Travel nurse revenue to decline 20% in 2024 — SIA

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES—Revenues in the travel nurse segment are expected to decline by 20% as the segment normalizes following highs in the pandemic, according to a report by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).

“One explanation for the industry’s growth trajectory is that the US staffing industry is normalizing after the extraordinary upticks in 2021 and 2022 brought on by government spending in response to the pandemic, according to the report. Travel nursing grew sixfold from 2019 and 2022 amid Covid-19,” noted SIA.

A travel nurse is a registered nurse with a clinical background who works in a non-permanent or temporary arrangement and is typically employed by staffing agencies. 

The projected decline in nurse staffing forms the bulk of the 3% decline to $184.6 billion expected in the entire U.S. staffing industry this year. 

While the overall industry is projected to decline, some segments are expected to grow. Temporary staffing in education is expected to grow by 7% this year, and engineering staffing is expected to grow by 6%.

The report projects a 3% growth in U.S. staffing industry revenue to $189.9 billion in 2025, with most professional segments other than healthcare experiencing a mid-single-digit expansion.