Updated July 2026 · 9 min read

AMN vs Aya vs Cross Country: Travel Agency Head-to-Head

Part of the Travel Nurse Hub — agencies, contracts, stipends, and taxes in one map.

Three names dominate travel nursing: AMN Healthcare, Aya Healthcare, and Cross Country Nurses. All three are large, legitimate, and place thousands of nurses — but they don't feel the same to work with. Pay transparency, job volume, how the app works, and how your recruiter treats you differ enough to shape your whole assignment. Here's an honest, side-by-side comparison to help you choose.

Why you shouldn't pick just one

Before comparing, understand the most important tactic in travel nursing: work with multiple agencies at once. No single agency has every job, and pay packages for the same hospital contract can differ between agencies. Signing with two or three lets you compare live offers and gives you leverage. Think of this comparison as "which two or three should anchor your search," not "which one wins." For the fundamentals, see the best travel nursing agencies guide.

The three agencies, side by side

Impressions reflect commonly reported traveler experiences and shift over time; verify current pay, benefits, and job availability directly with each agency.

Aya Healthcare — volume and transparency

Aya is one of the largest travel-nursing marketplaces, and its calling card is a big, well-organized job board where you can see pay packages and search openings yourself. Nurses who like to compare listings without waiting on a recruiter tend to love it. Because Aya also operates as a vendor management/MSP in many systems, it often has strong visibility into available contracts. If you value transparency and a modern app, Aya usually anchors the search.

AMN Healthcare — scale and hospital relationships

AMN is one of the oldest and largest healthcare staffing companies in the country. Its strength is depth of hospital relationships — as an MSP for many health systems, AMN sometimes holds jobs other agencies can't access. It offers broad benefits and a full-service, recruiter-guided model. Travelers who want an established name with wide reach and are comfortable working closely with a recruiter often keep AMN in their rotation.

Cross Country Nurses — the relationship model

Cross Country is a long-established agency whose reputation leans on recruiter relationships and personal service. Nurses who prefer a recruiter who knows them, advocates on pay, and helps navigate credentialing and housing often report a good experience here. If you're newer to travel and want more hand-holding, Cross Country is worth a conversation.

How to actually compare offers

Also watch the tax side: those non-taxable stipends only stay non-taxable if you maintain a legitimate tax home. That's a whole topic on its own — see travel nurse tax home before you assume the stipend is free money.

Red flags that apply to any agency

Bottom line

All three are legitimate, large agencies — the "best" one is the one whose model fits how you like to work. Reach for Aya if you want transparency and a strong self-service job board, AMN for scale and access to exclusive hospital contracts, and Cross Country if you want a hands-on recruiter relationship. Then do what experienced travelers do: sign with two or three, compare live packages for the same jobs, and let them compete for you. That competition — not brand loyalty — is what maximizes your pay.

This article is general educational information, not financial or employment advice, and is not sponsored by or affiliated with any agency named. Agency offerings, pay, and reputations change; verify all current details directly with each company.