Travel Nursing in Ohio | Top Paying Specialties & Cities 2023
Travel Nursing in Ohio
Ohio is a state filled with rich culture, diverse populations, urban cities, and serene rural living. This is a state where locals bleed the colors of their home teams, and it blends the Midwestern comfort and charm with bits of East Coast history. Ohio is surrounded by 5 other states and shares a border with Lake Erie, making it a central hub for many different travel adventures.
One of the benefits of taking a travel contract in Ohio is that your money will go further as it ranks 9% below the national average in cost of living. There are job opportunities ranging from higher-paying specialties in larger hospitals to rural critical access hospitals to accommodate a plethora of interests.
Depending on the current needs of the hospitals, most specialties including NICU, L&D, CVOR, CVICU, PICU, Oncology, and Interventional Radiology all have opportunities to work in Ohio. With a lower cost of living, many of the travel contracts remain competitively priced compared to the rest of the country which would result in a larger take-home sum for the nurse.
Looking for open travel nurse assignments in Ohio? Speak with a recruiter today!
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make in Ohio?
According to Indeed.com, travel nurses are currently making an average of $2,353 per week by working the standard 36-hour work week in Ohio. Even though this is the quoted average weekly rate, some of the current job positions are paying much more. With a lower cost of living than the national average, this money will go much farther, especially in more remote locations.
Indeed.com provides current travel nurse contracts in Ohio at competitive rates compared to the rest of America.
Akron, OH
- Hourly Rate: $74
- Weekly: $2,663
- Monthly: $10,654
Columbus, OH
- Hourly Rate: $93
- Weekly: $3,363
- Monthly: $13,452
Dayton, OH
- Hourly Rate: $75
- Weekly: $2,733
- Monthly: $10,932
Canton, OH
- Hourly Rate: $73
- Weekly: $2,626
- Monthly: $10,504
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
- Hourly Rate: $66
- Weekly: $2,381
- Monthly: $9,524
Highest-paying Specialties in Ohio
The highest-paying contracts in Ohio will all typically be found in the larger cities, and will usually involve specialty units. If you have the ability to work in a specialty, the pay vs. the cost of living in Ohio could be extremely beneficial for you. Here is a current look at the highest-paying specialties with their weekly pay in Ohio.
- PICU – $4,356-$5,004 / week
- Operating Room – $3,600-$3,800 / week
- Emergency Room – $3,100-$3,200 / week
- CVOR – $3,951 / week
- NICU – $3,158 / Week
Speak with a recruiter today about your next assignment!
Top 5 Hospitals in Ohio
Out of the 217 hospitals in the state, 19 of them met US News’ high standards and were ranked in order of their quality. The following are the top five ranked hospitals in Ohio.
1. Cleveland Clinic
- Location: Cleveland
- Nationally Ranked: 13 Specialties and 11 Pediatric Specialties
- Cancer – #6 in Nation
- Cardiology and Heart Surgery – #1 in the Nation
- Diabetes and Endocrinology – #11 in the Nation
- Ear, Nose, & Throat – #23 in the Nation
- Gastroenterology & GI – #4 in the Nation
- Geriatrics – #2 in the Nation
- Neurology and Neurosurgery – #8 in the Nation
- Obstetrics and Gynecology – #4 in the Nation
- Ophthalmology – #1 in the Nation
- Orthopedics – #14 in the Nation
- Pulmonary and Lung – #6 in the Nation
- Rheumatology – #2 in the Nation
- Urology – #2 in the Nation
- Neonatology – #10 in the Nation
- Pediatric Cancer -#15 in the Nation
- Pediatric Cardiology – #6 in the Nation
- Pediatric Diabetes – #36 in the Nation
- Pediatric Gastroenterology – #13 in the Nation
- Pediatric Nephrology – #29 in the Nation
- Pediatric Neurosurgery – #40 in the Nation
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Pulmonology – #30 in the Nation
- Pediatric Urology – #24 in the Nation
- High Performing: 18 Procedures/Conditions
2. Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
- Location: Columbus
- Nationally Ranked: 9 Specialties
- Cancer – #24 in Nation
- Cardiology and Heart Surgery – #36 in the Nation
- Diabetes and Endocrinology – #36 in the Nation
- Ear, Nose, & Throat – #19 in the Nation
- Gastroenterology & GI – #50 in the Nation
- Neurology and Neurosurgery – #29 in the Nation
- Obstetrics and Gynecology – #45 in the Nation
- Pulmonary and Lung – #35 in the Nation
- Rehabilitation – #33 in Nation
- High Performing: 3 Specialties & 15 Procedures/Conditions
3. University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Location: Cleveland
- Nationally Ranked: 4 Specialties and 9 Pediatric Specialties
- Cardiology and Heart Surgery – #38 in the Nation
- Ear, Nose, & Throat – #17 in the Nation
- Geriatrics – #46 in the Nation
- Neurology and Neurosurgery – #39 in the Nation
- Neonatology – #10 in the Nation
- Pediatric Cancer -#25 in the Nation
- Pediatric Cardiology – #46 in the Nation
- Pediatric Diabetes – #15 in the Nation
- Pediatric Gastroenterology – #37 in the Nation
- Pediatric Nephrology – #36 in the Nation
- Pediatric Orthopedics – #17 in the Nation
- Pediatric Pulmonology – #17 in the Nation
- Pediatric Urology – #39 in the Nation
- High Performing: 16 Procedures/Conditions
4. Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital
- Location: Cleveland
- Nationally Ranked: 3 Specialties
- Cardiology and Heart Surgery – #34 in the Nation
- Gastroenterology and GI surgery – #39 in the Nation
- Neurology and Neurosurgery – #45 in the Nation
- High Performing: 4 Specialties and 11 Procedures/Conditions
5. Christ Hospital
Location: Cincinnati
High Performing: 4 Specialties and 14 Procedures/Conditions
Cost of Living for Travel Nurses in Ohio
The cost of living in Ohio varies based on which part of the state you live in. As with most places, rent in an urban area will cost more than it will in the more rural regions of the state.
Overall, Ohio has roughly 9% lower cost of living than the rest of America. This becomes extremely important and obvious with housing prices. Ohio’s housing is 23% lower than the rest of America which is quite substantial. According to BestPlaces.net, a 1 bedroom house/apartment costs $695 monthly in Ohio compared to the national average of $1048. Basic food and other necessities lie just around the average line. With all the factors combined, Ohio can lead to a profitable contract for travel nurses.
Pros & Cons of Travel Nursing in Ohio
Pros of travel nursing in Ohio
- Some of the current contracts pay well, especially when compared to the average cost of living in the state.
- Due to the central location, there is a lot of access to surrounding states and additional fun.
- There are many opportunities to enjoy the culture outside of work. No matter the season, Ohio always has some kind of professional or college sports to watch.
- There are diverse job opportunities, with many current job openings throughout the state for almost all specialties of nursing. There is a much higher chance of finding a job for specialists here than in some more competitive states.
- You can enjoy cities full of arts and culture and have a variety of day-off adventures at your fingertips with three large cities in the state.
Cons of travel nursing in Ohio
- Ohio is probably not the first state that comes to mind when debating travel nursing assignments due to the more limited outdoor adventures.
- If you do not already have a compact license, you would need to apply for the Ohio license.
- If you are not a fan of the cold, don’t consider Ohio in the winter. Winter months are known to be cold, dreary, and harsh.
- Not a fan of humidity? Maybe reconsider Ohio in the summer. Summers are hot and humid and can leave you feeling sticky and gross. Sticking with spring and fall is a safer bet.
- Limited public transportation. If getting around the cities by public transportation is something you value, then maybe reconsider Ohio. Or just go in knowing that the transportation system is not as fully developed as in other large cities. On the other hand, traffic may be better than in more populated cities or states, so having a personal car and finding parking may be much less of a problem.
Things To Do on Your Days Off in Ohio
Ohio is full of fun events to fill your days off. It is highly known for its variety of incredible amusement parks, most notably Cedar Point for the roller coaster fanatics. The state also has professional baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer teams that you can cheer on. This could end up being such a fun way to get to know coworkers whether it is by going to a game, or finding a local sports bar and watching some games over a beer.
Unless you are familiar with Ohio, you might not realize that it is the 6th largest wine-producing area in the United States and has over 300 wineries! So grab your friends, plan a little day trip, and sip your way across the state. Then head over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and take a journey through time and listen to some blasts from the past.
Why Ohio?
Ohio is a hidden gem of a state. Although it consistently has to fight for its name due to the large rivalry it has with Michigan, Ohio has some amazing qualities. There are ample job opportunities for travelers at the moment, and they even can be quite lucrative. Ohio provides a wide range of activities and day-off adventures that could lead to a memorable travel nursing contract.
Speak with a recruiter today about travel nursing positions in Ohio!
