Travel Psychiatric RN Jobs
Psych RN travel contracts at hospital inpatient units, behavioral health hospitals, crisis stabilization centers, and community mental health programs. Typical open contracts run $1,650–$2,100/week, topping out near $2,450.
Quick Answer
Travel psychiatric nurses earn $1,650–$2,100/week on typical open contracts in 2026, averaging $1,811, with a ceiling near $2,450. That is roughly 16% below the ~$2,150 average across travel RN contracts generally — psych is one of the lower-paying RN specialties to travel in, not a premium one. Massachusetts currently pays the most ($2,454); North Carolina has the most openings at a $1,554 average. A compact RN license covers 41 states and reaches most psych contracts we carry. If higher behavioral health pay is the goal, the licensed clinician roles — LCSW, LMFT, LPCC — run $2,379–$3,453.
Measured from our own open psychiatric RN contracts and refreshed every four hours — not estimates. Volume and rate pull in opposite directions: the state with the most openings is rarely the one paying the most.
| State | Average Weekly | Top Rate Open | Open Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $2,128 | $2,302 | 31 |
| Massachusetts | $2,323 | $2,455 | 9 |
| Missouri | $2,316 | $2,651 | 8 |
| North Carolina | $1,628 | $2,195.1 | 7 |
| Maine | $2,274 | $2,275 | 5 |
| Illinois | $2,318 | $2,406.77 | 3 |
| Arizona | $1,804 | $1,908.86 | 3 |
| Ohio | $1,850 | $1,987 | 2 |
| Indiana | $1,790 | $1,934.31 | 2 |
| Oklahoma | $1,959 | $1,959 | 1 |
Across all 71 open psychiatric RN contracts the average is $2,110/week. For comparison, travel RN contracts across all specialties average about $2,150/week — psychiatric nursing pays below the RN field, not above it.
71 open now — apply right here, it takes about a minute.
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$2,651/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$2,651/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$2,650/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$2,648/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,455/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,451/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,451/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,451/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,451/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mosaic in Rockford
Rockford, IL
$2,407/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
Susanville, CA
$2,302/wk
47 weeks · 8hr Days
Adult Psych RN - Nights
St Mary's Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
$2,275/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Adolescent Psych RN - Days
St Mary's Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
$2,275/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Emergency Psych RN - Nights
St Mary's Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
$2,275/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
IL - Behavioral Health RN - Nights
Touchette Regional Hospital
East Saint Louis, IL
$2,274/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
IL - Behavioral Health RN - Nights
Touchette Regional Hospital
East Saint Louis, IL
$2,274/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
St Mary's Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
$2,272/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
St Mary's Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
$2,272/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
Susanville, CA
$2,263/wk
16 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP)
Crescent City, CA
$2,262/wk
19 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
Susanville, CA
$2,242/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,242/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,241/wk
28 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,228/wk
28 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,225/wk
26 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
Susanville, CA
$2,202/wk
16 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mission Hospital
Asheville, NC
$2,195/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mission Hospital
Asheville, NC
$2,192/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,183/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,183/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
Susanville, CA
$2,182/wk
15 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,182/wk
26 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,165/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,161/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,161/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, MA
$2,161/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
Tehachapi, CA
$2,118/wk
45 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) & (SVSP/PP)
Soledad, CA
$2,115/wk
13 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
San Diego, CA
$2,106/wk
32 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF)
Chowchilla, CA
$2,096/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
Tehachapi, CA
$2,090/wk
28 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
Tehachapi, CA
$2,090/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
Tehachapi, CA
$2,090/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
Tehachapi, CA
$2,090/wk
28 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Calipatria State Prison (CAL)
Calipatria, CA
$2,082/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
San Diego, CA
$2,065/wk
31 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP)
Delano, CA
$2,055/wk
28 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
San Diego, CA
$2,053/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
San Diego, CA
$2,051/wk
26 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Calipatria State Prison (CAL)
Calipatria, CA
$2,042/wk
14 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP)
Ione, CA
$2,022/wk
16 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (SQ)
San Quentin, CA
$2,013/wk
13 weeks · 10hrs Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Institution for Women (CIW)
Corona, CA
$2,006/wk
27 weeks · 8hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$1,989/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$1,989/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$1,988/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Columbus Springs Dublin
Dublin, OH
$1,987/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Research Psychiatric Center
Kansas City, MO
$1,963/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
OK - Psych RN - Days
Comanche County Memorial Hospital
Lawton, OK
$1,959/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Sycamore Springs
Lafayette, IN
$1,934/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health
Tucson, AZ
$1,909/wk
6 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health
Tucson, AZ
$1,896/wk
6 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mission Hospital - Memorial Campus
Asheville, NC
$1,859/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
California Institution for Women (CIW)
Corona, CA
$1,859/wk
10 weeks · 8hr Mids
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Columbus Springs Dublin
Dublin, OH
$1,713/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Sycamore Springs
Lafayette, IN
$1,646/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Frye Regional Medical Center
Hickory, NC
$1,644/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
El Dorado Springs Behavioral Health
Tucson, AZ
$1,606/wk
6 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mission Hospital
Asheville, NC
$1,417/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Days
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Mission Hospital - Memorial Campus
Asheville, NC
$1,185/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Healthcare Travel Assignment
Frye Regional Medical Center
Hickory, NC
$902/wk
13 weeks · 12hr Nights
Updated every 4 hours from CatSol's live inventory.
Travel Psych RN — Kansas City, MO
Research Psychiatric Center · 13 weeks · 12hr Nights
$2,651/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Kansas City, MO
Research Psychiatric Center · 13 weeks · 12hr Nights
$2,651/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Kansas City, MO
Research Psychiatric Center · 13 weeks · 12hr Days
$2,650.09/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Kansas City, MO
Research Psychiatric Center · 13 weeks · 12hr Nights
$2,648.26/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Holyoke, MA
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital · 13 weeks · 8hr Nights
$2,455/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Holyoke, MA
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital · 13 weeks · 8hr Mids
$2,451.35/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Holyoke, MA
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital · 13 weeks · 8hr Mids
$2,451.35/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Holyoke, MA
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital · 13 weeks · 8hr Mids
$2,451.35/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Holyoke, MA
Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital · 13 weeks · 8hr Mids
$2,451.12/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Rockford, IL
Mosaic in Rockford · 13 weeks · 8hr Days
$2,406.77/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Susanville, CA
High Desert State Prison (HDSP) · 47 weeks · 8hr Days
$2,302/wk
Quick Apply →
Travel Psych RN — Lewiston, ME
St Mary's Regional Medical Center · 13 weeks · 12hr Nights
$2,275/wk
Quick Apply →
CA
31
open positions
MA
9
open positions
MO
8
open positions
NC
7
open positions
ME
5
open positions
IL
3
open positions
Active RN License
Compact or state endorsement. Compact covers 41 states; CA, NY, MA, IL require separate license.
1–2 Years Psych Experience
Inpatient psychiatric nursing required. Most hospital contracts: 1 yr minimum. Correctional psych: 2 yrs preferred.
BLS / ACLS
Both required by most facilities. AHA certification preferred. CatSol will confirm facility-specific requirement.
CPI / De-escalation Training
Crisis Prevention Intervention or NVCI training. Many facilities require or strongly prefer this.
PMH-BC Certification (Optional)
ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health RN Board Certification. Adds $1–$4/hr and strengthens your profile in competitive markets.
CCHP-RN (Corrections Optional)
Correctional health certification. Adds $2–$5/hr on CDCR and TDCJ contracts. Apply after 2 yrs corrections experience.
CDCR operates under a federal Coleman consent decree requiring mandated psychiatric staffing levels, and it is a real source of behavioral health contracts. It is worth being precise about which credential it hires: California correctional behavioral health is filled through Licensed Psychiatric Technicians and licensed clinicians — LPT $2,017 average, LCSW up to $3,422, LMFT $2,701 — rather than psychiatric RNs. We have never placed a psych-specialty RN on a California contract, so a CA BRN endorsement will not open this work to you.
CatSol's corrections-specialist recruiters place travel psychiatric nurses at CDCR, TDCJ, and hospital behavioral health units. Transparent pay. Fast credentialing. Real recruiter support.
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