Georgia Travel Nurse Pay Guide (2026)
Georgia Travel Nurse Pay Guide (2026)
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make in Georgia in 2026?
Georgia sits in the middle of the national pay range — not a top earner like California or Alaska, but not the bottom either. For travel nurses who want a Southeast base with genuine lifestyle value, the math often works out better than the raw pay number suggests. The average travel nurse salary in Georgia is $1,934 per week as of March 2026, based on 6,785 active jobs on Vivian Health.
Atlanta pay runs slightly higher. In Atlanta specifically, the average travel nurse earns $1,970 per week as of March 13, 2026, according to Vivian Health data from 5,518 active job listings — about 2% above the statewide average.
For comparison: Savannah averages $2,137 per week for travel RNs as of February 2026 (Vivian Health, 2 active listings in the last 7 days) — 1% above the state average, though the sample is much smaller.
Indeed’s data, which pulls from a broader 36-month posting window, shows a statewide average of $1,889 per week for Georgia travel nurses, based on 6,700+ salary data points updated December 2025.
Annualized, a Georgia travel nursing position typically brings in $90,000–$105,000 in total gross compensation across a full year of assignments, depending on [specialty] and [package structure].
Georgia Travel Nurse Pay vs. the National Average
Georgia pays below the national average — a fact worth naming honestly.
According to ZipRecruiter data from January 2026, Georgia ranks 50th out of 50 states for RN travel nurse salaries, with an average of $102,770 annually. That’s a stark ranking, but it reflects a consistent pattern: Southeast states generally pay less than coastal markets due to lower cost of living and less aggressive staffing competition.
The national average travel nurse salary is approximately $95,833 annually, or $46/hour, according to BetterNurse’s 2026 salary guide, down slightly from 2023 highs as healthcare systems have normalized post-COVID staffing costs.
Where Georgia lands in context:
Market
Avg. Weekly Pay (2026)
California
~$2,400–$2,600
New York
~$2,300–$2,500
Washington
~$2,200–$2,400
Hawaii
~$2,100–$2,300
Georgia (Atlanta)
~$1,970
Georgia (statewide)
~$1,934
Florida
~$1,800–$1,950
Pay ranges are approximate based on Vivian Health and Indeed data, March 2026.
The honest takeaway: Georgia won’t make you rich compared to West Coast or Northeast assignments. But cost of living matters, and Atlanta’s affordability cushion is real — more on that below.
Use our [Travel Nurse Pay Calculator] to estimate your take-home after stipends: [Travel Nurse Housing Stipend Explained (2026 Guide): Maximizing Your Tax-Free Income] and taxes.
Pay by Specialty in Georgia
Specialty makes a significant difference in Georgia pay, as it does everywhere.
ICU / Critical Care
Travel ICU nurses in Georgia average approximately $1,995 per week, with top-paying jobs listed up to $3,066 per week, based on Vivian Health data from 438 active travel listings as of March 11, 2026.
Emergency Department (ER)
Travel ER nurses in Georgia average pay up to $3,048 per week at the high end, based on 539 active Vivian Health job listings as of March 1, 2026.
PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit)
Georgia travel PACU nurses average $1,806 per week as of March 13, 2026, which is 18% below the national PACU average of $2,139, according to Vivian Health data from 310 active listings.
Med-Surg / General
Staff RN positions in Georgia pay around $50 per hour on average, with some local contract roles reaching $76 per hour, per Vivian Health data from March 2026. Travel med-surg rates typically run lower than ICU or ER.
LPN / LVN
Travel LPN/LVNs in Georgia average $1,408 per week as of March 14, 2026 — about 3% above the national LPN average of $1,362, per Vivian Health data from 36 active listings.
Top Hospitals for Travel Nurses in Georgia
Georgia’s hospital demand is concentrated in Atlanta but extends statewide. The three hospitals with the most travel nursing jobs in Georgia as of March 2026, per Vivian Health, are University Hospital (482 open travel positions), Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany (450 positions), and Northside Hospital Atlanta (307 positions).
Northside Hospital – Atlanta
One of the most recognized names in Georgia travel nursing. Multiple campuses across the metro (Atlanta, Forsyth, Cherokee). Northside Hospital Atlanta alone listed 298 travel nursing jobs and 115 travel PACU positions on Vivian as of March 2026. Known for organized units and strong orientation support.
Grady Memorial Hospital – Atlanta
A Level I trauma center and major public hospital in downtown Atlanta. Grady Memorial listed 179 travel nursing positions on Vivian as of March 2026. High-acuity environment — well-suited for experienced ICU and ER nurses seeking serious clinical volume.
Emory University Hospital – Atlanta
Academic medical center affiliated with Emory University. Strong reputation, complex patient population, NP-heavy environment. Popular with nurses who value academic settings.
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
Piedmont Atlanta listed 73 travel nursing positions on Vivian as of March 2026. Part of the growing Piedmont Healthcare system with multiple Georgia locations.
University Hospital – Augusta
Consistently one of the highest-volume travel nursing employers in the state. Strong alternative for nurses wanting a non-Atlanta assignment — Augusta is significantly more affordable.
Phoebe Putney Memorial – Albany
High volume relative to its market size. Albany is a smaller city in Southwest Georgia — the lower cost of living can stretch stipends meaningfully.
Georgia Healthcare Market Overview
Understanding the broader market helps you read the job board and negotiate better.
Georgia has a sizable and growing healthcare sector, anchored by Atlanta’s major health systems and a large rural population that creates persistent staffing gaps outside the metro.
The Atlanta healthcare market includes multiple large competing systems — Piedmont, Northside, Emory, Wellstar, Grady — which creates steady travel nurse demand across specialties. Rural Georgia (Albany, Valdosta, Waycross, Statesboro) often posts competitive packages to attract talent to less desirable markets.
Georgia has a full Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state membership, making it easy for nurses with active multistate licenses to take Georgia assignments without additional licensing steps, per the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.
For travelers coming from non-compact states, endorsement is required through the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON) via the GOALS online portal.
Georgia Nursing License Requirements
Compact State Status: Yes — Full NLC Member
Georgia is a full Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state. Nurses holding an active multistate license from another compact state can practice in Georgia without obtaining a separate Georgia license, per the Georgia Board of Nursing.
As of 2026, there are 43 jurisdictions participating in the eNLC, including Georgia, per NURSECOMPACT.com
If you need a Georgia single-state license by endorsement:
- Apply through the GOALS portal (Georgia Board of Nursing’s online system)
- Submit official transcripts and proof of lawful U.S. presence
- Complete fingerprint-based criminal background check
- License application fee: $40–$75, per Vivian Health’s Georgia licensing guide.
- Licenses renew every two years. RNs must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education or 500 practice hours to renew, per Vivian Health’s Georgia licensing guide.
Upgrading a single-state Georgia license to multistate (compact):
Georgia nurses can upgrade to a multistate license by paying a $50 conversion fee through the GOALS portal, per AdvantisM ed’s Georgia nursing license guide (January 2026).
60-Day Rule: If you move to Georgia from another compact state and establish Georgia as your Primary State of Residence, you must apply for a new Georgia multistate license within 60 days.
Cost of Living in Georgia: What Your Stipend Actually Buys
Georgia’s lower pay makes more sense when you see the cost of living side of the equation. Atlanta is affordable compared to most major travel nurse markets.
Atlanta Cost of Living
The overall cost of living in Atlanta is approximately 3.9% lower than the national average, with housing approximately 13% below the national average, per Redfin’s 2026 cost of living data sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
Rent in Atlanta (2026)
The average apartment rent in Atlanta is $1,775 per month as of February 2026, per RentCafe’s market analysis using Yardi Matrix data — a 1.15% increase from the prior year.
Breakdown by unit size (RentCafe, February 2026):
- Studio: $1,477/month
- 1-bedroom: $1,596/month
- 2-bedroom: $1,870/month
- 3-bedroom: $2,183/month
For short-term furnished housing (more typical for 13-week assignments), expect to pay a premium over these figures. Furnished Finder and travel-specific platforms typically run $1,800–$2,500/month for furnished 1-bedroom units near major hospital corridors.
Stipend Context: GSA Per Diem Rates for Atlanta (FY 2026)
The GSA per diem rate for Atlanta in FY 2026 sets lodging at $197/night (peak season: January–March) and $182/night for remaining months, with a meals and incidentals rate of $86/day, effective October 2025–September 2026, per FederalPay.org.
For Georgia counties not specifically designated as Non-Standard Areas, the standard CONUS per diem rate applies: $110/night for lodging and $68/day for meals and incidentals in FY 2026, per the GSA.
These rates represent the federal benchmark agencies use when structuring tax-free stipends. Atlanta’s higher NSA rate reflects the city’s actual housing costs — a positive for nurses taking Atlanta assignments.
Other Cost Benchmarks (Atlanta, 2026)
- Monthly utilities (energy, water, trash): ~$180–$220
- Gas (per gallon): ~$3.13
- Monthly transit pass (MARTA): ~$95
- Groceries: ~1% above national average
The practical upshot: a travel nurse earning $1,970/week in Atlanta and spending $1,800/month on furnished housing is clearing significantly more disposable income than a comparable nurse in San Francisco or New York earning $2,500/week but paying $3,500/month for housing.
Georgia Beyond Atlanta: Regional Opportunities
Many travel nurses default to Atlanta without considering the rest of the state. That’s a missed opportunity.
Augusta
Home to the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta University Health System) and University Hospital. Strong academic medicine environment, significantly lower cost of living than Atlanta. Good option for nurses seeking clinical complexity without big-city pricing.
Savannah
Savannah averages $2,137 per week for travel RNs — slightly above the statewide average — with Memorial Health University Medical Center as the primary employer, per Vivian Health data from February 2026. Coastal city with a historic downtown and a tourism-driven lifestyle appeal. Housing is more expensive than inland Georgia but cheaper than beach markets in California or Hawaii.
Macon
Central Georgia hub, Navicent Health (Atrium Health Navicent). Smaller city, lower pay, but very low housing costs — stipend stretches well here.
Columbus
West Georgia, near the Alabama border. Piedmont Columbus Regional is a consistent travel nursing employer. Military presence (Fort Moore/Fort Benning) creates a stable local economy.
Albany / Southwest Georgia
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany listed 450 travel nursing positions on Vivian as of March 2026 — a remarkably high number for a smaller market. Rural Southeast Georgia hospitals often offer competitive packages relative to local cost of living.
Best Agencies for Georgia Travel Nurse Jobs
The agencies with the most active travel nursing jobs in Georgia as of March 13, 2026, per Vivian Health, are TNAA TotalMed RN (194 jobs), Triage Staffing (154 jobs), and Olaro (151 jobs).
For Atlanta specifically, the top agencies by job volume as of March 14, 2026 are Trustaff (49 jobs), Olaro (47 jobs), and Triage Staffing (42 jobs), per Vivian Health.
For travel ER positions in Georgia, agencies with the most active listings include Malone Healthcare – Nursing (15 jobs), CrossMed (8 jobs), and TNAA TotalMed RN (8 jobs), per Vivian Health data from March 2026.
A note on agency selection: The agencies with the most Georgia postings aren’t automatically the best-paying. Vivian Health’s marketplace lets you compare package structures side by side, which is the most efficient way to identify who’s paying above-market for a given specialty and location. Don’t commit to a single agency before comparing at least two or three offers on the same facility.
Is Georgia Worth It for Travel Nurses?
Here’s the honest analysis, Georgia makes sense if:
- You want Southeast assignments with manageable housing costs
- You’re targeting Atlanta for lifestyle, career development, or personal reasons
- You’re early-career and want high-volume, well-organized hospitals (Northside, Piedmont)
- You’re pursuing a Level I trauma assignment at Grady for clinical depth
- You want a lower-cost-of-living state where your stipend stretches well
Georgia may not be your highest-earning option if:
- You’re optimizing purely for gross weekly pay — California, New York, and Washington consistently outperform Georgia
- You’re chasing crisis rates during high-demand periods — those tend to cluster in coastal markets
The math check: A nurse earning $1,934/week with a $600/week housing stipend and spending $1,800/month ($415/week) on furnished housing nets $185/week in stipend surplus. In San Francisco, a nurse earning $2,600/week with a $900/week housing stipend but spending $3,200/month ($739/week) nets $161/week in surplus — less than the Georgia nurse, despite the higher gross pay. Location optimization is math, not just headline numbers.
Check for yourself: [Travel Contract Pay Calculator]
Quick Facts: Georgia Travel Nursing (2026)
Statewide avg. weekly pay
$1,934/week
Atlanta avg. weekly pay
$1,970/week
Savannah avg. weekly pay
$2,137/week
Top weekly earnings (ICU high-end)
Up to $3,066/week
NLC compact state
Yes (full member)
License renewal
Every 2 years
License endorsement fee
$40–$75
Atlanta GSA lodging per diem (FY2026)
$182–$197/night
Atlanta GSA M&IE per diem (FY2026)
$86/day
Avg. Atlanta rent (1BR)
~$1,596/month
Cost of living vs. national avg.
~3.9% below
Sources & References
Salary Data Analysis
Vivian Health – Travel Nursing Jobs in Georgia (March 13, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel Nursing Jobs in Atlanta, GA (March 13–14, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel Nursing Jobs in Savannah, GA (February 11, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel ICU Nurse Jobs in Georgia (March 11, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel ED Nurse Jobs in Georgia (March 1, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel PACU Nurse Jobs in Georgia (March 13, 2026)
Vivian Health – Travel LPN/LVN Jobs in Georgia (March 14, 2026)
Indeed – Travel Nurse Salary in Georgia (December 2025)
Indeed – Travel Nurse Salary in Atlanta, GA (January 2026)
ZipRecruiter – RN Travel Nurse Salary in Georgia (January 2026)
BetterNurse – Travel Nurse Salary Guide (2026)
Cost of Living Data
RentCafe / Yardi Matrix – Average Rent in Atlanta, GA (February 21, 2026)
Redfin – Cost of Living Calculator, Atlanta, GA (sourced from C2ER, September 2025)
Extra Space Storage – Average Cost of Living in Atlanta, GA (2026)
Per Diem / Stipend Data
FederalPay.org – 2026 Atlanta, Georgia Federal Per Diem Rates (FY2026)
Fyle – Atlanta Per Diem Calculator and Rates (FY2026)
GSA.gov – Per Diem Rates (FY2026, effective October 2025–September 2026)
Licensing & Requirements
Georgia Secretary of State – Nurse Licensure Compact
AdvantisM ed – Georgia Nursing License Renewal & Application Guide (January 2026)
NURSECOMPACT.com – eNLC Membership (2026)
Vivian Health – Georgia RN Licensing Guide
Pay data reflects active job listings on Vivian Health and Indeed as of February–March 2026, supplemented by ZipRecruiter salary estimates. Weekly pay figures represent total package compensation (taxable wages + stipends) as reported in job postings. High-end figures reflect top percentile listings, not typical offers. Cost of living data sourced from C2ER via Redfin and RentCafe; rent figures represent apartment market averages and will vary by neighborhood, unit type, and lease structure. Per diem rates are GSA FY2026 rates (October 2025–September 2026) and represent federal benchmarks, not guaranteed agency stipend amounts.
Last updated: March 2026