Travel nursing contracts in Columbia, MO advertise a median of $2,530 a week, with the middle half between $2,309 and $2,952, across 22 open nursing contracts on CircleRN. These are advertised weekly totals before tax, usually including tax-free stipends; for almost all postings the figure is the top of an advertised range. Not take-home pay.
36 openings from $1,820–$3,512/week in Columbia, MO — Med-Surg, PICU, Emergency Room. Pay by specialty, what it costs to live there, and 2 furnished places to stay.
36 openings from $1,820–$3,512/week right now.
2 furnished rentals available for travel nurses.
Prices in Columbia, MO (Metropolitan Statistical Area) run 11% lower overall.
| Category | Index | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89.4 | 11% lower |
| Housing | 69.2 | 31% lower |
| Utilities | 86.0 | 14% lower |
| Groceries and goods | 94.2 | 6% lower |
| Services | 93.0 | 7% lower |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, where 100 is the national average.
| Unit | Monthly | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $690 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| One bedroom | $865 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Two bedroom | $1,005 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Three bedroom | $1,355 | HUD Fair Market Rent 2025, utilities included |
| Typical asking rent, all sizes | $1,262 | Zillow Observed Rent Index 2025 |
The federal ceiling on tax-free lodging reimbursement in Columbia is $113 per night, plus up to $68 a day for meals (GSA, FY2027). GSA names roughly 300 higher-cost destinations individually; Columbia is not one, so the national standard rate applies. That is a maximum, not what agencies pay. Look up the exact rate for any ZIP code.
For the same specialties, Columbia pays about 4% above the national median, across 23 open listings. Once local prices are counted, that is worth about +16%. 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.
Missouri is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not. Check your license with the compact checker.
Weekly package on assignments open now, for specialties with at least three priced postings.
See all 36 openings in Columbia
2 hospitals in Columbia are hiring travel nurses, 34 openings in all. Each page lists the openings by specialty with advertised weekly pay, cost of living and housing nearby.