In 2025, med-surg nurses saw a major pay difference based on location, contract length, and whether they worked part-time, full-time, or as a travel nurse. Understanding current pay trends and factors that affect salary is the key to maximizing income in 2026. In this blog, we will discuss what med-surg nurses made in 2025, what to expect in 2026, and how nurses can boost their income by choosing high-paying travel nursing assignments.
If you are a med surg nurse with 2 years of experience or you are a seasoned travel nurse, maximize your income with SkillGigs that give you direct access to high-paying travel nursing contracts and a $500 bonus once you sign your first contract with us.
Average salary of med-surg nurses in 2025
Med-surg nursing is one of the most demanding specialties in health care. They are the backbone of hospital care because they take care of multiple patients with multiple conditions. The hospitals are facing constant shortages of med-surg nurses because of the ongoing nurse shortages, increase number of the aging population.
According to skillgigs money trend, the med-surg RN salary in January 2025 was $60.11/ hour, and then in December it was $53.22/ hour. (source money story link)
We can say the average salary of med-surg nurses in 2025 was $90,598 per year, about $44 hourly.
But the salary of med-surg nurses is affected by many factors, such as location, job type, contract length, shift schedules, experience, etc.
Travel med-surg nurses work on contracts such as (4-week, 8-week, or 13-week assignments). Some travel nurses also work on a per diem basis. The average salary of travel med-surg nurses in 2025 was $1500 to $4000 per week, depending on contract lengths, location, bonuses, incentives, etc.
The salary outlook for med-surg nurses (staff nurses and travel nurses) in 2026
The demand for med-surg nurses is very high; therefore, med-surg nurses, both staff and travel nurse can expect an increase in their salaries in 2026. The demand is high because of many reasons, such as a growing number of aging populations, high patient volumes, nurse shortages due to retiring staff, work overload, and burnout, etc. Hospitals are willing to pay nurses to solve the problem of nurse shortages and provide effective patient care.
What are the factors that affect med surg nurse salary (staff nurses and travel nurses)
The following factors play an important role in the overall salary of med-surg staff RNs and travel RNs.
Location:
Staff nurse: States/cities with a high cost of living pay a higher hourly rate to the staff nurses than the low-cost-of-living areas. For example, the hourly rate of med-surg staff nurses in California is higher than in Texas.
Travel nurses: For travel nurses, location plays an important role in their overall salary because the hourly rate of travel nurses is high in the most demanding areas. If nurses want to make more of their assignments, they should ask their recruiters to select the top high-paying locations for their contracts.
Travel agencies and recruiters:
If you are a travel nurse, then you already know that different travel nurse agencies and recruiters negotiate different pay packages and benefits. Some offer higher base pay, while others offer higher stipends. As a travel med-surg nurse, you should always negotiate and leverage your contracts strategically. Join SkillGigs to explore high paying travel nursing contracts without a recruiter taking your cut.
Certifications and experience:
Another important factor that affects med surg nurse’s salary is experience and certifications. More experience means high pay. The average salary of an entry level med surg starts around $31–$36/hr. Higher experience and additional certifications will boost the salary of med-surg nurses.
Contract length and timings:
Another important factor that affects med surg nurse’s salary is contract length and timing. For staff med-surg nurses working night shifts, weekends and holidays usually come with higher pay. For travel nurses, the contract length has a great impact on overall salary. Long-term contracts (13 weeks plus) pay more than short-term contracts (4 weeks, 8 weeks assignments)
Tips to boost med surg nurse salary in 2026
If you are a med-surg or travel med surg nurse, here are some tips and tricks to boost your salary in 2026;
- Target high-demand locations.
- Choose night shifts, weekends, or holidays.
- Always negotiate with your recruiters.
- Gain experience and get additional certification to increase your chance of getting high paying med surg jobs.
- Join Skill Gigs to get high-paying travel nursing contracts and bonuses.
Why med surg units are always hiring?
The med-surg unit is the backbone of hospitals, absorbing patients from every unit, such as ER, step-down, etc.
Why are salaries and demand for med-surg nurses high in 2026?
Some of the reasons why the demand and salaries of med-surg nurses is high in 2026 are as follows:
- Increase in the number of the aging population.
- Workforce retirement
- Fewer nurses are working as med-surg nurses.
- High job stress that results in burnout.
- Hospitals are competing to attract high-skilled nurses.
Conclusion
Med-surg nurses remained one of the most demanding specialties in 2025, and we expect the same in 2026. Due to a shortage of staff and an increased number of aging populations, we see salary growth in 2026 for med-surg nurses and travel nurses. Yes! Pay varies widely based on location, contract types, experience, certifications, etc., and those nurses who understand these factors can significantly increase their earnings. Choose your next assignment wisely and sign up with Skill Gigs now to make more money in 2026.
