The pay structure: taxable wage + non-taxable stipend
Travel nurse pay is broken into two parts on every contract:
Taxable hourly wage. Typically $18–$35/hr. This is the part the IRS sees as income — federal, state, FICA all apply.
Non-taxable stipend. A weekly amount intended to cover housing, meals, and incidentals while the nurse is "away from a tax home." Per IRS rules, if the nurse maintains a permanent residence elsewhere and duplicates expenses while on contract, the stipend isn't taxed. Typically $1,000–$2,500/week.
Sum: $1,800–$3,500/week gross. The lower the taxable wage and the higher the stipend, the more take-home — but only if the nurse genuinely qualifies for the non-taxable treatment. (If you don't maintain a tax home, the IRS can reclassify the stipend as taxable; that's an audit risk most agencies will warn you about.)
Typical 2026 rates by specialty
Rough national gross-weekly bands as of 2026. Specific contracts vary substantially by hospital, state, and crisis-rate factors.
- Med-Surg / Tele: $1,800–$2,400/week.
- Step-down / PCU: $2,000–$2,600/week.
- ICU / Critical Care: $2,200–$2,900/week.
- ED / ER: $2,200–$3,000/week.
- L&D / Mother-Baby: $2,200–$3,000/week.
- OR / Surgical: $2,300–$3,200/week.
- NICU / PICU: $2,400–$3,300/week.
- Cath Lab / EP: $2,400–$3,500/week.
Rapid-response and crisis contracts (during outbreaks or in chronically short-staffed regions) can run 1.5–2× these bands. They're less common in 2026 than during the 2020–2022 surge.
Geography matters more than people think
Pay is set by local supply and demand, not by national averages. The same ICU contract pays very differently in San Francisco, Bismarck, and Tampa. Highest-paying states in 2026 typically include California, Massachusetts, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii. Lowest-paying often include the Carolinas, Tennessee, Texas (outside metros), and Florida.
California carries an extra wrinkle: the state has strict nurse-to-patient ratio laws, which create chronic demand that keeps travel rates elevated. Conversely, no-ratio states with large nurse-graduating populations (Florida, Texas) tend to pay less for the same skill.
Browse travel contracts by state at jobs.waypointrecruit.com/travel.
How to compare two contracts honestly
Agencies present contracts in inconsistent formats. To compare two offers apples-to-apples, normalize on five numbers:
- Gross weekly pay (taxable + stipend, before deductions).
- Hours guaranteed per week — 36, 40, or 48? Some contracts "guarantee" 36 but pay overtime past 40 with the hospital's permission.
- Shift length and rotation — three 12s, four 10s, mix? Night-shift differential included?
- Contract length and extension terms — most are 13 weeks; some are 8 or 26.
- Cancellation policy — what happens if the hospital cancels you mid-contract? Many agencies have a "cancel-week" cap (e.g. you get paid for 80% of the remainder if cancelled in week 4+).
Two contracts with identical "$2,800/week" headline can differ by $500/week in actual take-home once these are normalized.
What reduces your effective take-home
The gross number isn't what hits your account. Subtract:
- Federal + state + FICA on the taxable wage portion: typically 22–28% of the taxable wage portion only.
- Travel and housing costs above the stipend: in expensive metros (SF, NYC, Boston), the stipend rarely covers actual rent. Many travel nurses do shared housing or RV/extended-stay options to keep the gap small.
- Licensure and credentialing: $150–$500 per new state license, sometimes reimbursed by the agency.
- Gap weeks between contracts: no benefits, no pay. If you take 4 weeks off between two 13-week contracts, that's effectively 13/17 of your gross.
- Self-funded health insurance during gaps: ACA marketplace plans run $400–$900/month for an individual.
Net of all this, a $2,500/week gross contract typically converts to $1,700–$2,000/week in actual take-home, sustained across a year.
Staff comparison: when does travel actually win
A staff RN at the same hospital might earn $1,500–$2,200/week gross with full benefits. Travel wins if and only if:
- You have 1+ year of acute-care experience (most contracts require it).
- You can maintain a tax home and qualify for non-taxable stipend treatment.
- You're mobile and can absorb 1–4 weeks of gap per year between contracts.
- You don't need employer-sponsored health insurance, retirement match, or pension.
If any of those don't apply, the math often tips back to staff. For a deeper breakdown see staff vs travel nursing.