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,449modeled gross wage / week | $2,295–$2,876 | 18moderate |
| #7 | Madison, WI | $2,423modeled gross wage / week | $2,089–$2,469 | 66broad |
| #8 | Providence–Warwick, RI | $2,414modeled gross wage / week | $2,004–$2,645 | 11limited |
| #9 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $2,393modeled gross wage / week | $2,210–$2,930 | 23moderate |
| #10 | Chicago–Naperville, IL | $2,391modeled gross wage / week | $1,966–$2,580 | 104broad |
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Physical Therapist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,846modeled gross wage / week | $2,412–$2,907 | 18moderate |
| #2 | Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA | $2,723modeled gross wage / week | $2,194–$2,953 | 34moderate |
| #3 | Indianapolis–Carmel, IN | $2,566modeled gross wage / week | $2,051–$2,882 | 82broad |
| #4 | Omaha, NE | $2,560modeled gross wage / week | $2,095–$2,768 | 21moderate |
| #5 | Las Vegas–Henderson, NV | $2,557modeled gross wage / week | $2,147–$3,000 | 21moderate |
| #6 | Chicago–Naperville, IL | $2,516modeled gross wage / week | $2,335–$2,944 | 104broad |
| #7 | Columbus, OH | $2,509modeled gross wage / week | $1,984–$2,706 | 121broad |
| #8 | Toledo, OH | $2,500modeled gross wage / week | $2,298–$2,728 | 121broad |
| #9 | Cleveland, OH | $2,483modeled gross wage / week | $2,023–$2,774 | 121broad |
| #10 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $2,469modeled gross wage / week | $1,982–$2,817 | 59broad |
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Occupational Therapist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $2,504modeled gross wage / week | $2,195–$2,967 | 50broad |
| #2 | Dayton–Kettering, OH | $2,479modeled gross wage / week | $1,976–$2,785 | 121broad |
| #3 | Indianapolis–Carmel, IN | $2,475modeled gross wage / week | $2,078–$2,614 | 82broad |
| #4 | Colorado Springs, CO | $2,465modeled gross wage / week | $2,153–$3,009 | 50broad |
| #5 | Cleveland, OH | $2,460modeled gross wage / week | $1,993–$2,654 | 121broad |
| #6 | Las Vegas–Henderson, NV | $2,426modeled gross wage / week | $2,200–$2,851 | 21moderate |
| #7 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $2,416modeled gross wage / week | $1,967–$2,725 | 59broad |
| #8 | Wichita, KS | $2,413modeled gross wage / week | $2,003–$2,713 | 41moderate |
| #9 | Cincinnati, OH | $2,408modeled gross wage / week | $1,998–$2,743 | 121broad |
| #10 | Omaha, NE | $2,407modeled gross wage / week | $2,072–$2,654 | 21moderate |
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Speech-Language Pathologist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $2,611modeled gross wage / week | $2,192–$3,308 | 50broad |
| #2 | Colorado Springs, CO | $2,519modeled gross wage / week | $2,132–$3,233 | 50broad |
| #3 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $2,497modeled gross wage / week | $1,930–$2,926 | 59broad |
| #4 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,412modeled gross wage / week | $2,120–$2,762 | 18moderate |
| #5 | Providence–Warwick, RI | $2,410modeled gross wage / week | $2,088–$2,615 | 11limited |
| #6 | New York–Newark, NY | $2,376modeled gross wage / week | $1,842–$3,011 | 107broad |
| #7 | Cleveland, OH | $2,361modeled gross wage / week | $1,871–$2,752 | 121broad |
| #8 | Akron, OH | $2,358modeled gross wage / week | $1,902–$2,609 | 121broad |
| #9 | Chicago–Naperville, IL | $2,343modeled gross wage / week | $1,855–$2,609 | 104broad |
| #10 | Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA | $2,341modeled gross wage / week | $2,033–$2,815 | 34moderate |
Top 10 of 118 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Respiratory Therapist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $2,492modeled gross wage / week | $2,189–$2,813 | 249broad |
| #2 | New York–Newark, NY | $2,434modeled gross wage / week | $2,221–$2,799 | 107broad |
| #3 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,393modeled gross wage / week | $2,118–$2,667 | 18moderate |
| #4 | Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie, NY | $2,355modeled gross wage / week | $2,200–$2,588 | 107broad |
| #5 | Sacramento–Roseville, CA | $2,238modeled gross wage / week | $1,856–$2,305 | 249broad |
| #6 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $2,219modeled gross wage / week | $1,960–$2,592 | 23moderate |
| #7 | Boston–Cambridge, MA | $2,217modeled gross wage / week | $2,039–$2,375 | 51broad |
| #8 | Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN | $2,194modeled gross wage / week | $1,911–$2,254 | 41moderate |
| #9 | San Francisco–Oakland, CA | $2,168modeled gross wage / week | $1,770–$2,475 | 249broad |
| #10 | Rochester, MN | $2,145modeled gross wage / week | $2,145–$2,154 | 41moderate |
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Radiologic Technologist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $2,578modeled gross wage / week | $2,107–$2,934 | 249broad |
| #2 | San Francisco–Oakland, CA | $2,360modeled gross wage / week | $1,972–$2,823 | 249broad |
| #3 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $2,283modeled gross wage / week | $1,799–$2,441 | 50broad |
| #4 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $2,263modeled gross wage / week | $1,862–$2,562 | 23moderate |
| #5 | New York–Newark, NY | $2,263modeled gross wage / week | $1,937–$2,579 | 107broad |
| #6 | Sacramento–Roseville, CA | $2,262modeled gross wage / week | $1,685–$2,642 | 249broad |
| #7 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,240modeled gross wage / week | $1,941–$2,624 | 18moderate |
| #8 | Boston–Cambridge, MA | $2,217modeled gross wage / week | $1,798–$2,680 | 51broad |
| #9 | Worcester, MA | $2,186modeled gross wage / week | $1,749–$2,606 | 51broad |
| #10 | New Haven, CT | $2,184modeled gross wage / week | $1,940–$2,473 | 23moderate |
Top 10 of 116 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel MRI Technologist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $2,946modeled gross wage / week | $2,182–$2,946 | 249broad |
| #2 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $2,761modeled gross wage / week | $2,391–$2,966 | 23moderate |
| #3 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,697modeled gross wage / week | $2,551–$3,003 | 18moderate |
| #4 | Boston–Cambridge, MA | $2,627modeled gross wage / week | $2,108–$2,856 | 51broad |
| #5 | New York–Newark, NY | $2,607modeled gross wage / week | $2,268–$2,816 | 107broad |
| #6 | Providence–Warwick, RI | $2,602modeled gross wage / week | $2,268–$2,742 | 11limited |
| #7 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $2,468modeled gross wage / week | $2,266–$2,652 | 50broad |
| #8 | New Haven, CT | $2,463modeled gross wage / week | $2,063–$2,681 | 23moderate |
| #9 | San Francisco–Oakland, CA | $2,435modeled gross wage / week | $1,688–$2,932 | 249broad |
| #10 | Sacramento–Roseville, CA | $2,411modeled gross wage / week | $1,753–$2,881 | 249broad |
Top 10 of 120 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $2,883modeled gross wage / week | $2,447–$3,170 | 249broad |
| #2 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $2,803modeled gross wage / week | $2,314–$2,978 | 18moderate |
| #3 | Sacramento–Roseville, CA | $2,717modeled gross wage / week | $2,152–$3,018 | 249broad |
| #4 | San Francisco–Oakland, CA | $2,668modeled gross wage / week | $2,054–$3,016 | 249broad |
| #5 | Colorado Springs, CO | $2,582modeled gross wage / week | $2,187–$2,618 | 50broad |
| #6 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $2,558modeled gross wage / week | $2,398–$3,011 | 23moderate |
| #7 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $2,526modeled gross wage / week | $2,337–$2,915 | 50broad |
| #8 | Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI | $2,526modeled gross wage / week | $2,084–$2,884 | 66broad |
| #9 | Chicago–Naperville, IL | $2,453modeled gross wage / week | $2,227–$2,685 | 104broad |
| #10 | Madison, WI | $2,441modeled gross wage / week | $2,399–$2,760 | 66broad |
Top 10 of 116 covered metros
Highest-paying metros for travel Surgical Technologist
| Rank | Metro | Weekly benchmark | P25–P75 band | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Bridgeport–Stamford, CT | $1,965modeled gross wage / week | $1,580–$2,242 | 23moderate |
| #2 | Hartford–West Hartford, CT | $1,892modeled gross wage / week | $1,780–$2,234 | 23moderate |
| #3 | Providence–Warwick, RI | $1,868modeled gross wage / week | $1,562–$2,041 | 11limited |
| #4 | New York–Newark, NY | $1,853modeled gross wage / week | $1,603–$2,198 | 107broad |
| #5 | Portland–South Portland, ME | $1,825modeled gross wage / week | $1,672–$2,120 | 18moderate |
| #6 | Madison, WI | $1,818modeled gross wage / week | $1,567–$1,914 | 66broad |
| #7 | Denver–Aurora, CO | $1,794modeled gross wage / week | $1,507–$1,967 | 50broad |
| #8 | Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI | $1,792modeled gross wage / week | $1,539–$1,930 | 66broad |
| #9 | Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN | $1,783modeled gross wage / week | $1,709–$2,080 | 41moderate |
| #10 | San Jose–Sunnyvale, CA | $1,779modeled gross wage / week | $1,373–$2,062 | 249broad |
One model, every specialty
Comparable, not cherry-picked
Every row uses the same disclosed BLS wage baseline, CMS-derived contract premium, agency-margin assumption, and applicable legal ceiling. Thin or suppressed source cells are withheld instead of guessed.
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