Travel Nurse Salary Virginia 2026: NoVa DC-Metro Rates, eNLC Compact & Weekly Pay
BLS OEWS May 2025 posts a Virginia travel nurse salary mean of $100,264. Virginia's eNLC compact removes the license-wait barrier for compact-state nurses. Northern Virginia's DC-metro corridor commands the state's highest rates. Here is what you'll actually earn in each market.
Virginia has a structural advantage for travel nurses that not every state has: it has been in the eNLC compact since January 2018, which means nurses coming from any of the other 40 compact states can accept Virginia assignments without applying for a separate Virginia license. In a market where a four-to-eight-week endorsement wait can mean missing the contract you actually want, that matters more than most travelers account for when they rank their target states.
The second structural advantage is geography. Northern Virginia sits inside the DC metro labor market. When Inova Fairfax Hospital needs a travel ICU nurse, it is not competing with Richmond hospitals — it is competing with MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Johns Hopkins Bayview, and Children's National in Maryland and DC, all of which pay DC-area rates. That competition pulls Virginia travel contracts in the NoVA corridor up to levels that do not reflect the statewide BLS mean of $100,264. They reflect the DC metro floor.
The third factor is less of an advantage: Virginia state income tax. At a rate of up to 5.75% on Virginia-source wages, Virginia takes a meaningful slice of taxable income. For travel nurses with properly structured contracts where most of the package is non-taxable stipend, the impact is limited. For nurses on assignment at federal facilities or under contracts with poorly structured stipend allocations, the Virginia tax hit is real and worth calculating before you sign.
Virginia Travel Nurse Pay by Market
The BLS OEWS May 2025 posted mean of $100,264 translates to approximately $1,928/week for a 52-week year. The regional breakdowns:
| Market / Region | Weekly Rate (All-In) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Virginia (NoVa DC-metro) | $1,950–$2,200 | Inova system premium; DC market competition; Fairfax, Loudoun, Reston |
| ICU / ER specialty (NoVa) | $2,100–$2,400 | Level I trauma premium at Inova Fairfax; specialty critical care |
| Richmond MSA | $1,700–$1,900 | VCU Health, HCA Virginia, Bon Secours; Level I trauma premium for ICU/ER |
| Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, Norfolk) | $1,650–$1,850 | Sentara network; military healthcare adjacency; Chesapeake Regional |
| Charlottesville (UVA market) | $1,700–$1,850 | UVA Health academic center; oncology and specialty units; smaller market |
| Roanoke / Lynchburg | $1,500–$1,700 | Carilion Clinic; Centra Health; lower cost of living; lower competition pressure |
| Southwest VA / Rural | $1,450–$1,650 | Ballad Health critical access; hardship premium possible; NHSC-eligible facilities |
Rates represent standard 13-week contracts for RN travelers with 1+ year acute care experience. Specialty (ICU, ER, L&D) typically runs $200–$400/week above med-surg within each market. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 baseline, agency posting analysis October 2026.
The eNLC Compact Advantage: What It Actually Saves You
Virginia joined the eNLC compact on January 19, 2018. For travel nurses coming from any of the other 40+ compact states, this means one thing in practice: you can accept a Virginia travel assignment and start immediately. No endorsement application. No BON processing wait. No $100–$200 license fee on top of the contract.
The alternative — applying for a Virginia RN license by endorsement from a non-compact state — takes approximately four to eight weeks under normal BON workload. At a time when many Virginia hospitals post contracts with two-to-three-week start windows, non-compact nurses frequently cannot accept those assignments at all. The contract goes to someone with a compact license, and the non-compact nurse misses the rate.
I've seen this play out more times than I can count. A nurse from California or New York — non-compact states — hears about a great Inova contract and calls their agency. The agency says the start date is in three weeks, and the Virginia license endorsement from a non-compact state takes six. They miss it. Then they watch a compact-state nurse from Tennessee or Ohio get paid $2,100/week at Inova Fairfax while they wait for their California license to process. The compact is not just a bureaucratic convenience. It is money.
Important exception: The eNLC compact covers the RN license only. If you are an APRN — NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS — you still need a separate Virginia APRN license to practice in an advanced practice role in Virginia. The compact does not help you there. Plan for the six-to-ten-week processing time for Virginia APRN endorsement regardless of your compact status.
Major Travel Employers and Which Agencies Post Virginia Contracts
Inova Health System (Northern Virginia)
Inova Fairfax Hospital (Level I trauma, 919 beds) and its four sister hospitals in Loudoun, Mount Sinai, Fair Oaks, and Prince William counties are the dominant travel nursing employers in Northern Virginia. Inova fills approximately 300–500 travel positions at any given time across its system, concentrated in ICU, ER, telemetry, and med-surg. Contract packages for experienced ICU travelers at Inova Fairfax run $2,100–$2,400/week. Non-critical-care travelers at community Inova hospitals average $1,950–$2,100/week.
Agencies that consistently post Inova contracts include AMN Healthcare, Aya Healthcare, Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA), and FlexCare Medical Staffing. Inova also works with regional agencies. Because the DC metro is a competitive market for agencies, the rate differential between Inova contracts at different agencies can be $100–$300/week for the same unit — worth requesting quotes from two or three agencies before signing.
Sentara Healthcare (Hampton Roads)
Sentara operates thirteen hospitals across Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, with the highest concentration in the Hampton Roads market: Sentara Norfolk General, Sentara Virginia Beach General, Sentara Leigh Hospital, and Sentara Careplex in Hampton are among the most active travel hiring sites. Sentara Norfolk General is a Level I trauma center and teaching hospital. Travel RN packages at Sentara facilities in Hampton Roads run $1,650–$1,900/week for most specialties, with ICU and ER contracts toward the higher end.
VCU Health (Richmond)
VCU Health in Richmond is Virginia's only academic Level I trauma center outside of NoVa. It is a teaching hospital system with a significant advanced care volume that relies on travel nursing for surge staffing, particularly in medical ICU, surgical ICU, ER, and oncology. Travel contracts at VCU Health run $1,700–$1,950/week for critical care. The Richmond market is more insulated from DC competition than Northern Virginia, which keeps rates slightly lower — but the urban cost of living in Richmond is significantly more manageable than Fairfax County, which improves the real-dollar value.
HCA Virginia (Richmond, Winchester, Reston)
HCA operates six hospitals in Virginia including Chippenham Hospital and Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Spotsylvania Regional, and Reston Hospital Center in Northern Virginia. HCA Virginia contracts are filled primarily through HCA's preferred agency network. Travel nurses on HCA Virginia contracts at Reston Hospital Center earn near-NoVa rates ($1,900–$2,050/week) given the location. Richmond HCA facilities post in the $1,650–$1,800/week range.
Virginia State Income Tax and Travel Nurse Pay
Virginia imposes a graduated income tax with a top rate of 5.75% on income above $17,000 (as of 2026). For travel nurses, the taxable portion of your contract is the hourly wage portion — not the housing or meals stipend component, provided the stipend is properly structured as a non-taxable reimbursement.
The practical impact: on a $2,000/week package where $700/week is taxable wages and $1,300 is non-taxable stipend, Virginia's state income tax on the taxable wages is approximately $40/week. That is real money over a 13-week contract ($520), but it is not a reason to avoid Virginia. It is a reason to verify that your agency has your contract structured correctly and to factor it into your net-pay calculation.
| Weekly Contract | Taxable Wages (Est.) | VA State Tax (Est.) | Net Weekly (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,200/wk (NoVa ICU) | ~$800 | ~$46 | ~$1,754 after state tax on taxable portion |
| $1,900/wk (Richmond Med-Surg) | ~$650 | ~$37 | ~$1,513 after state tax on taxable portion |
| $1,700/wk (Hampton Roads) | ~$580 | ~$33 | ~$1,352 after state tax on taxable portion |
Estimates only. Federal income tax and FICA apply separately on taxable wages. Use the take-home calculator for your specific contract structure.
Virginia does not have a flat state income tax exemption for travel nurses the way some states handle it. If your tax home is established outside Virginia and you are on a temporary assignment, you may have offsetting deductions — but this is a situation to verify with a travel-nurse-experienced tax professional, not assume.
Seasonal Demand and When to Book Virginia Contracts
Virginia's hospital census follows a predictable seasonal pattern. The highest demand for travel nursing typically runs October through March — respiratory season combined with post-summer staff attrition and higher winter hospital utilization. Northern Virginia sees consistent year-round demand driven by population growth and Inova's ongoing expansion, but the premium travel window is winter. Rates in the $2,100–$2,400/week range for NoVa ICU contracts appear most frequently between November and February.
Hampton Roads demand has a different driver: the military healthcare system. With Naval Station Norfolk, Langley Air Force Base, and Fort Eustis in the region, military hospitals and the civilian facilities serving military dependents fluctuate based on deployment cycles. Sentara Norfolk General and CHKD (Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters) tend to post travel contracts when local civilian and military healthcare demand converges, which happens less predictably than coastal medical centers.
Calculate Your Virginia Take-Home Pay
Virginia taxes wages up to 5.75%. Use the calculator to see your actual weekly take-home from any Virginia travel contract after federal, state, FICA, and benefits.
Open Take-Home Calculator →Comparing Virginia to Neighboring Travel Markets
| State | Travel RN Mean (BLS May 2025) | Compact | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | ~$108,000* | No | Up to 5.75% |
| Virginia | $100,264 | Yes (eNLC) | Up to 5.75% |
| North Carolina | ~$96,000* | Yes (eNLC) | Flat 4.5% |
| Tennessee | ~$98,000* | Yes (eNLC) | None on wages |
| West Virginia | ~$78,300 | Yes (eNLC) | Up to 6.5% |
*MD, NC, TN means estimated from BLS OEWS May 2025 metro data. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Maryland pays more than Virginia but is non-compact, meaning nurses from compact states who want Maryland assignments still need to apply for a Maryland RN license (4–8 weeks processing). Tennessee pays somewhat less but has no state income tax on wages, which meaningfully improves net pay for travel nurses with high taxable wage allocations. Virginia sits in the middle: compact access (starts faster), moderate pay, and state tax that matters for high-taxable-wage contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do travel nurses earn in Virginia?
BLS OEWS May 2025 puts Virginia's travel nurse salary mean at $100,264 annually — approximately $1,928/week. Contract rates vary by market: Northern Virginia DC-metro $1,950–$2,200/week, ICU/ER specialty $2,100–$2,400/week, Richmond $1,700–$1,900/week, and Hampton Roads $1,650–$1,850/week for standard 13-week assignments.
Is Virginia a compact nursing license state?
Yes. Virginia joined the eNLC on January 19, 2018. Nurses with a multistate RN license from any compact state can work Virginia travel assignments immediately, with no separate Virginia RN license required. The compact does not cover APRNs — NPs, CRNAs, and other advanced practice roles still require a separate Virginia APRN license.
How much does travel nursing pay in Northern Virginia?
Northern Virginia travel contracts at Inova facilities typically run $1,950–$2,200/week all-in for standard med-surg and telemetry. ICU and ER specialty contracts at Inova Fairfax (Level I trauma) run $2,100–$2,400/week. Rates reflect DC metro labor market competition with Maryland and DC employers.
What does Virginia state income tax do to travel nurse take-home pay?
Virginia's top state income tax rate is 5.75%. For travel nurses with properly structured contracts (high non-taxable stipend allocation), the tax applies only to the taxable wage portion, typically $580–$800/week. That means approximately $33–$46/week in Virginia state tax — real but not a contract-breaker. Use the take-home calculator to verify net pay for your specific contract structure.
Which hospitals hire the most travel nurses in Virginia?
Inova Health System (Northern Virginia) is the largest travel nursing employer statewide, particularly Inova Fairfax and Inova Loudoun. Sentara Healthcare (Hampton Roads) maintains consistent travel contracts across thirteen Virginia facilities. VCU Health (Richmond, Level I trauma) uses travelers for ICU and ER surge. HCA Virginia (Chippenham, Henrico Doctors', Reston) fills volumes through national agency networks. UVA Health (Charlottesville) staffs specialty and oncology surge through travel contracts.