How much money do the travel companies really make off of us?

[ashthomps]

I'm on my second assignment and loving it, but I've heard from other travelers that these companies make a lot of money off of us and they also get finders fees?? I was just wondering if anybody had the inside track on what the companies really make and if they can really pull strings and make things happen for us but they're just trying to make as much money off of us as they can? Does that make sense?

Before I took this second assignment I told my recruiter that the pay just wasn't enough and she came back with 50 cents more an hour and I was wondering what I left on the table. But I talked with a traveler in the unit I was going to and she loved it there, so I decided to sign a contract. Then I was told that the apartment that I wanted (that this traveler is in with the same company I'm with) was "out of their budget" by $345, so I had to chose another apartment. THEN when I get to my new assignment, this same traveler told me that she was extending her contract but first going home and that not only would she be back in the same apartment complex, but she was being put in a bigger unit! So I'm a little ticked off and confused. I just want to know what's REALLY going on b/c I don't know if I'll ever get the full story from my travel agency.

[TxPsychRn]

I have always wondered what our agencies charge the hospitals also , But in three years have never found out !! Anyone know ?????

[SFCardiacRN]

Rule of thumb is that agencies charge hospitals twice what they pay the travelor.

[IdahoNurse]

Some of the smaller agencies will take only $10/hour out of a $50/hour bill rate, but the bigger agencies that use alot of advertising and have a big marketing budget will take as much as $25/hour. Most companies that I know of take about $15/hour.

[cenote]

Do the math...If the travel agency only gets $15/hour off your work and you work 36 hours a week, it garners for them $2256 for 4 weeks. (Of course many travel nurses do more than 36 hours) $3008/4 weeks.

Now, if you factor in the cost to them for your health benefits, 401K, apartment, utilities, travel expenses, office expenses, employees, etc. it doesn't seem feasible that this amount would create enough profit especially if the apt costs are high in the area.

Average Monthly Breakdown of Costs: (NOT in California which is more)

Furnished Apt/utilities: $1000.00 + (These are corp. apts)

Health/Dental: 300.00

Travel Expenses 150.00 (costs spread over 3 months)

401 K 50.00 (varies)

Education reimb./licensure 50.00

Office 150.00 (a guess, split per client)

Employees 300.00 (another guess based on time input

and commission)

ETC: 300.00 (Add this for cost acct. measure).

Total: $2300.00

Of course this will vary among agencies, location and with what you have to pay for your benefits AND does not factor in the $500.00 bonus many pay for completion of your assignment. But suffice to say that with the high turnover in the industry and lack of customer loyalty, they have to earn more than $15/hr for your labor. The $25/hour figure in the other posts seems much more likely.

I am a older nurse with a business/accounting/real estate background who recently graduated. I entered the field to get some credentials that would allow me to open a nurse related business. I was also hoping to contribute to the well-being of humankind . . . and to do some travel nursing to earn capital.

Cenote

[IdahoNurse]

Yes there are all those expenses... Let me rephrase here.

The companies that I know of take their $15 for administrative fees and THEN you have what's left for housing, travel, and other expenditures.