TRAVEL
NURSE’S
GUIDE TO
LOUISIANA
TRAVEL
NURSE’S
GUIDE TO
LOUISIANA
LOUISIANA BY THE NUMBERS
$57K
Average annual salary of a
registered nurse in LOUISIANA
108
NUMBER OF Hospitals in the sTate of LOUISIANA
21%
LOWER HOUSING COSTS THAN
THE REST OF THE U.S.
TRAVEL NURSE SALARY
Louisiana is on par with the national average for travel nurse pay. What does that mean to a nurse looking to travel? Travel nurses, on average, take home between 10-30% more than their permanent counterparts. Please keep in mind that travel nurses can land between, below, or above this range based on location and their specialty. Put into context, the average annual salary of a registered nurse in Louisiana is $57,208, according to Nurse Salary Guide.

TRAVEL NURSE SALARY
Louisiana is on par with the national average for travel nurse pay. What does that mean to a nurse looking to travel? Travel nurses, on average, take home between 10-30% more than their permanent counterparts. Please keep in mind that travel nurses can land between, below, or above this range based on location and their specialty. Put into context, the average annual salary of a registered nurse in Louisiana is $57,208, according to Nurse Salary Guide.

HOW DO I GET MY LOUISIANA
NURSING LICENSE?

Louisiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows nurses to practice in other NLC states without having to obtain an additional license. If your current home state of residence is not a state that participates in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, applying for a Louisiana nursing license by endorsement is necessary.
If a travel nurse wants to obtain their Louisiana nursing license, they must follow these steps:
- Visit the Louisiana Nurse Portal to complete the endorsement application and pay the associated fees. All instructions and forms can be found here.
- Verification of Licensure is required. You will need to verify your original state of license, even if it’s expired, as well as your current state of license from the jurisdiction of your last employment at the time the application is submitted. If the state or states participate in the NURSYS Verification system, requests can be completed on the NURSYS site, designating Louisiana as the receipt of verification. Otherwise you will need to complete the Verification of Original Licensure form found in the online application packet and send it to the Board of Nursing in the applicable state or states. They will send the form directly to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing at 17373 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810.
- Submit a signed, notarized original of the Affidavit of Verification form found here directly to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing in Baton Rouge at the address listed above.
- Louisiana requires fingerprinting and a background check. A Background Check packet can be found on the Nurse Portal. It includes the authorization forms, CBC1a and CBC1b, and two FBI fingerprint cards. Contact your local police or sheriff’s office to determine their procedures, fees and locations for fingerprinting services. You must be fingerprinted by a law enforcement official on official FBI fingerprint cards. If the agency utilizes LiveScan, an electronic scan system, request they scan both hands for your fingerprints and print the first FBI card, then scan your hands again to print your fingerprints on the second FBI card. Complete the application sections for a Louisiana State Police/FBI criminal background check, including the authorization form and mail them with the appropriate fee via check or money order to the Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, PO Box 66614 Mail Slip A-6, Baton Rouge, LA 70896. The results will be sent directly to the board of nursing in Louisiana.
HOW DO I GET MY LOUISIANA NURSING LICENSE?

Louisiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows nurses to practice in other NLC states without having to obtain an additional license. If your current home state of residence is not a state that participates in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, applying for a Louisiana nursing license by endorsement is necessary.
If a travel nurse wants to obtain their Louisiana nursing license, they must follow these steps:
- Visit the Louisiana Nurse Portal to complete the endorsement application and pay the associated fees. All instructions and forms can be found here.
- Verification of Licensure is required. You will need to verify your original state of license, even if it’s expired, as well as your current state of license from the jurisdiction of your last employment at the time the application is submitted. If the state or states participate in the NURSYS Verification system, requests can be completed on the NURSYS site, designating Louisiana as the receipt of verification. Otherwise you will need to complete the Verification of Original Licensure form found in the online application packet and send it to the Board of Nursing in the applicable state or states. They will send the form directly to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing at 17373 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810.
- Submit a signed, notarized original of the Affidavit of Verification form found here directly to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing in Baton Rouge at the address listed above.
- Louisiana requires fingerprinting and a background check. A Background Check packet can be found on the Nurse Portal. It includes the authorization forms, CBC1a and CBC1b, and two FBI fingerprint cards. Contact your local police or sheriff’s office to determine their procedures, fees and locations for fingerprinting services. You must be fingerprinted by a law enforcement official on official FBI fingerprint cards. If the agency utilizes LiveScan, an electronic scan system, request they scan both hands for your fingerprints and print the first FBI card, then scan your hands again to print your fingerprints on the second FBI card. Complete the application sections for a Louisiana State Police/FBI criminal background check, including the authorization form and mail them with the appropriate fee via check or money order to the Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, PO Box 66614 Mail Slip A-6, Baton Rouge, LA 70896. The results will be sent directly to the board of nursing in Louisiana.
TRAVEL NURSE
OPPORTUNITIES IN LOUISIANA
- Louisiana is home to 108 hospitals.
- There are 2 Level I trauma centers.
- Multiple large health systems including: Ochsner Health System, LSU Healthcare Services Division, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
- 10 teaching hospitals, including: Memorial Medical Center, Baton Rouge General Medical Center

TRAVEL NURSE OPPORTUNITIES IN LOUISIANA
- Louisiana is home to 108 hospitals.
- There are 2 Level I trauma centers.
- Multiple large health systems including: Ochsner Health System, LSU Healthcare Services Division, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
- 10 teaching hospitals, including: Memorial Medical Center, Baton Rouge General Medical Center

TRAVEL NURSE HOUSING
IN LOUISIANA

Our dedicated travel and housing team can help you find great housing in Louisiana. There are two options available: company paid housing or receive per diems to find housing for yourself.
Louisiana’s cost of living is 10% below the national average. So, what about housing? On average, housing costs are 21% lower than the rest of the country.
Here are some figures about the average cost of renting apartments in Iowa:
- One-bedroom: 29% below the national median.
- Two-bedroom: 30% below the national median.
Keep in mind that prices and percentages vary based on location.
Whatever the choice, MSO Louisiana’s team is available to assist you with all your travel and housing needs. We ensure that your transition is as seamless as possible.
TRAVEL NURSE HOUSING IN LOUISIANA

Our dedicated travel and housing team can help you find great housing in Louisiana. There are two options available: company paid housing or receive per diems to find housing for yourself.
Louisiana’s cost of living is 10% below the national average. So, what about housing? On average, housing costs are 21% lower than the rest of the country.
Here are some figures about the average cost of renting apartments in Iowa:
- One-bedroom: 29% below the national median.
- Two-bedroom: 30% below the national median.
Keep in mind that prices and percentages vary based on location.
Whatever the choice, MSO Louisiana’s team is available to assist you with all your travel and housing needs. We ensure that your transition is as seamless as possible.