Travel Nurse Stipend vs. Housing Placement

One of the most important factors when agreeing to a travel or contract nursing assignment is the living arrangement.

Fortunately, AMN Healthcare knows the value of housing type and location and has a dedicated department with the sole purpose of finding and securing housing for travel and contract nurses.

Nurses have the option to accept the housing we provide, or they can choose to provide their own housing and be reimbursed with a generous housing stipend.

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Difference Between Travel Nurse Stipend vs. Housing Placement

The travel nurse housing stipend is a reimbursement for nurses who choose to find their own housing accommodations. The housing placement is a benefit that provides housing for travel nurses paid for by the staffing agency.

Travel Nurse Stipend

The travel nurse stipend is the housing reimbursement option with a variety of nomenclatures. It can be referred to as daily lodging per diem, housing subsidy, housing stipend, and housing allowance. For the sake of this piece, it will be referred to as a housing stipend.

Benefits of Travel Nurse Stipend

Recruiter Carol S. shared insight as to why nurses choose the housing stipend. "The benefit of subsidy is that the healthcare professionals can live wherever they choose! They get to pick the location, amenities, the move-in/move-out date, etc. and a lot of them prefer to use Airbnb or Vrbo due to how reliable it is and how many options there are to pick from."

In other instances, healthcare professionals travel in pairs (travel partners) to help save money, or they prefer a two-bedroom because they travel with family/kids. The AMN Healthcare housing team provides a one-bedroom apartment, so it is better for some nurses who travel with others to take the subsidy so they can get a 2-bedroom unit or whatever they need to accommodate their specific situation.”

Travel Nurse Housing Placement

The other option is to have the AMN Healthcare housing team handle the housing arrangements for you. This is an option nurses choose generally because they would like to avoid the hassle and time of finding their own apartment – it’s more convenient to show up to an apartment that’s ready to go. On the rare occasion you have a short contract (8 weeks or less), then AMN Healthcare will provide a hotel stay instead.

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Benefits of Travel Nurse Housing

This option is less popular. Carol explains, "If you opt for the AMN Healthcare one-bedroom housing option, the benefit is that AMN Healthcare pays for the deposit, rent, basic furniture rental, and utilities (cable/internet is not included). The drawback is you don't receive a housing stipend and don't have the option to select where you live. The housing is based on availability and pricing. In some locations, it could be a studio unit, like in NYC, for example.”

"I always advise travelers to opt for the housing subsidy, especially since some nurses prefer specific amenities, such as an apartment with a gym. Some prefer to be downtown while others prefer a quiet suburb. Everyone is different and with the subsidy, you get to pick what works best for your specific needs.

Another thing to consider is traveling with pets. Furry friends make great travel companions but sometimes do pose a challenge when finding housing. Our AMN Healthcare housing team is typically able to find pet-friendly housing for you.”

Carol concludes, “Overall, the subsidy does take more effort on the traveler’s part, but most travelers find it to be totally worth it and the best fit for them during their travel nursing career.”

Summary

Whichever option you choose, your housing accommodations will be covered. The route to getting there is a decision made by the nurse based on their lifestyle and circumstance.

If you would like to learn more about our housing department, submit a quick application to connect with a team member. To learn about all the AMN Healthcare benefits, visit our Salary & Benefits page.

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Additional Nursing Resources:

• AMN Passport: Our all-in-one nursing app for booking nursing jobs.
• Nursing Salary & Benefits: AMN Healthcare offers our nurses some amazing salaries and benefits. Find out what's in store for your nursing career today.
• Travel Nurse Licensing: Find out about nursing requirements for all 50 states.
• Exclusive Facilities: AMN Healthcare has relationships with the most sought-after healthcare providers.
• Refer-a-Friend: Make up to $2,000 per referral.