Pulling Back the Curtain on Travel Nurse Agencies in 2025

The travel nurse market has changed rapidly in recent years, and 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive (and confusing) landscapes yet. With massive mergers, recruiterless platforms, and corporate-owned vendor management systems (VMS), many travel nurses are wondering: Which agencies can I really trust? Who has my best interests in mind? And how do I make the most of my career in a shifting industry?

As someone who's both lived the traveler life and now works behind the scenes as a recruiter, I wanted to pull back the curtain on what’s really happening in the travel nurse world. This post isn’t about pushing one agency over another (though yes, I do work with Atlas MedStaff and I’ll explain why I believe in them). It’s about helping you navigate a system that’s gotten increasingly complicated and increasingly consolidated.

The travel nurse industry has evolved dramatically, especially in recent years with corporate consolidations, VMS ownership, and changing compliance requirements. Even as a recruiter, this gets really confusing so I've put together a PDF of who owns what and how things have consolidated over the last five yers. But first, t’s important to understand the broad strokes of how agency size matters.

Feature/Benefit	Large Agencies	Mid-Size Agencies	Small/Boutique Agencies
Wide hospital network & exclusive contracts	✅	✅ (some)	❌
Fast onboarding systems	✅	✅	❌
Strong benefits (401k, health insurance, etc.)	✅	⚠️ Varies	⚠️ Limited
Personalized recruiter experience	❌	✅	✅
Flexibility in assignment types	⚠️ Limited	✅	✅
Access to multiple VMS platforms	❌ (usually proprietary)	✅	⚠️ May subcontract
First pick of jobs	✅	⚠️ Tier-dependent	❌
Transparent pay & advocacy	⚠️	✅	✅
Risk of red tape or internal quotas	✅	⚠️ Some	❌

✅ = Generally true⚠️ = Depends on agency❌ = Typically not true

Mid-Size Agencies Offer the Best of Both Worlds:

✨ Personal recruiter relationships with national reach.

✨ More vendor-neutral flexibility without the red tape.

✨ Access to broad job pipelines with human-first advocacy.

Let’s be honest: Travelers talk. And the frustrations many have shared online aren't just hearsay. As agencies grow bigger and own more of the VMS landscape, they get:

• First dibs on jobs (because they own the platform)

• More control over rates (and what they choose to pay you vs. pocket)

• Less incentive to fight for YOU, the traveler

When an agency owns the VMS, they are both the gatekeeper and the benefactor. You might be submitted faster, sure. But you might also be making significantly less than what that job is actually worth.

And while many travelers choose to work with multiple agencies, there's real value in working with one that still prioritizes transparency, relationships, and your autonomy.

Before you choose who to work with, it’s worth knowing which agencies have remained independent, which are now part of larger corporations, and which have disappeared altogether.

Click below to download my agency ownership guide, or take a peek at this summary chart of recent changes:

📋 Travel Nurse Agencies Acquired, Merged, or Closed (2020–2025)

Agency Name	Status/Change Type	Current Parent Company or Outcome	Year
RNnetwork	Closed	CHG Healthcare	2025
TotalMed Staffing	Merged	Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA)	2025
Cross Country Healthcare	Acquired	Aya Healthcare	2025
Republic Health Resources	Acquired	LiquidAgents Healthcare	2024
Horizons Healthcare Agency	Acquired	Health Advocates Network	2024
Emerald Health Services	Merged	Epic Travel Staffing	2023
Springboard Healthcare	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2022
HealthCare Support	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2022
Host Healthcare	Acquired	Medical Solutions	2022
Tailored Healthcare Staffing	Acquired	Fusion Medical Staffing	2021
trustaff	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2021
Fastaff	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2021
U.S. Nursing	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2021
CardioSolution	Acquired	Ingenovis Health	2021

One of the biggest surprises to newer travelers (and sometimes even veterans) is realizing that the agency you think you're working with might just be acting as a middleman or is actually owned by the same company as the VMS that manages your job.

When big companies own the job platforms and the agencies submitting to them, it blurs the line between who works for whom. The chart I’ve included in this post helps map out who owns what, and it’s eye-opening.

Even if you're not contracted directly with a large agency like Aya or AMN, there's a decent chance your job still comes through their systems—and that means they still have a hand in how much you’re paid.

Some travelers don’t mind this. They’re chasing the highest paycheck and want the fastest submittals. Totally valid. But if transparency, advocacy, and keeping more of the pie matters to you, those distinctions start to count.

I work with Atlas, so I’ve seen firsthand how being vendor-neutral creates more flexibility and support for travelers. At Atlas, we don’t only push jobs that belong to us or our internal network. We work across many VMS platforms, giving our travelers access to:

• A broader range of facilities

• Competitive (though often middle-of-the-road) pay packages

• Recruiters who advocate for what’s best for YOU (not just what fills a quota)

  
  

We don’t own the VMS, and we don’t plan to. Why? Because our model is built around traveler freedom, not funneling you through a system that prioritizes profit over placement.

If you're someone who values loyalty and consistency, working with one agency that truly knows you (and doesn't just view you as a number) can be a huge asset. And yes, I’m always hoping to build long-term partnerships with travelers who want that kind of experience.

There is no “best” agency overall, only the best strategy for you based on your goals, needs, and travel style.

Here’s the truth: no one company always has the best-paying job. If you’re chasing top-dollar every time, you’ll need to cast a wide net and work with multiple agencies, keep meticulous records, and stay quick on submissions.

But if you’re looking for a more consistent, relationship-driven experience that still gives you a wide range of options, a vendor-neutral agency with a strong recruiter might serve you better in the long run.

Think of it this way:

You Prioritize	Smart Strategy
Getting top pay	Work with multiple agencies and track closely
Exclusive hospital access	Work with big players like Aya or AMN
Trust & a long-term recruiter relationship	Stick with a vendor-neutral, recruiter-driven agency like Atlas
Simplicity & ease	Choose a tech-first platform or large brand name agency
Flexibility with job types	Stick with an agency that has access to multiple VMSs

Another nerdy chart that might help!

🏆 Top-Rated Travel Nursing Agencies (2020–2025) that are still around

Agency Name	Notable Rankings (Years)	Notes
Atlas MedStaff	2023 (#1), 2021 (#8)	Known for strong recruiter relationships and vendor-neutral access.
Axis Medical Staffing	2024 (#4), 2021 (#5)	Consistently high traveler satisfaction.
Triage Staffing	2021 (#3), 2020 (#4)	Offers a personalized experience with a wide range of assignments.
Fusion Medical Staffing	2021 (#18), 2018 (#7)	Recognized for its supportive recruiter relationships.
FlexCare Medical Staffing	2021 (#14), 2018 (#3)	Offers a tech-forward platform with a focus on transparency.
Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA)	2018 (#4)	Provides strong support and a variety of assignments.
Advantis Medical	2021 (#1)	Noted for competitive pay and responsive recruiters.
Stability Healthcare	2021 (#4)	Known for its user-friendly platform and transparency.
AHS Staffing	2021 (#6)	Provides personalized service with a variety of assignments.
Core Medical Group	2021 (#7)	Offers comprehensive benefits and support.
LiquidAgents Healthcare	2021 (#11)	Recognized for its responsive recruiters and competitive pay.
Chesapeake Medical Staffing	2021 (#19)	Offers personalized service with a focus on traveler satisfaction.
Gifted Healthcare	2021 (#20), 2020 (#3)	Recognized for its supportive environment and variety of assignments.

The travel nurse industry is changing, but your worth hasn’t. Don’t settle for an agency that sees you as a number.

If you’ve got questions about a contract, want help interpreting a pay package, or just want to compare notes, I’m always happy to help however I can. Whether we end up working together or not, you deserve to understand the system you're navigating.

Let’s make your next move a smart one, for you.

—Kristin, fellow travel nurse spouse, traveler advocate, and founder of No Ordinary Path

💡 Want tools to make comparing agencies even easier?

Check out my Travel Nurse Digital Downloads - including an Agency Comparison Sheet, Interview Prep Guide, and more. Built for travelers, by a traveler family.