Healthcare Traveler - October 2008 - (Page 32) are not the only indicators to review. Each region, state, and even community has its own influences that help determine what the job market can support in terms of pay. Also, the depth of local talent pools can affect the number and length of assignments open to travelers. Regional cost-of-living measures, such as housing costs and the quantity of rental properties, play a role as well. Generally speaking, travelers’ hourly rates are based on what the community pays its permanent staff. This year, eight out of 10 respondents have practiced in urban centers, nearly two-thirds have chosen suburban areas, and over two-fifths accepted contracts in rural communities. The majority of survey participants practiced in the West (70%), two-thirds chose the South, 37% went to the East, and about one-third practiced in the Midwest. Once again, the Far West and South Atlantic topped the list of subregions, with the Rocky Mountains now ranking third. The least visited states were in the Mid-South (Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi). A mere $1,216 separated the lowest ($69,532 in the South) and highest ($70,748 in the Midwest) annual incomes of full-time travelers. Part-timers in the Midwest reported average salaries of $33,636, and those in the South averaged $47,717. Roughly 57% of current and former full-time travelers reported salaries between $55,000 and $84,999 when practicing in the East, Midwest, and West, with the South slightly lower. Only one point separated the regions with the lowest (East at 6%) and highest (West at 7%) percentages of current full-time travelers earning $100,000 or more. More travelers practicing in the West made $100,000 to $124,999, followed closely by the South and East. Two percent of clinicians in the Midwest earned incomes in excess of $150,000. Wait and see Of course, salaries are not written in stone, and therefore, can be subjected to the economic winds of time, meaning that if the national financial picture remains gloomy even well after the election, then both permanent and supplemental staff may see stalled—or even decreasing—salaries. However, the opposite effect could also take place with an economic rebound. Ultimately, time will be the determining factor, but as our survey points out, it pays to adopt a mobile career. HT References for this article can be found online at www.HealthcareTraveler.com. Anne Baye Ericksen is a freelance writer based in Simi Valley, California. Circle Career Card No. 657 32 Healthcare Traveler October 2008 http://www.waldenuhealth.com http://www.waldenuhealth.com http://www.waldenuhealth.com http://www.HealthcareTraveler.com
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