When the COVID-19 pandemic created a surge in travel nursing jobs, South Carolina resident Aspen Tucker took a leap of faith that changed his career. He left his staff nursing role, where he made $52,000 a year, for a travel nursing contract in Texas paying over $6,000 a week.
Now, at just 29 years old, Tucker earns $187,000 a year while working only 9 months out of 12. He picks up intense, short-term nursing contracts ranging from 4 to 13 weeks, allowing him ample downtime back home.
His strategy gives Tucker the best of both worlds - a high travel nurse salary while enjoying low living costs in South Carolina. “I absolutely love living in Spartanburg and being a travel nurse,” he says. “Spartanburg has a small-town feel. I know everyone here. I have family here.”
But his unique lifestyle isn’t without tradeoffs. Spending months away from loved ones brings isolation. Starting fast-paced contracts in new hospitals can prove demanding. Between jobs, health insurance lapses, meaning no coverage for several weeks.
Financially, Tucker doubles up on major expenses like rent and car payments. Still, he’s found the rewards well worth the hassles so far.
Crucially, Tucker’s career path sidesteps the burdensome cost of a 4-year nursing degree. He managed to enter the field after just a 2-year program. Travel nurses with associate's degrees average around $187,000 - rivaling $69,000 for bachelor's holders.
Looking ahead, Tucker aims to replace travel nursing income with rental real estate. He now earns extra cash from a Spartanburg duplex, with plans to rent his primary home too.
For those willing to live nomadically for part of the year, travel nursing seems poised for major growth post-pandemic. Tucker proves you can earn magnificently despite starting with an affordable, abbreviated education. Most of all, his example shows the power of courageously seizing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities - even mid-pandemic - to create life-changing outcomes.
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