The Texas market at a glance
The largest state inventory this board indexes, updated nightly; applying is free and goes directly to the employer. Start with the full list at Texas nursing jobs and narrow from there. The systems with the biggest Texas footprints, with what each has open right now:
Between them they cover most of the major metros, so if you have a target city, you almost certainly have several employers to compare rather than one.
Licensing: the compact does most of the work
Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, which removes the single biggest delay in most cross-state moves. Check the compact license state list before you plan your timeline; whether your license is multistate changes how soon you can accept a start date.
Pay: read the number after taxes, not before
On gross numbers, Texas trails the national average for travel work; the comparison changes once you remember there is no state income tax.
For staff roles, check what each system actually posts at Texas pay data. For contracts, run your specific numbers through the travel pay calculator instead of comparing gross weeklies across states. Weighing Texas against the coasts directly? The California guide and the Florida guide give the same breakdown on the other side of the ledger.
Where the jobs concentrate, and the freestanding-ER wrinkle
The volume follows the metros: Houston (Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, CHI St. Luke's), Dallas-Fort Worth (Baylor Scott & White, plus heavy HCA presence), San Antonio and Austin (HCA and CHRISTUS territory). CHRISTUS also reaches into smaller East Texas and border markets that most national boards skip.
If you work emergency, browse ED and trauma jobs in Texas and you'll see both hospital and freestanding postings side by side. Critical care is the other deep bench here; see ICU jobs in Texas.
Trying Texas on a contract first
If you're not ready to commit to a permanent move, a 13-week contract is a low-risk way to test a city before you sign a lease you can't leave. There is enough volume to be picky about unit, shift, and metro rather than taking whatever's open.
If this would be your first contract, read how to land your first travel contract before you talk to a recruiter; the order you do things in matters more than people tell you. Whichever route you take, every listing here links straight to the employer's own application: no fees, no middleman, and the inventory refreshes nightly.
Frequently asked
Do I need a new nursing license to work in Texas?
Not necessarily. Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so if you hold a multistate license from another compact state you can start work without a new application. If you hold a single-state license, you'll license by endorsement, which is a straightforward process. Check the compact state list at jobs.waypointrecruit.com/tools/compact-license-states to see where your license stands.
How does nursing pay in Texas compare to other states?
Gross pay runs below the national average; the median travel rate in Texas is $1,870/week versus $2,172/week nationally as of August 2026. But Texas has no state income tax, so take-home pay compares better than the gross numbers suggest, and cost of living is well below the California and New York metros.
What is a freestanding ER?
A fully equipped emergency department that operates outside hospital walls; a distinctly Texas phenomenon. They hire ED nurses directly, which means emergency nurses in Texas have a category of employer that barely exists in most other states.
Which hospital systems have the most Texas jobs?
On this board, the biggest Texas footprints belong to HCA Healthcare, CHRISTUS Health, Houston Methodist, Baylor Scott & White, Memorial Hermann, and CommonSpirit (CHI St. Luke's). Together they span Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and many smaller markets.
How many nursing jobs are open in Texas right now?
As of August 2026, this board carries roughly 10,900 active staff hospital jobs and 3,200 travel contracts in Texas; the largest state inventory we index. Listings update nightly, and inactive postings are removed automatically.