Travel Nurse Pay in Ohio (2026)
Ohio is a high-volume, three-anchor market with below-average staff pay, a new flat 2.75% income tax and compact licensure since 2023. Here is what the numbers say.
By the NursePayLab editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Pay measure | Ohio | U.S. overall |
|---|---|---|
| Staff RN median hourly wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $39.67 | $46.90 |
| Staff RN median annual wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $82,510 | $97,550 |
| Staff RN mean annual wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $87,730 | $101,420 |
| Registered nurses employed (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | 143,730 | 3,379,720 |
Travel nurse pay in Ohio: the numbers
The baseline is below national but the volume is enormous. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025), Ohio employs 143,730 registered nurses — about 25.9 per 1,000 jobs, one of the higher concentrations in the country — at a median wage of $39.67 an hour ($82,510 a year), with a mean of $87,730. The national median is $46.90 an hour ($97,550), so Ohio staff RNs trail it by about 15%. The tax side improved sharply: Ohio collapsed to a flat 2.75% on income above $26,050 for the 2026 tax year, down from a 3.125% top rate in 2025, per the Ohio Department of Taxation. One catch: hundreds of Ohio school districts levy their own income taxes that can add a point or more — verify the district at your facility.
| Pay measure | Ohio | U.S. overall |
|---|---|---|
| Staff RN median hourly wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $39.67 | $46.90 |
| Staff RN median annual wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $82,510 | $97,550 |
| Staff RN mean annual wage (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | $87,730 | $101,420 |
| Registered nurses employed (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | 143,730 | 3,379,720 |
| Typical travel gross package (hedged — varies by specialty, facility, season) | roughly $1,650–$2,500/week | roughly $1,800–$3,200/week |
| State income tax on wages, 2026 | flat 2.75% above $26,050 (plus some school districts) | varies by state |
Treat the travel band as hedged market context, not a quote: routine med-surg in a suburban Columbus hospital can land below it, while ICU, cath lab and L&D contracts at the Cleveland and Cincinnati brand-name institutions routinely clear the top. Licensure is frictionless — Ohio implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 1, 2023 as the 38th compact state, and the compact counted 43 jurisdictions as of late 2026, per NurseCompact. Compare Ohio against the neighbors on the travel nurse pay by state hub.
The map: Columbus anchors the middle of the state with three competing systems and the largest single-metro volume. Cleveland and Cincinnati each run world-ranked institutions that pull specialty contracts — research units, cardiac and pediatric ICUs — at the top of the local band. Dayton and Toledo add steady mid-market demand, and Appalachian southeastern Ohio posts some of the state's best premiums precisely because fewer travelers want it. Housing costs in all three anchors run below coastal standards, which keeps stipends potent.
How stipends change the math in Ohio
An Ohio offer splits into taxable wages and tax-free stipends, and in a low-wage, low-cost state the stipend bucket carries the offer. Housing and meal stipends stay untaxed only while you maintain a valid tax home with duplicated living expenses, and they are capped by the GSA per diem tables for your assignment city. Ohio's three big metros sit near the mid-range of those tables — above rural counties, below coastal cities — so the same job title in Columbus versus southeastern Ohio can hide a materially different stipend. Decide early whether to take the stipend or agency housing; in Ohio metros the stipend usually wins because rents are moderate enough to pocket the difference.
Illustrative contract, Columbus: $21 an hour taxable times 36 guaranteed hours is $756 of weekly taxable gross. Federal income tax runs about $52 a week for a single filer after the standard deduction, FICA about $58, and Ohio's flat 2.75% roughly $7 — call it $639 net from the taxable side. Add $1,200 housing plus $400 meals and incidentals, untaxed with a valid tax home, and weekly take-home is about $2,240, a blended rate near $62 an hour. A 13-week contract lands near $29,100. Run your own offer through the take-home pay calculator — this is an estimate, not tax advice.
The comparison that matters: Ohio's flat 2.75% plus moderate stipend ceilings makes a mid-band gross go further than the same number in a high-tax metro state, and the state's sheer contract volume lets you stack back-to-back assignments in one metro without moving. The trap is the add-ons — school district taxes and municipal structures vary block by block in some regions, and a nominal premium can shrink once the district tax is priced. Score any two offers with the contract comparison calculator or the blended rate calculator, and if this is your first contract, walk the first assignment checklist before you sign anything.
FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in Ohio?
Ohio staff RNs earn a median of $82,510 a year ($39.67 an hour) per BLS OEWS May 2025 data, about 15% below the $97,550 national median. Travel packages typically run roughly $1,650–$2,500 a week gross depending on city and specialty, with Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati on the higher end.
How much is Ohio income tax for travel nurses?
Ohio moved to a flat 2.75% income tax on income above $26,050 starting with the 2026 tax year, down from a top rate of 3.125% in 2025 — per the Ohio Department of Taxation. Some school districts levy their own income tax on top. On typical travel wages, expect roughly $10–$30 a week.
Is Ohio part of the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes. Ohio implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 1, 2023, becoming the 38th compact state, so a multistate RN license issued by your compact home state covers Ohio assignments. The compact counted 43 jurisdictions as of late 2026 — confirm at nursecompact.com.
Where are the biggest travel nurse markets in Ohio?
Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati form a three-anchor market with multiple competing systems each, including two of the country's best-known hospital brands. Dayton and Toledo add steady demand, and Appalachian southeastern Ohio often posts the sharpest premiums for scarce specialties.
Are stipends tax-free in Ohio?
Federal rules decide, not Columbus: housing and meal stipends are tax-free only while you maintain a valid tax home and duplicated living expenses, capped by GSA per diem rates for the assignment city. Ohio's flat 2.75% applies to your taxable wages only; it does not change how stipends are treated.
Do Ohio school district income taxes hit travel nurses?
They can. Hundreds of Ohio school districts levy their own income tax, generally based on where you work or reside within the district, at rates that add a point or more onto the state tax. Ask the facility which district it sits in and verify with the Ohio Department of Taxation's district lookup before pricing an offer.