If you're a traveling nurse, do you get paid the same rate as the state where you'll be working, or do you get paid what you'd make in your licensed state? For example, if I got licensed in ND but want to work in CA, would they pay me less?

I definitely get paid more in North Carolina than I was getting in Alabama and I actually get taxed less, which means I get to bring home more and owe less at the end of the year.

PS: I have never worked travel in any other state besides NC

Usually travel nurses get paid more. A typical contract is weighted towards maximizing your pay. This means that a nurse will be given an extremely low hourly wage but be compensated with a decent amount of untaxable income. Also, most travel assignments come with some sort of housing or housing assistance. California is the exception to most or all of these. With the exception of the pandemic, most Northern California nurses get paid more than travelers and housing is not provided because real estate prices are through the roof.

CA is one of the highest or the highest paid for RNs. I've made as an NP as high as $150,000195,000. Hope that helps.