Ohio Travel Nurse Pay Guide: Salaries, Top Hospitals & Licensing (2026)
Ohio does not show up on most travel nurses’ short lists — and that is exactly the opportunity. While California and New York get all the attention, Ohio quietly offers full NLC compact access, one of the lowest costs of living in the Midwest, a 3.99% flat state income tax, and anchored demand from some of the most respected health systems in the country. Your weekly rate may be lower than a California contract, but your take-home purchasing power often is not.
This guide covers what travel nurses earn in Ohio in 2026, how pay breaks down by specialty and city, what the licensing process looks like, and which facilities and agencies drive the most contract volume in the state.
Ohio Travel Nurse Pay Overview: 2026
Ohio travel nurse pay runs slightly below the national average — a reflection of the state’s lower cost of living rather than a shortage of opportunity. The state is one of the busiest travel nursing markets in the Midwest, driven by high surgical and critical care volume at its major academic health systems.
| Data Point | Ohio Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay (all specialties) | ~$2,055 – $2,225/week | Indeed / ZipRecruiter, early 2026 |
| National average weekly pay | ~$2,165/week | MedPro Healthcare Staffing, 2026 |
| Ohio vs. national average | Approximately 1-5% below national | Vivian Health, Feb 2026 |
| Blended hourly rate (taxable + stipend) | $56 – $71/hour | TravelNurseCalc.com, 2026 |
| State income tax rate | 3.99% flat | Ohio Department of Taxation |
| Cost of living vs. national average | ~9% below national average | TravelNurseCalc.com, 2026 |
| NLC compact status | Full member since January 2023 | Ohio Board of Nursing |
AMN Healthcare listed Ohio travel nurse contracts in early 2026 ranging from $1,180 to $3,375 per week, with the state’s high-end contracts concentrated in Cath Lab and OR specialties at major academic medical centers. The top-end Cath Lab contract as of March 2026 was $3,375/week at an Ohio facility, which is competitive with rates seen in larger coastal markets.
Ohio Travel Nurse Pay by Specialty (2026)
Specialty is the primary variable in Ohio travel nurse pay. High-acuity roles at academic medical centers consistently outperform general med-surg rates, sometimes by $500 or more per week at the same facility. The following ranges reflect contract data from AMN, Vivian, and other platforms for Ohio assignments.
| Specialty | Typical Weekly Range in Ohio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cath Lab | $2,400 – $3,375 | Highest-paying specialty in Ohio; strong demand at Cleveland Clinic and OSU heart programs |
| OR / Perioperative | $2,200 – $2,900 | Strong volume across academic and community hospitals statewide |
| ICU / Critical Care | $2,000 – $2,370 | AMN high of $2,370/week in Ohio as of Feb 2026; Level I trauma demand in Columbus and Cleveland |
| ER / Emergency | $1,900 – $2,500 | Consistent demand at urban trauma centers; rural ER shortages create spot opportunities |
| L&D / Labor and Delivery | $1,900 – $2,400 | Steady demand; Nationwide Children’s and Cincinnati Children’s drive volume |
| NICU | $1,919 – $2,319 | AMN Ohio average $1,919/week, high of $2,319/week as of Feb 2026 |
| Telemetry | $1,800 – $2,200 | High contract volume across community hospitals; good assignment availability |
| Med-Surg | $1,600 – $2,000 | Most abundant assignment type statewide; lower rates but excellent volume for newer travelers |
Ohio Travel Nurse Pay by City
Ohio’s five major metro areas — Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo — each have distinct hospital ecosystems and contract volumes. Columbus leads in pay due to the concentration of academic medical volume at Ohio State University’s health system.
| City | Avg. Weekly Pay | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | ~$2,220/week | OSU Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s, OhioHealth Riverside |
| Cleveland | ~$2,147 – $2,200/week | Cleveland Clinic (354 open travel jobs as of March 2026), University Hospitals |
| Cincinnati | ~$2,050 – $2,150/week | UC Health, Cincinnati Children’s, Bon Secours Mercy Health |
| Dayton | ~$1,950 – $2,100/week | Wright-Patterson VAMC, Kettering Health, Dayton Children’s |
| Toledo | ~$2,000 – $2,150/week | ProMedica Toledo Hospital, Mercy Health St. Vincent |
Cleveland Clinic is worth highlighting specifically. It consistently ranks as the top individual employer for Ohio travel nurse contracts on Vivian, with 354 open positions as of March 2026. Nurses with cardiac, vascular, or oncology specialty experience should target Cleveland Clinic assignments specifically — the health system’s volume and acuity drive above-average contract rates compared to community hospitals in the same region.
Ohio Nursing License: What Travel Nurses Need to Know
Ohio joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) effective January 2023, making it the 38th state to participate. This is a significant advantage for travel nurses — if you hold a multistate compact license issued by your home state, you can work in Ohio without applying for a separate Ohio license.
If Your Home State Is an NLC Member
You are authorized to practice in Ohio under your existing multistate license. No additional application is required. Verify your license status and confirm multistate privileges are active at Nursys.com before accepting an Ohio assignment.
If Your Home State Is NOT an NLC Member
You will need to apply for an Ohio RN license by endorsement through the Ohio Board of Nursing. Key details:
- Application fee: $75 for a new single-state Ohio license
- Multistate conversion fee (if Ohio is your primary state of residence): $100 one-time, with $75 renewal
- Renewal cycle: Every 2 years
- Continuing education requirement: 24 contact hours per renewal period, including 1 Category A hour covering Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board of Nursing rules
- Background check: State and federal fingerprint-based criminal background check required (BCI and FBI)
Non-Compact States Still Seeking Ohio Access
As of early 2026, several high-volume travel nursing states — including Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois — have introduced legislation to join the NLC but have not yet implemented. If your home state is among them, check current status on the NCSBN website before assuming compact privileges apply. See our guide on Travel Nurse Contract Red Flags for how licensing gaps can affect your start date.
Ohio State Income Tax for Travel Nurses
Ohio has a 3.99% flat income tax rate, which applies to your taxable wages — the base hourly portion of your travel contract. Your tax-free housing and meal stipends are not subject to Ohio income tax (provided you maintain a valid tax home).
At 3.99%, Ohio’s state income tax is notably lower than many other high-volume travel nursing states. By comparison:
| State | Top Income Tax Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | Up to 13.3% | Highest in the country; significant deduction on high-earning contracts |
| New York | Up to 10.9% | NYC adds local tax on top of state rate |
| Massachusetts | 5% | Flat rate; relatively moderate |
| Ohio | 3.99% | Flat rate; favorable for travel nurses |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% | Among the lowest flat income tax states |
| Washington / Texas / Florida | 0% | No state income tax; maximum take-home on taxable wages |
Ohio’s 3.99% rate is low enough that it rarely becomes a deciding factor in contract comparisons. The bigger driver of your net take-home in Ohio is housing cost — which is well below national average across all major Ohio cities. For a full framework on how taxes affect your travel nurse pay package, see our guide on Travel Nurse Tax Home Rules.
Top Ohio Hospitals for Travel Nurses
Ohio’s hospital ecosystem is anchored by a small number of very large, nationally ranked health systems that generate disproportionate contract volume. These are the facilities that consistently appear at the top of Ohio travel nurse job boards:
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic main campus and its regional network is the single largest source of travel nurse contracts in Ohio, with over 350 open positions on Vivian as of March 2026. Known for exceptional cardiac, vascular, and oncology programs, Cleveland Clinic contracts tend to be competitive in pay and are highly valued as resume-builders for specialty nurses. The Clinic’s cardiac catheterization and cardiovascular OR programs are among the most active in the country.
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
The second largest travel nurse employer in Ohio by Vivian contract volume, University Hospitals operates across multiple Cleveland campuses including a major Level I trauma center. Strong placement opportunities in ICU, ER, and OR.
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
OSU Wexner is Columbus’s academic medical anchor and one of the highest-paying facilities for Ohio travel nurses. The Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital on campus is a major driver of Cath Lab and cardiovascular OR contract demand. Wexner also houses the Arthur G. James Cancer Center, creating oncology nursing opportunities less common at other Ohio facilities.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus)
Ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country, Nationwide Children’s is the primary source of pediatric specialty travel contracts in Ohio — PICU, NICU, and pediatric OR. Specialty experience and PALS certification are typically required.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Consistently ranked as one of the top pediatric hospitals nationally, Cincinnati Children’s generates strong travel demand for NICU and pediatric critical care nurses. Contracts here tend to carry a prestige component that benefits your future contract negotiations.
Agencies with Strong Ohio Contract Volume
The agencies generating the most Ohio travel nurse placements according to Vivian Health data from March 2026 are GHR Healthcare (174 active Ohio jobs), Malone Healthcare (151 jobs), and Trustaff (143 jobs). Trustaff is Ohio-based and has historically had particularly strong facility relationships within the state.
The major national agencies also maintain strong Ohio presence:
- Aya Healthcare — consistent Ohio volume across specialties (read our Aya Healthcare review)
- AMN Healthcare — strong academic medical center relationships in Cleveland and Columbus (read our AMN Healthcare review)
- Health Carousel — Ohio-headquartered agency with deep state relationships (read our Health Carousel review)
- Cross Country Nurses — academic medical center placement including Cleveland Clinic network (read our Cross Country Nurses review)
- Vivian Health — aggregator platform useful for comparing Ohio contracts across all agencies simultaneously (read our Vivian Health review)
Health Carousel is worth flagging specifically — the company is headquartered in Cincinnati, which often translates into faster placement, more facility relationships, and potentially stronger packages for Ohio assignments compared to agencies operating the state from a distance.
Why Ohio Works Well for Travel Nurses
Ohio is often overlooked in favor of higher-paying coastal markets, but it earns its place as a smart destination for several reasons:
The cost of living math works. Ohio sits roughly 9% below the national cost-of-living average. Your GSA housing stipend in Columbus or Cleveland goes significantly further than the same amount in Boston or Seattle. Travel nurses who prioritize savings rate over gross weekly pay will consistently find Ohio competitive on a net basis.
Full NLC compact access since 2023. Ohio’s compact membership means most traveling nurses can accept Ohio assignments without waiting for a new license. For nurses whose home state is a recent NLC member (Pennsylvania joined fully in July 2025, Connecticut in October 2025), Ohio may now be accessible without additional paperwork for the first time.
Clinical depth at major systems. Cleveland Clinic and OSU Wexner are not community hospitals. Contracts here add genuine credibility to a travel nurse resume in a way that mid-tier placements do not. For specialty nurses — particularly those in cardiac, vascular, and oncology — Ohio represents a legitimate resume-building destination alongside the coastal academic centers.
Assignment availability is high. Ohio generates consistent contract volume year-round. It is not a boom-and-bust market driven by seasonal surges the way some Sun Belt states are. Nurses who want predictable work calendars and back-to-back contract opportunities will find the Ohio market reliable.
What to Know Before Accepting an Ohio Travel Assignment
A few practical notes specific to Ohio:
- Winters are real. Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo experience genuine winters with significant snowfall, particularly in the Lake Erie snow belt (Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown area). Factor this into your housing search and commute planning.
- Housing costs vary meaningfully by city. Columbus and Cleveland have the tightest rental markets. Dayton and Toledo offer the most housing value in the state. Research average 1-bedroom rents in your specific assignment city before accepting a stipend as adequate.
- Rush hour traffic in Columbus and Cleveland can be significant. Factor commute time from housing to facility when evaluating accommodation options — particularly for Cleveland Clinic assignments, where the main campus is in the University Circle neighborhood.
- Ohio APRN licenses are single-state only. If you are an NP, CRNA, CNS, or CNM, your NLC compact privileges apply to your RN license only. Advanced practice licensure in Ohio requires a separate Ohio-specific APRN license application regardless of compact status.
Understanding your full pay package before signing is the most important step in any assignment. For a complete breakdown of how to evaluate a travel nurse contract, see our guide on What Is a Travel Nurse Pay Package?
Is your travel package competitive?
The 2026 Travel Nurse Pay Decoder compares your weekly package against current benchmarks for your specialty and market — free, takes 60 seconds.
Decode My Package →References
Salary Data
- Indeed, “Travel Nurse Salary in Ohio,” February 2026
- ZipRecruiter, “RN Travel Nurse Salary — Ohio,” February 2026
- Vivian Health, “Travel Nurse Salary in Ohio” and “Travel Nursing Jobs in Ohio,” February-March 2026
- AMN Healthcare, “Ohio Travel Nursing Jobs — Active Listings,” February-March 2026
- TravelNurseCalc.com, “Travel Nurse Pay in Ohio 2026,” March 2026
- MedPro Healthcare Staffing, “Travel Nurse Salary in 2026,” January 2026
Licensing
- Ohio Board of Nursing, “Multistate Licensure,” accessed April 2026
- Ohio Nurses Association (ONA), “Multistate Licensure Comes to Ohio January 2023,” December 2022
- Advantis Medical, “Ohio Nursing License Renewal and Application Guide,” October 2025
- HealthTrust, “NLC Map: List of Nurse Licensure Compact States,” January 2026
Last updated: April 2026
Get Weekly Travel Nurse Pay Insights
Join thousands of travel nurses getting real pay data, contract tips, and market updates — free.