Travel Nursing in Georgia | Top Paying Specialties & Cities 2023

Georgia is well-known for its delicious peaches and southern hospitality. But the state also has so many other incredible attributes that draw travel nurses from across the country.

Georgia has a moderate climate year-round with mild winters, warm summers, a variety of gorgeous flower blossoms in the spring, and earthy autumns. For those who love the great outdoors, Georgia is a natural fit. Popular Georgia outdoor activities include hiking the Appalachian Trail, whitewater rafting on the Chattahoochee River, or spending time on the beautiful Atlantic coastline.

Fortunately, the demand for travel nurses in Georgia is high! ZipRecruiter reports that the average travel nurse salary in Georgia is $92,278 annually or $44.36/hr.

If you are ready to explore the great state of Georgia for travel contracts, keep reading for more information!

Looking for travel nurse assignments in Georgia? Speak with a recruiter today!

How Much Do Travel Nurses Make In Georgia?

This is a big perk and part of why you’re considering travel nursing in Georgia, right? So how much can you expect to bring home if you take a travel nursing job in Georgia? Well, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurses in Georgia earn an average annual salary of $75,380, which is slightly lower than the national average of $77,600.

Indeed.com reports an average base salary of $2,214 per week, or $51.85/hr, with weekly salaries ranging between $1,551 and $3,159. Top-paying cities in Georgia include Cumming, Canton, Milledgeville, Gainesville, and Savannah.

Highest-paying specialties in Georgia

Travel nurse income can vary wildly depending on several factors including:

• City (urban areas tend to pay more than rural areas)
• Specialty
• Years of experience
• Type of healthcare facility
• Education (some facilities may pay more for BSN-trained nurses)

Travel nurses can find consistent nursing assignments across the state of Georgia, no matter the season. However, it is important to mention that no matter what specialty you work in, the highest-paying travel nurses tend to work in Atlanta. This is because Atlanta is where the largest and top hospitals in the state are located. They also tend to have more travel assignments available because of the size of the hospitals.

According to ZipRecruiter, the highest-paying travel nursing specialties in the state of Georgia include:

• Telemetry Travel Nurse: $131,882 annually or $63.40/hr
• Operating Room Travel Nurse: $129,720 annually or $62.37/hr
• Oncology Travel Nurse: $120,300 annually or $57.84/hr
• Medical Surgical Travel Nurse: $119,753 annually or $57.57/hr
• Operating Room Travel: $118,732 annually or $57.08/hr

Find open positions today for your specialty.

Top 5 Hospitals in Georgia

Georgia has 172 hospitals across the state. Of those, 13 meet U.S. News and World Report’s high standard qualifications. Here are the top five hospitals in the Peach State.

1. Emory University Hospital – Emory University Hospital is one of the nation’s leading hospitals in cardiology and heart surgery, neurology, cancer, and other specialties. The university is also a Magnet-designated hospital.

• Location: Atlanta
• Regionally Ranked #1 in Georgia & #1 in Atlanta
• Nationally Ranked: 5 Specialties
  • #24 Neurology and Neurosurgery
  • #37 Urology 
  • #40 Geriatrics
  • #41 Diabetes and Endocrinology
  • #43 Cancer
• High-Performing Specialties and Conditions
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
  • Orthopedics
    • Hip Fracture
    • Back Surgery (Spinal Fusion)
    • Hip Replacement
    • Knee Replacement
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
    • Lung Cancer Surgery
    • Pneumonia
• Other High-Performing Procedures/Conditions
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair, Heart Attack, Aortic Valve Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure
  • Nephrology: Kidney Failure
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology: Ovarian Cancer Surgery, Uterine Cancer Surgery

2. Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital – Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital is Atlanta’s first faith-based and longest-serving hospital over the last 140 years.

• Location: Atlanta
• Regionally Ranked #2 in Georgia & #2 in Atlanta
• Nationally Ranked: Not Ranked in Any Specialty
• High Performing: 6 Specialties & Procedures/Conditions
  • Cancer
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
    • Lung Cancer Surgery
    • Prostate Cancer Surgery
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology
    • Diabetes
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
  • Geriatrics
  • Orthopedics
    • Hip Fracture
    • Back Surgery 
    • Hip Replacement
    • Knee Replacement
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
    • COPD
    • Lung Cancer Surgery
    • Pneumonia
• Other High-Performing Procedures & Conditions
  • Cardiology and Heart Surgery: AAA Repair, Heart Attack, Aortic Value Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
  • Nephrology: Kidney Failure
  • Orthopedics: Back Surgery (Spinal Fusion)
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery: Stroke
  • Urology: Prostate Cancer Surgery

3. Northside Hospital Atlanta – Northside Hospital in Atlanta opened as a smaller hospital in 1970 and has now expanded to 621 beds and more than 12,000 employees.

• Location: Atlanta
• Regionally Ranked: #3 in Georgia & #3 in Atlanta
• Nationally Ranked: 1 Specialty
• High Performing: 1 Specialty
  • Cancer 
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
    • Lung Cancer Surgery
    • Ovarian Cancer Surgery
    • Prostate Cancer Surgery
    • Uterine Cancer Surgery
• Other High-Ranking Procedures/Conditions
  • Cardiology: AAA Repair, Heart Attack, Heart Failure
  • Diabetes
  • GI Surgery: Colon Cancer Surgery
  • Nephrology: Kidney Failure
  • Neurology and Neurosurgery: Spinal Fusion
  • Orthopedics: Hip Fracture, Back Surgery, and Hip and Knee Replacement
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery: COPD, Lung Cancer Surgery, Pneumonia
  • Urology: Prostate Cancer Surgery

4. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital – Located in Buckhead, Piedmont Atlanta Hospital is a private and not-for-profit hospital and a top-acute community hospital in metro Atlanta with 643 beds.

• Location: Atlanta
• Regionally Ranked: #4 in Georgia & # 4 in Atlanta
• Nationally Ranked: Not Ranked in Any Specialty
• High Performing: 3 Specialties & Procedures/Conditions
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery
    • AAA Repair
    • Heart Attack 
    • Aortic Valve Surgery
    • Heart Bypass Surgery
    • Heart Failure
    • TAVR
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
    • Spinal Fusion
    • Stroke
• Other High Ranking Procedures/Conditions
  • Cancer: Colon, Lung, and Prostate Surgery
  • Diabetes and Endocrinology: Diabetes
  • Nephrology: Kidney Failure
  • Orthopedics: Hip and Knee Replacement
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery: COPD, Lung Cancer Surgery and Pneumonia
  • Urology: Prostate Cancer Surgery

5. Emory University Hospital Midtown – Formerly known as Emory Crawford Long Hospital, Emory University Midtown is a 531-bed hospital that offers high-level medical care across 28 specialties.

• Location: Atlanta
• Regionally Ranked #5 in Georgia and #5 in Atlanta
• Nationally Ranked: 1 Specialty
• High Performing: 2 Specialties
• Nationally Ranked: 1 Specialty
  • #30 Ear, Nose, & Throat
• High Performing Specialties & Procedures/Conditions
  • Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
    • Colon Cancer Surgery
  • Geriatrics
• Other High-Ranking Procedures/Conditions
  • Cancer: Colon and Lung Cancer
  • Cardiology & Heart Surgery: Heart Attack, Aortic Valve Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, TAVR
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology: Diabetes
  • Nephrology: Kidney Failure
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery: Stroke
  • Pulmonary & Lung Surgery: COPD, Lung Cancer Surgery, Pneumonia

Cost of Living for Travel Nurses in Georgia

Cost of living refers to the cost of maintaining a specific standard of living across different geographical areas and is an important factor to consider when planning your next travel assignment.

Fortunately, according to BestPlaces.net, the average cost of living in Georgia is less than the US average, with a cost of living rate of 94.5. A rating greater than 100 means that the location in question is more expensive than the national average. Keep in mind that this average includes the entire state.

Payscale reports that the overall cost of living in the city of Atlanta is 5% higher than the national average, with housing costing 12% more than the national average. The higher cost of living in Atlanta is because it is a populated urban area and the largest city in the state. Most areas across Georgia are more suburban or urban and have a lower cost of living.

If you take a travel assignment in Georgia but outside of Atlanta, BestPlaces.net reports a lower cost of living across the board, including grocery bills, healthcare, and median home cost. However, Georgia as a whole has a slightly higher cost for some other living expenses, such as utilities and transportation.

Pros & Cons of Travel Nursing in Georgia

Before deciding on a travel assignment in any location, it is wise to take a look at some of the positive and negative aspects so that you are clear about what you are getting yourself into. Everyone has different priorities. Just because one travel nurse enjoyed their experience at one hospital or city does not mean that every other nurse will feel the same.

Take inventory of what you value most in a travel assignment. You can take a look at some of the pros and cons of travel nursing in Georgia to see if it’s the right choice for you.

Pros of Travel Nursing in Georgia

1. There is an abundance of travel assignments – According to the Georgia Hospital Association, travel nurses make up as much as 60% or more of staff across all of the hospitals in the state.

2. Georgia has mild winters – For travel nurses who don’t want to have to deal with snowstorms and long, cold winters, Georgia may be the perfect spot. Temperatures in GA rarely go below freezing, and the weather is typically mild throughout the year.

3. The state has great sports teams – If spending time watching sports is important to you, you’ll be happy to know that Georgia has a number of fan-favorite sports teams including:

• The Atlanta Falcons (NFL)
• The Atlanta Braves (MLB)
• The Atlanta Hawks (NBA)

4. Lower cost of living than most US states – If your goal as a travel nurse is to find inexpensive housing and save money during your assignment, Georgia may be a great fit!

5. Georgia offers excellent outdoor adventure for people who love to spend time in nature – The state offers numerous hiking trails (including the Appalachian Trail), luscious green mountains, and beautiful beaches.

Cons of Travel Nursing in Georgia

1. There may be an overabundance of travel assignments – This is great news for travel nurses in terms of high opportunity. However, some travel nurses may wonder why the administration in these hospitals can’t hold onto their career nurses. Having so many travel nurses is not a good long-term financial, morale, or even in some cases, patient-care strategy.

2. Georgia has consistent humidity – Although the weather is relativity mild in Georgia, the air tends to be humid, making temperatures feel much hotter than they actually are. If Georgia is the place you want to be, ensure you keep a water bottle with you at all times in the summer to prevent dehydration.

3. Bad traffic in cities such as Atlanta – If sitting in traffic to get to the hospital isn’t your cup of tea, this is an important consideration. You may want to find housing close to your facility so you don’t spend hours a day sitting in a car while commuting to work.

4. Georgia has limited public transportation – Another reason to live close to your travel assignment, especially if you won’t have a car during your travels.

5. The south has longer allergy seasons – Southern states, including Georgia, have longer allergy seasons than the rest of the country, partly due to the region’s moderate weather and warmer winters. If allergies are an issue for you, Georgia may not be the right place for your next travel assignment.

Things To Do on Your Days Off

There are so many popular, fun, and unique things to do in the state of Georgia. Take a look at these popular activities:

Outdoor:

• Anna Ruby Falls Trail
• Appalachian Trail
• Tybee Island’s Beaches
• Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge
• Okefenokee Swamp Park

Art and Music:

• Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
• Atlanta Contemporary Art Center (ACAC)
• Atlanta Shakespeare Company
• Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA)
• Savannah Music Festival

Theater:

• Fox Theatre
• The Historic Savannah Theater
• Morton Theater
• Springer Opera House
• Holly Theater

Why Georgia?

Working in the Peach State gives travel nurses a taste of southern hospitality and charm they may not see in other areas of the country.

One of the best things about Georgia is that it has a little of just about everything. There are lush mountains, charming lakes, and 110 miles of beautiful Atlantic coastline all within driving distance. Georgia also has a thriving, diverse nightlife for travel nurses to meet people and have fun.

If you are looking to explore a new state known for its laid-back atmosphere and delicious foodie culture, a travel assignment in Georgia just might be an awesome experience for you!

Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments in Georgia!