Travel Nursing in Iowa
Travel nurses in Iowa have access to 27 furnished rental listings, 3 reviewed hospitals, and ongoing pay data on CircleRN. All data is submitted by working travel nurses.
Open assignments in Iowa
161 openings across 20 cities from $1,894–$2,966/week.
Cities hiring in Iowa
All 161 openings in Iowa
Hospitals hiring in Iowa
20 hospitals in Iowa are hiring travel nurses, 148 openings in all. Each page lists the openings by specialty with advertised weekly pay, cost of living and housing nearby.
- Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center — Des Moines · 54 open · median $2,160/week advertised · 519 beds
- St Lukes Regional Medical Center — Sioux City · 17 open · median $2,131/week advertised · 179 beds
- Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center — Waterloo · 15 open · median $2,193/week advertised · 137 beds
- Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center — West Burlington · 15 open · median $2,360/week advertised · 174 beds
- Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi — Des Moines · 13 open · median $2,722/week advertised · 577 beds
- Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids — Cedar Rapids · 8 open · median $2,313/week advertised · 216 beds
- Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center — Mason City · 3 open · median $2,165/week advertised · 199 beds
- Finley Hospital — Dubuque · 3 open · median $2,298/week advertised · 66 beds
- St Lukes Hospital — Cedar Rapids · 3 open · median $2,452/week advertised · 280 beds
- Adair County Memorial Hospital — Greenfield · 2 open · median $2,216/week advertised · 25 beds
All Iowa hospitals
Housing in Iowa
27 furnished rentals with a median rent of $1,300/month.
Browse Iowa housing
How Iowa pay compares
For the same specialties, Iowa pays about 3% below the national median, across 98 open listings. Each opening is compared with the national median for its own specialty. Once Iowa prices are counted, that is worth about +11%.
Cost of living in Iowa
Statewide, prices run 12% lower overall. Individual metros vary, so check the city page for where you are going.
| Category | Index | vs national |
|---|
| Overall | 87.8 | 12% lower |
| Housing | 65.3 | 35% lower |
| Utilities | 83.3 | 17% lower |
| Groceries and goods | 93.7 | 6% lower |
| Services | 92.9 | 7% lower |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, where 100 is the national average.
A two-bedroom runs about $940/month, the median across 118 Iowa cities (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2025, utilities included).
The federal ceiling on tax-free lodging reimbursement across Iowa runs $110–$121 per night depending on the area, plus up to $80 a day for meals (GSA, FY2026). That is a maximum, not what agencies pay.
Licensing
Iowa is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not.
Hospitals in Iowa reviewed by travel nurses
Pay by specialty in Iowa
Of the 4 nursing specialties with open contracts in Iowa, L&D pays the most at $2,263 per week and Med-Surg the least at $2,131.
| Specialty | Open contracts | Median weekly |
|---|
| Med-Surg | 28 | $2,131 |
| ER | 15 | $2,196 |
| L&D | 11 | $2,263 |
| ICU | 11 | $2,192 |
Cities in Iowa
Resources
Common questions
- What is the average travel nurse pay in Iowa?
- Pay data for Iowa is still being collected. Submit your pay report to help other nurses.
- How much does travel nurse housing cost in Iowa?
- The median rent for travel nurse housing in Iowa is $1,300 per month, based on 27 active listings on CircleRN.
- Which cities in Iowa are best for travel nurses?
- Popular travel nurse destinations in Iowa include Agency, Iowa City, Davenport. Each city hub on CircleRN has housing, hospital reviews, and pay data.
- How many hospitals in Iowa hire travel nurses?
- CircleRN has reviews for 3 hospitals in Iowa that hire travel nurses, including ratings for culture, management, workload, and safety.