Travel Nurse Agency Guide
An honest look at the agencies travel nurses work with most. No fake quizzes — just the information you need to make a good decision.
How to Evaluate an Agency
These are the factors that actually matter when choosing who to work with. No agency is perfect at all of them — but knowing what to look for helps you ask the right questions.
Pay Transparency
Does the agency provide a full pay breakdown showing taxable wages, stipends, and all deductions before you sign?
Recruiter Communication
How responsive is your recruiter? Do they return calls/texts within a reasonable timeframe?
Benefits & Insurance
What medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) options are available? Are they day-one eligible?
Housing Support
Do they offer both stipend and agency-provided housing? Is the stipend competitive with GSA rates?
Credentialing Speed
How fast can they get you compliant and working? Weeks vs. months matters.
Contract Honesty
Are guaranteed hours actually guaranteed? Are cancellation and floating policies clearly stated?
Agency Directory
Major travel nursing agencies listed alphabetically by category. This is not a ranking — every nurse's experience with an agency depends on their recruiter, specialty, and timing.
AMN Healthcare
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Physician, Locum Tenens
The largest healthcare staffing company in the US and parent of several well-known brands. AMN operates through subsidiaries including NursesRx, O'Grady Peyton, and others. Their scale means broad access to facilities nationwide, though some travelers prefer smaller agencies for a more personal touch.
Aya Healthcare
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Locum Tenens
The largest travel nurse staffing agency in the United States. Aya has a massive job board with thousands of open positions at any given time. Their scale means access to nearly every hospital system in the country.
Cross Country Nurses
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Education
One of the oldest and most established travel nursing agencies. Strong nationwide network with long-standing hospital relationships. Offers continuing education benefits and career development programs.
FlexCare Medical Staffing
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Therapy
Uses a unique S1NGLE Point of Contact model where one recruiter handles everything for you. Consistently rated among the highest for nurse satisfaction. Strong on the West Coast but places nationwide.
Fusion Medical Staffing
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Therapy, Lab, Cardiopulmonary
Joint Commission-certified staffing firm placing travel nurses and allied health professionals across all 50 states. Recruiters carry smaller caseloads than the industry average, which means more time per traveler. Consistently ranked among top agencies by staffing industry publications.
Host Healthcare
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Therapy
Rapidly growing agency with a tech-forward approach. Offers a transparent pay calculator on their website and has a reputation for competitive rates. Strong presence across most specialties and regions.
Medical Solutions
Specialties: RN, Allied Health
One of the largest privately held staffing companies in the US. Frequently appears on "best travel nursing agency" lists. Known for quality-of-life benefits like free private housing options and loyalty bonuses.
Supplemental Health Care
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, School Health, Home Health
One of the older agencies in the industry with a particularly strong presence in school health and home health in addition to traditional travel nursing. Known for responsive support staff and a wide variety of assignment types.
Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA)
Specialties: RN, Allied Health
Employee-owned company with a strong reputation for nurse-first culture. Offers clinical ladder programs and has a dedicated quality team. Known for honest pay packages and reliable recruiter communication.
Triage Staffing
Specialties: RN, Allied Health, Lab
Multi-year winner of "Best Places to Work" awards. Known for a family-like culture and genuinely responsive recruiters. Particularly strong in ICU, ER, and OR placements.
Tips for Choosing Your Agency
Work with multiple agencies
Most experienced travelers work with 2-3 agencies simultaneously. This gives you more job options and lets you compare offers side-by-side. Use our Pay Calculator to compare packages.
Your recruiter matters more than the company
A great recruiter at a mediocre agency will often get you better results than a bad recruiter at a top agency. If your recruiter is unresponsive, ask for a new one or move on.
Always get the full pay breakdown
Before signing anything, ask for: taxable hourly rate, housing stipend, M&IE stipend, travel reimbursement, overtime rate, guaranteed hours, and any deductions. If an agency won't provide this, that's a red flag.
Check contract cancellation policies
Understand what happens if your assignment is cancelled, if you need to cancel, or if the facility cancels shifts. These clauses vary wildly between agencies and contracts.
Read reviews — but take them with a grain of salt
Sites like Highway Hypodermics, The Gypsy Nurse, and Vivian have agency reviews. Remember that people are more likely to leave reviews after bad experiences, so factor that in.
Ready to Compare Offers?
Use our free pay calculator to compare contract offers from any agency side-by-side.
Open Pay Calculator