Travel nursing in Ohio
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Ohio
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing is the GSA lodging rate × 7 nights. Cheapest: $791/wk (standard rate, every county not listed below, 105 hospitals). Most expensive: Cincinnati at $1,190/wk on average.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati Hamilton / Clermont | $1,190 flat all year | $602 | 10 |
Cleveland Cuyahoga | $1,169 flat all year | $560 | 17 |
Columbus Franklin | $966 flat all year | $560 | 12 |
Sandusky Erie | $959 $840–$1,218 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug | $476 | 3 |
Hamilton Butler / Warren | $917 flat all year | $518 | 7 |
Dayton / Fairborn Greene / Montgomery | $840 flat all year | $518 | 10 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 105 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Ohio nursing license
Ohio is a compact state. If your primary state of residence is another compact state and you hold a multistate license, you can work here without a new license. If you live in Ohio, your multistate license comes from the Ohio board.
If you don't have a multistate license: typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Ohio board of nursing's site.
- Verify your current license through Nursys (or your original board if it doesn't use Nursys).
- Complete the criminal background check and fingerprints if the board requires them.
- Ask whether a temporary license is available while the full application processes, and how long processing takes now.
Requirements and timelines vary. Ohio board contact details (NCSBN) →
Where can your license take you?
Source: NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map, checked 2026-10-11. Covers RN/LPN compact licensure for the 50 states and DC. Confirm with the state board before you accept an assignment.
Charting systems in Ohio
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 147 of 164 hospitals (17 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Epic106 · 72%
- MEDITECH22 · 15%
- Oracle Health10 · 7%
- Altera5 · 3%
- TruBridge2 · 1%
- MEDHOST2 · 1%
Top travel-nurse markets in Ohio
- Columbus, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Cleveland Clinic · Epic$1,169/wk
- Fairview Hospital · Epic$1,169/wk
- Lutheran Hospital · Epic$1,169/wk
- Metrohealth System · Epic$1,169/wk
- Uh Cleveland Medical Center · Epic$1,169/wk
- Cincinnati, OH
- Bethesda North · Epic$1,190/wk
- Christ Hospital · Epic$1,190/wk
- Cincinnati Children'S Hospital Medical Center$1,190/wk
- Good Samaritan Hospital · Epic$1,190/wk
- Mercy Health - West Hospital · Epic$1,190/wk
- Mercy Health-Anderson Hospital · Epic$1,190/wk
- The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health · Epic$1,190/wk
- University Of Cincinnati Medical Center, Llc · Epic$1,190/wk
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Ohio?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $1,190/week in Cincinnati at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Ohio a compact nursing license state?
- Compact state (Enacted NLC), per the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map checked 2026-10-11.
- How many hospitals are in Ohio?
- CMS lists 164 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Ohio. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 19 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Ohio use?
- Of the 147 Ohio hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 72% use Epic, 15% use MEDITECH, 7% use Oracle Health. Each hospital guide shows its own system.