Travel CT Tech, PT, and OT Jobs Summer 2026: Best States for Imaging and Rehab Assignments

You didn't get into healthcare to sit still. Here's where the jobs are this summer, what each state is actually like to live in for 13 weeks, and why AHS Staffing is the team to get you there.

What Specialties Are in Demand for Summer 2026?

If you're a CT tech, MRI tech, radiologic technologist, physical therapist, or occupational therapist, your timing could not be better. Imaging and rehab are two of the most consistently in-demand allied health travel categories in the country right now. Physical therapists and occupational therapists are seeing expanded placement opportunities across hospitals, rehab centers, SNFs, and outpatient settings as the post-acute care market grows. Radiology and imaging professionals are essential infrastructure in every facility type, and demand stays steady regardless of broader staffing trends.

Summer 2026 is bringing strong contract availability across the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, and South-Central U.S. Every state below has active assignments. Every one of them has something genuinely worth showing up for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What states have the most travel allied health jobs in summer 2026?

Michigan, Illinois, Washington, Iowa, Virginia, West Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Missouri, Arkansas, and New Mexico all have strong imaging and rehab demand for summer contracts.

When should I apply for a summer travel allied health contract?

Four to six weeks before your target start date. High-demand markets like Michigan and Washington fill quickly. Start the conversation with a recruiter now, even if you're not ready to commit for a few more weeks.

How much do travel CT techs make per week in 2026?

The average weekly pay for a travel CT tech in 2026 is around $2,545, which is above the national practicing average. Rates vary by state, facility type, and shift, with some markets reaching significantly higher. Your AHS Staffing recruiter will walk you through current pay for the specific markets you're considering.

Is Washington state a good state for travel physical therapists?

Yes. Washington is consistently ranked among the top states for travel PTs, offering competitive weekly packages averaging $2,200 to $3,400 or more. Washington also has no state income tax, which meaningfully increases take-home pay compared to similarly paying states.

What are the best allied health travel states for a high pay-to-cost-of-living ratio?

Iowa and Missouri consistently deliver strong weekly pay with significantly lower housing costs than coastal markets, making them top performers for overall savings. West Virginia and Arkansas offer similar advantages.

Do I need a separate license for each state I travel to?

For physical therapists, the PT Compact allows a single license to cover multiple member states, which significantly reduces licensing friction between assignments. Imaging specialties typically require individual state licenses. Your AHS Staffing recruiter will walk you through the process for your specific specialty.

The Northeast: Off-Season Cool, On-Season Magic

This is the region for travelers who want to skip the beach traffic entirely and spend a summer in one of the most scenically dramatic parts of the country. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are at their absolute best from June through August, and the facilities here need allied travelers to make it happen.

Maine

The assignment: Imaging professionals are in consistent demand across Maine's healthcare systems, from major facilities in Portland to smaller regional hospitals along the coast. It's a compact, navigable state where even a rural assignment puts you within striking distance of the coast on your days off.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Bar Harbor has been a summer destination since the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts built estates there in the 19th century, and the reasons haven't changed. Acadia National Park sits directly on the coast near Bar Harbor, covering 50 square miles of mountains, lakes, hiking trails, and dramatic oceanfront cliffs. Catching the first sunrise in the country from the summit of Cadillac Mountain is one of those once-in-a-career experiences travelers come back talking about for years. The Bar Harbor Music Festival runs in July and the Fine Arts Festival comes in August, filling the town with live performance through peak season.

Beyond Acadia, you can take a lobster boat cruise to watch working traps get hauled from the water, spot harbor seals on exposed rock ledges, and watch for bald eagles and porpoises along the coastline. Portland, Maine's largest city, has developed into one of the best food scenes in New England with a thriving arts district. Kennebunkport and Ogunquit offer charming downtowns, fresh seafood, and easy beach access further down the coast.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Maine is manageable in a way that big coastal markets aren't. You can explore the entire state on your days off without a complicated logistics plan. The facility relationships are tight-knit, and travelers consistently report being welcomed as part of the team.

New Hampshire

The assignment: New Hampshire has solid allied health demand in both imaging and rehab, spread across hospital systems and outpatient settings. Popular cities for assignments include Manchester, Concord, and facilities near the seacoast region.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

The White Mountains in northern New Hampshire are the main event. The 34.5-mile Kancamagus Highway, known locally as "The Kanc," is one of the most scenic drives in the country, with no commercial development along the route and access to trailheads, swimming holes, and waterfalls. The Franconia Ridge Loop is considered one of the best day hikes in the Northeast, gaining nearly 3,800 feet of elevation and delivering above-treeline ridge walking to the summits of Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln. Each of the major ski areas, including Cannon Mountain, Loon Mountain, and Attitash, offers summer activities including gondola rides, ziplines, and alpine slides.

On the seacoast, Portsmouth is a walkable historic city with some of the best-preserved colonial-era architecture in New England, exceptional restaurants, and a lively local scene. The White Mountain Boogie N' Blues Festival returns for its 29th year in August 2026, set on a 72-acre pasture with award-winning artists performing against mountain scenery.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: New Hampshire packs an enormous variety of experience into a small footprint. You can do beach mornings on the seacoast and mountain afternoons the same weekend, and road trips to Vermont or Maine are easy to build around your schedule.

Vermont

The assignment: Vermont is a smaller healthcare market, which means allied travelers here often build strong, collaborative relationships with facility teams. Contracts in Vermont frequently offer extension opportunities, and the community feel is a genuine draw for travelers who've burned out on large, impersonal facility environments.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Burlington is Vermont's largest city and one of the most livable small cities in the country. Summer in Burlington centers on Lake Champlain, one of the most striking lakes in the Northeast, where you can rent kayaks and paddleboards, take a sunset dinner cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen, or walk the waterfront at Waterfront Park. The Burlington Greenway runs eight miles along the lake, and the city's craft beer scene is legendary. The Vermont Brewers Festival brings 40+ craft breweries to Waterfront Park in July, pouring 200+ specialty beers against the backdrop of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.

In Stowe, the summer Recreation Path winds along the river through some of the most idyllic Vermont scenery imaginable, with mountain biking, hiking, and the Stowe Mountain Resort offering gondola rides and lift-served trail access. Stowe to Burlington is a 45-minute drive, so you can experience both without committing to one area for the whole assignment.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Vermont is the assignment destination for travelers who want to slow down and actually live somewhere, not just pass through. The people are friendly, the pace is different, and it tends to produce some of the most memorable travel contracts people have done.

The Midwest: Underrated, Affordable, and Bigger Than You Think

The Midwest doesn't market itself well. That's your advantage. Lower housing costs mean your stipend goes further. Less crowding means easier logistics. And the experiences are genuinely excellent: the largest freshwater dunes in the world, world-class city culture, and spring-fed Ozark rivers.

Michigan

The assignment: Michigan is one of the strongest allied health markets in the Midwest for both imaging and rehab travelers. Demand spans the Detroit metro, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and facilities further north toward Traverse City and the Upper Peninsula. Imaging openings here are consistent across multiple facility types, and the state's geography means you're never far from a Great Lakes shoreline.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Traverse City was voted the Most Beautiful Place in America by Good Morning America, and anyone who's stood on the dunes looking over Lake Michigan understands why. The park features the largest freshwater dunes in the world, rising up to 460 feet above the lake, with the Dune Climb offering one of the most physically memorable experiences in Midwest travel. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive delivers panoramic lake views for those who want the vistas without the leg burn. Sleeping Bear is also a designated dark sky park, open all night for stargazing.

Mackinac Island, accessible by ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace, is one of the most distinctive places in the country: no cars allowed, so you get around by horse-drawn carriage or bike. The M-119 Tunnel of Trees scenic drive on the way to the ferry is itself worth the trip. In Detroit, the Motown Museum, Eastern Market, Henry Ford Museum, and a genuinely excellent and affordable restaurant scene are all within reach. The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City runs in early July and is one of the best-attended regional festivals in the Midwest.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Michigan gives you a complete summer. You can spend a weekend at the dunes, visit Mackinac on a day off, catch a Tigers game in Detroit, and still have summer left for kayaking Pictured Rocks in the Upper Peninsula. The state rewards explorers, and the healthcare market gives you the assignment stability to actually explore it.

Illinois

The assignment: Illinois is a high-demand allied health market with imaging and rehab openings concentrated in the Chicago metro and downstate facilities. The state's Midwest location and cost of living make it a strong performer for savings, and Chicago's healthcare systems are large, well-resourced, and experienced with travel staff.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Chicago is one of the great American cities, and the lakefront is the center of it. The Lakefront Trail runs 17 miles along Lake Michigan, connecting neighborhoods, beaches, and parks with unobstructed water views. Millennium Park, the Chicago Riverwalk, Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium are all within easy reach of downtown assignments. Summer in Chicago means Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza, and hundreds of neighborhood festivals running through August.

For travelers who want a break from the city, Starved Rock State Park is 90 minutes southwest of downtown and offers some of the most surprising landscape in the Midwest: canyons, waterfalls, and sandstone formations carved by glacial meltwater. Illinois's stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline also includes quieter beach towns heading north toward Wisconsin that most visitors never find.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Chicago is a city people plan European vacations around. If you can get a travel assignment there instead, you get the whole experience on a healthcare traveler's schedule. Strong assignment availability, world-class food and culture, and Great Lakes beach access make Illinois one of the most well-rounded summer options on this list.

Iowa

The assignment: Iowa is one of the top pay-to-cost-of-living states in the country for allied health travelers. Imaging contracts typically range from $2,300 to $2,600 per week, and because housing costs are significantly lower than coastal markets, travelers here consistently retain more of their weekly earnings. Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City all have active allied health openings in both imaging and rehab.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Iowa surprises people. Des Moines has grown into a genuinely livable city with a thriving food scene, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in the heart of downtown (free admission), and an arts and culture infrastructure that consistently outperforms expectations for a city its size. Iowa's network of scenic byways winds through river valleys and the Loess Hills, a geological formation unique in the world outside of China. The state's craft brewery scene has expanded dramatically over the past decade, and river floating on the Upper Iowa River is excellent throughout the summer.

Iowa's healthcare market is built for long-term relationships. Contracts here are frequently extended, facilities are collaborative, and the work environment tends to be less high-pressure than major metro systems.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: If maximizing savings is your priority, Iowa is hard to beat. A strong weekly rate combined with genuinely affordable housing means you can actually bank money on a 13-week assignment, not just break even on housing costs. The lifestyle is understated, but it delivers.

The Mid-Atlantic and Appalachia: History, Mountains, and Two Very Different Experiences

Virginia

The assignment: Virginia is a versatile allied health market with strong imaging and rehab demand across major hospital systems in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, and Roanoke. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, CT techs, and radiologic technologists are all in demand here.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Virginia gives you one of the most geographically varied assignment experiences in the country. In the west, Shenandoah National Park runs along the Blue Ridge Mountains with Skyline Drive cutting through the length of the park, delivering overlook after overlook above the Shenandoah Valley. The hiking here is genuinely world-class accessible backcountry, with Old Rag Mountain, Hawksbill, and Bearfence among the most talked-about trails in the region.

On the eastern end, Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area offer full beach access, seafood, and a completely different summer energy. Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown form one of the country's most concentrated historic corridors less than an hour from the coast. Wine country in the Shenandoah Valley and around Charlottesville has grown into a legitimate wine destination worth multiple weekends.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: The range of terrain and experience in Virginia means you're never limited by your assignment location. Whether you're based in Richmond, Northern Virginia, or the coast, there's a different type of adventure within two hours in any direction.

West Virginia

The assignment: West Virginia has strong imaging demand, particularly for CT techs and general radiology professionals. Facility teams here are experienced with travel staff and tend to be collaborative and appreciative. Martinsburg, Charleston, and facilities throughout the south of the state all have active openings.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

West Virginia is the great outdoor adventure state that most travelers haven't discovered yet. New River Gorge, designated as the country's newest national park, has quickly become one of the most compelling destinations in the eastern U.S. The New River Gorge Bridge is the most famous element of the park, the third-highest vehicular bridge in the country, and the Bridge Walk lets you cross along the catwalk beneath it, 1.25 miles from one end to the other with the gorge 851 feet below.

For whitewater, the New River and Gauley River offer some of the best Class IV and V rapids on the East Coast. Summer on the lower New River is the peak season for rafting, with multiple local outfitters offering half-day and full-day trips. The Endless Wall Trail is gaining national recognition for its accessible elevation and sandstone cliff views over the river far below. Harpers Ferry, at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, combines dramatic scenery with some of the most significant Civil War history in the country.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: West Virginia has a lower cost of living than almost any comparable assignment state, and the outdoor access is extraordinary. Travelers who've worked there consistently describe it as one of the most surprising assignment experiences they've had, in a state that completely outperforms its reputation.

The South-Central Region: Culture, Cuisine, and Country Nobody Expects

Missouri

The assignment: Missouri offers strong allied health placement opportunities across both major metro systems and rural and critical access hospitals. Imaging and therapy specialists will find demand concentrated in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield, with additional openings in smaller markets throughout the state. Weekly allied health pay in imaging and therapy typically ranges from $2,200 to $2,500.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Missouri gives you two completely different cities within three hours of each other. Kansas City has a nationally recognized barbecue culture and a revitalized downtown built around the Power and Light District, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (consistently ranked among the best art museums in the country), and a genuine live music scene rooted in its jazz history. The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals give sports fans a full summer home.

St. Louis offers the Gateway Arch and its riverside museum, Forest Park (larger than Central Park and free), the Saint Louis Zoo (free), the Missouri Botanical Garden, and some of the best Cardinals baseball in the Midwest. The Lake of the Ozarks draws visitors for boating, fishing, and waterfront dining throughout the summer, and the Ozark Mountains in the southern part of the state deliver river floating on spring-fed Current River, hiking through Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, and some of the clearest waterways in the South-Central U.S.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Missouri is one of the most flexible assignment states on this list because the geography and culture vary so dramatically. You can be based in Kansas City and have completely different weekend experiences every week for the full 13 weeks.

Arkansas

The assignment: Arkansas has consistent allied health openings with demand concentrated in the Northwest Arkansas corridor (Bentonville and Fayetteville) and the Little Rock metro. Imaging and rehab professionals will find opportunities across hospital systems, outpatient centers, and specialty facilities.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Bentonville is having a genuine moment. Travel + Leisure named it one of the 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026, and this summer it earned that recognition in a new way: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, already one of the most important American art museums in the country, unveiled its largest expansion on June 6, 2026, nearly doubling its footprint, adding new gallery spaces, an outdoor playscape called the Ozark Discovery Canopy, and a new cafe called Quartz and Honey. The museum's free admission policy makes it genuinely accessible for travelers on assignment, and the expansion makes 2026 specifically an exceptional time to visit.

Beyond Crystal Bridges, Bentonville has developed a world-class mountain biking trail system across hundreds of miles of purpose-built singletrack, making it the bike capital of the South. The Momentary, a contemporary art space and live music venue, hosts a strong 2026 lineup through the summer.

The Ozark and Ouachita mountain ranges together create extraordinary outdoor access throughout the state, with river floating on the Buffalo National River (America's first national river), hiking through the Boston Mountains, and the Crater of Diamonds State Park where you can dig for and keep any diamonds you find.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Arkansas is the assignment destination for travelers who want to feel like they've discovered something. The combination of a world-class art museum, elite mountain biking, and genuine Ozark outdoor access at a fraction of the cost of coastal markets makes it one of the best-kept secrets in allied health travel.

New Mexico

The assignment: New Mexico has consistent imaging demand across Albuquerque's hospital systems and a growing number of outpatient and specialty imaging opportunities. The state's healthcare network is anchored by the University of New Mexico Health system, one of the largest in the Southwest, with additional openings in Santa Fe and the northern part of the state.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

New Mexico has a look and feel that exists nowhere else in the country. Albuquerque sits at over 5,000 feet elevation, which means genuinely mild summer temperatures compared to the rest of the Southwest. July averages a high of around 93 degrees, but low humidity and cooling evenings make it entirely livable. The Sandia Mountains rise to over 10,000 feet on the eastern edge of the city, accessible by the Sandia Peak Tramway for panoramic views or by trail for hikers. The Bosque trail along the Rio Grande runs through cottonwood forest directly through the city.

Route 66 runs through downtown Albuquerque, and 2026 is the centennial year of the highway. New murals, art installations, and events have been going up along Central Avenue all year. Santa Fe, 60 miles north, is one of the most architecturally distinctive small cities in the country, built primarily in Pueblo Revival style with a thriving art market, world-class cuisine rooted in New Mexican chile culture, and the Santa Fe Opera performing outdoors against mountain sunsets.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: New Mexico delivers a culturally distinct experience that most allied travelers have never considered. The combination of Albuquerque's healthcare infrastructure, accessible outdoor activities, Santa Fe as a day-trip destination, and a cost of living well below coastal markets makes it one of the more undervalued summer options in the country.

The Pacific Northwest: Washington State

The assignment: Washington is one of the most coveted assignment destinations in the country for allied health professionals, with strong imaging demand across the Seattle-Tacoma metro, Spokane, and regional facilities throughout the state. Washington has no state income tax, which meaningfully increases take-home pay. That's a fact worth running through the numbers with your recruiter before accepting an assignment anywhere else.

What you'll actually do when you're off:

Washington state is almost unfairly stacked. From Seattle, you're within striking distance of three national parks (Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades), the San Juan Islands by ferry, the Columbia River Gorge, and the wine country of Eastern Washington, all within a day's drive. Pike Place Market and the Seattle waterfront are the starting points most visitors know, but the city's hiking access, craft coffee culture, and live music scene run far deeper than that.

Mount Rainier, at 14,411 feet, is visible from Seattle on clear days and reachable in a couple of hours for summer wildflower hikes, snowfield walks, and views that make people genuinely emotional. Olympic National Park on the Peninsula offers temperate rainforest, glacier-fed rivers, and a Pacific coastline unlike anything on the East Coast. The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is one of the most primally beautiful places in the country.

Why it works for a 13-week contract: Washington delivers the highest ceiling of any state on this list in terms of natural beauty and outdoor access. The no-income-tax benefit makes the pay package stretch further. The clinical culture in Washington is consistently described as collaborative and well-resourced. It's the aspirational assignment, and for summer 2026, it's available.

Why AHS Staffing and Not Just Any Agency

There are a lot of agencies placing allied health travelers. Here's the actual difference with AHS Staffing:

A recruiter who's with you from start to finish. Not a different person for credentialing, onboarding, and extension. One dedicated recruiter who knows your name, your specialty, your preferences, and picks up the phone. Our intentional recruiter-to-traveler ratio means you are never just a number.

Full benefits package. Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage from day one of your assignment, because great healthcare professionals deserve great benefits too.

Weekly direct deposit. Get paid on time, every time. No waiting, no surprises.

401(k) with company match. We help you plan for the future, not just the next 13 weeks.

Licensure and credentialing reimbursement. We cover the cost of getting you prepared and compliant for your assignment so licensing fees don't come out of your pocket.

Liability and malpractice coverage. You can focus on your patients knowing you are fully protected on every assignment.

Housing assistance. Choose a generous housing stipend and find your own place, or let us help identify options near your facility. Either way, we have you covered.

Assignments across nursing, allied health, and dialysis. If your specialty changes or you want to explore a different setting, your options don't disappear.

All 50 states, including every market listed in this guide. We have existing relationships with the facilities that have the orders.

Refer a friend and earn a bonus. Know another imaging or rehab professional who would be a great traveler? Our Candidate Referral Program pays you for spreading the word. It's one of the easiest bonuses in healthcare. Learn more at ahsstaffing.com/candidate-referral-program.

Summer contracts are actively filling. The window to land your first choice is open right now, but it closes faster than people expect.

Ready to Make Your Move?

Tell an AHS Staffing recruiter where you want to go and what you do. Whether you're a CT tech who wants the Pacific Northwest, a PT who's been curious about New England, or an OT who wants to maximize savings in Iowa, we're ready to match you with the right assignment.

Your summer is waiting. Let's find it.

AHS Staffing places imaging and rehabilitation professionals in travel assignments across all 50 states. Open specialties include CT techs, MRI techs, radiologic technologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and more. Contact us at ahsstaffing.com.