Travel Nursing in Des Moines, IA
74 openings from $1,894–$2,966/week in Des Moines, IA — LTAC, Med-Surg, Operating Room. Pay by specialty, what it costs to live there, and 2 furnished places to stay.
74 openings from $1,894–$2,966/week right now.
Housing in Des Moines
2 furnished rentals available for travel nurses.
Browse Des Moines housing
Cost of living in Des Moines
Prices in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) run 8% lower overall.
| Category | Index | vs national |
|---|
| Overall | 91.7 | 8% lower |
| Housing | 84.7 | 15% lower |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 15% 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.
Rent in Des Moines
| Unit | Monthly | Measure |
|---|
| Studio | $905 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| One bedroom | $965 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Two bedroom | $1,155 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Three bedroom | $1,550 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Typical asking rent, all sizes | $1,127 | Zillow Observed Rent Index 2025 |
The federal ceiling on tax-free lodging reimbursement in Des Moines is $121 per night, plus up to $80 a day for meals (GSA, FY2026). That is a maximum, not what agencies pay.
How Des Moines pay compares
Assignments in Des Moines pay about the national median for the same specialties, across 34 open listings. Once local prices are counted, that is worth about +8%. Each opening is compared with the national median for its own specialty, so the figure is not distorted by which specialties happen to be hiring here.
Licensing
Iowa is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not.
Open assignments in Des Moines
- LTAC RN — $2,202/week
- Med-Surg RN — $2,272/week
- Operating Room RN — $2,463/week
- CVOR RN — $2,828/week
- Med-Surg - Tele RN — $2,083/week
- Cath Lab RN — $2,966/week
- Emergency Room RN — $2,256/week
- Psych RN — $2,124/week
What Des Moines pays by specialty
Weekly package on assignments open now, for specialties with at least three priced postings.
- Med-Surg - Tele — $2,124/week median ($1,894–$2,143), 21 open
- L&D — $2,247/week median ($2,237–$2,418), 8 open
- Med-Surg — $2,143/week median ($2,124–$2,272), 7 open
- Operating Room — $2,722/week median ($2,463–$2,722), 7 open
- LTAC — $2,225/week median ($2,201–$2,248), 4 open
- Oncology — $2,124/week median ($2,124–$2,308), 3 open
- Emergency Room — $2,256/week median ($2,237–$2,256), 3 open
See all 74 openings in Des Moines
Hospitals hiring in Des Moines
2 hospitals in Des Moines are hiring travel nurses, 67 openings in all. Each page lists the openings by specialty with advertised weekly pay, cost of living and housing nearby.
Other cities in Iowa
Resources
Common questions
- How much do travel nurses make in Des Moines, IA?
- Open assignments in Des Moines run $1,894 to $2,966 a week. Operating Room is highest at $2,722; Med-Surg - Tele lowest at $2,124.
- Do I need a Iowa nursing license?
- Iowa is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not.
- Is Des Moines expensive for travel nurses?
- Against the national average, Des Moines runs utilities 15% below, housing 15% below, services 7% below and groceries and goods 6% below. (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, where 100 is the national average.)
- What is rent for a travel nurse in Des Moines?
- The market rate for a one-bedroom in Des Moines is $965 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2025, utilities included). CircleRN lists 2 furnished places here.
- How much of a travel nurse package is tax-free in Des Moines?
- The federal ceiling on untaxed lodging in Des Moines is $121 a night, plus up to $80 a day for meals (GSA, FY2026). That is a maximum, not what agencies pay, and stipends are only untaxed while you maintain a permanent tax home elsewhere.