Travel Nurse Pay Calculator

Start by entering the taxable hourly rate from your contract offer. This is the base pay that appears on your W2 and is subject to federal and state income taxes. Most agencies list this rate prominently in the pay package.

Next, fill in the non taxable components: the weekly housing stipend, daily meals and incidentals per diem, and any one time travel reimbursement. These amounts are not taxed as long as you maintain a qualifying tax home. If your recruiter bundles these into a single number, ask them to break it out.

Set the contract length, expected hours per week, and any overtime you anticipate. The overtime rate defaults to 1.5 times your base rate, but you can adjust it if your contract specifies a different multiplier. Finally, adjust the estimated tax rate if 22% does not reflect your situation. Results update instantly as you type.

Travel nurse compensation is structured differently from staff nurse pay. Instead of a single hourly rate, you receive a package that combines taxable wages with non taxable stipends. The taxable hourly rate is typically lower than what a permanent staff nurse earns at the same facility, but the stipends make up the difference and often push total compensation well above staff rates.

The housing stipend covers your living expenses at the assignment location. You can choose between agency provided housing or taking the stipend and finding your own place. Taking the stipend and finding affordable housing is one of the most effective ways to maximize your take home pay, since the difference between your stipend and actual rent stays in your pocket tax free.

The meals and incidentals per diem is a daily allowance based on GSA rates for your assignment location. This covers food and small daily expenses. Like the housing stipend, it is non taxable when you have a qualifying tax home. Travel reimbursement is a one time payment to help cover the cost of getting to and from your assignment.

Your tax home is the city or general area where your primary place of business is located. For travel nurses, this usually means maintaining a permanent residence that you pay for even while on assignment. The IRS requires you to have substantial recurring expenses at this home, such as rent or a mortgage, utilities, and upkeep.

If you do not maintain a tax home, the IRS considers you an itinerant worker. In that case, all of your income becomes taxable, including housing stipends and per diems. This can significantly reduce your take home pay, so it is worth the cost of maintaining a permanent address. Many travel nurses rent a room, keep a family home, or share a lease to satisfy this requirement.

Because tax home rules are complex and the consequences of getting them wrong can be costly, consider consulting a tax professional who specializes in travel healthcare. They can help you structure your situation to stay compliant while maximizing your non taxable benefits.