Who is the highest paying travel agency?

NurseguyFL · Mar 2, 2007

I don't think there's such a thing as a single agency that pays the highest. The amount of money you can make depends on where the position is located, shift preference, and current market demand for your skills and experience. Agencies compete against each other to fill the same positions, and in many cases, the pay and benefits are the same. (Some of them will try to offer you less). Call around to a few of them. Once you tell them about your skills and experience, where you want to go, and how much money you want, they will tell you what is available and you can make your choice from there. Just be prepared to ask a lot of questions, and be cautious about any agency that is offering pay that seems too good to be true. Not all of them are reputable, and some of them may offer you a very high hourly rate but don't tell you that it includes all your OT, per diems, and bonuses, and that you will be expected to pay for your own housing and travel out of it.

LadyNASDAQ · Mar 5, 2007

There is a highest paying travel company but if you compare them to a high paying local agency you will be surprised that your take home $$$ will be higher with local agency. My tax preparer and I ran the numbers. It was an eye opener. Even with per diems and any business expense, you are doing significantly better staying home and working 1 or even 2 local agencies. I am still amazed.

NurseguyFL · Mar 6, 2007

You know, LadyNASDAQ, I stand corrected. You are 100% right about local contract work. I've been back in Florida for a while now after completing some cross-country travel assignments, and I've gotten offers in the high 30s per hour to do local contracts, which is better than offers I've received to go far and wide.

One of the agencies that I used to do per diem registry with is offering a local travel contract in the 40s per hour, and I've decided I'm going to go with them because the hospital is far enough away that I can still qualify for some of the per diems and I'm still close enough that I can drive home after every shift.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 6, 2007

You know, LadyNASDAQ, I stand corrected. You are 100% right about local contract work. I've been back in Florida for a while now after completing some cross-country travel assignments, and I've gotten offers in the high 30s per hour to do local contracts, which is better than offers I've received to go far and wide.
One of the agencies that I used to do per diem registry with is offering a local travel contract in the 40s per hour, and I've decided I'm going to go with them because the hospital is far enough away that I can still qualify for some of the per diems and I'm still close enough that I can drive home after every shift.

If you are travelling home after each shift, then you are not going to qualify for many of the per diems. Suggest that you speak to your rax person. If you are not working away from home, then many will not qualify.

Krither · Mar 7, 2007

Hello all, I am a Pre-nursing student so I am still learning terms and everything.

I've been wondering what 'per diem' is?

If anyone can help me out here, it'd be appreciated!

rdaven · Mar 8, 2007

I am sorry to tell you that if you can go home after your shift you do not qualify for tax free per diems. The only way to qualfy for tax free per diems is to be away from your permanent TAX home and have duplicating expenses. Meaning you have to work far enough away from your home that it would require you to stay in temporary housing.

You know, LadyNASDAQ, I stand corrected. You are 100% right about local contract work. I've been back in Florida for a while now after completing some cross-country travel assignments, and I've gotten offers in the high 30s per hour to do local contracts, which is better than offers I've received to go far and wide.
One of the agencies that I used to do per diem registry with is offering a local travel contract in the 40s per hour, and I've decided I'm going to go with them because the hospital is far enough away that I can still qualify for some of the per diems and I'm still close enough that I can drive home after every shift.

rdaven · Mar 8, 2007

Per Diem literally means per day. It is a term that is used in a few ways. It can mean a shift that a nurse works through an agency that is booked dayly. It can also stand for tax free payments made by travel agencies for business deductions allowed by the IRS. When a person is away from there regular home they are allowed to deduct costs for being away while doing business. These costs are housing and what the IRS calls "Meals and Incidentals" which is a payment for food and small things like tips. If you have a permanent tax home then you can have the agency pay you these deductions instead of you deductiong them on your taxes. These payments are also called a few other things like tax advantage plans. What the agencies usually do is decrease your hourly pay, tax that and give you the rest in tax free pay.

Hello all, I am a Pre-nursing student so I am still learning terms and everything.
I've been wondering what 'per diem' is?
If anyone can help me out here, it'd be appreciated!