Travel nursing in Tennessee
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Tennessee
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, 69 hospitals). Most expensive: Nashville at $1,610/wk on average.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Nashville Davidson | $1,610 flat all year | $602 | 9 |
Brentwood / Franklin Williamson | $945 flat all year | $602 | 2 |
Memphis Shelby | $945 flat all year | $518 | 8 |
Knoxville Knox | $903 flat all year | $518 | 7 |
Chattanooga Hamilton | $840 flat all year | $518 | 4 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 69 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Tennessee nursing license
Tennessee 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 Tennessee, your multistate license comes from the Tennessee board.
If you don't have a multistate license: typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Tennessee 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. Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 87 of 99 hospitals (12 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Oracle Health37 · 43%
- Epic21 · 24%
- MEDITECH14 · 16%
- TruBridge7 · 8%
- MEDHOST5 · 6%
- Altera3 · 3%
Top travel-nurse markets in Tennessee
- Nashville, TN
- Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,610/wk
- Metro Nashville General Hospital$1,610/wk
- Tristar Centennial Medical Center · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,610/wk
- Tristar Skyline Medical Center · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,610/wk
- Tristar Southern Hills Medical Center · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,610/wk
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Epic$1,610/wk
- Chattanooga, TN
- Knoxville, TN
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Tennessee?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $1,610/week in Nashville at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
- CMS lists 99 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Tennessee. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 11 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Tennessee use?
- Of the 87 Tennessee hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 43% use Oracle Health, 24% use Epic, 16% use MEDITECH. Each hospital guide shows its own system.