Staff at $68/hr × 36 hrs, fully taxable, 52 paid weeks, employer health. Travel at your numbers above, 45.5 paid weeks.
The taxable hourly wage is regular W-2 income, taxed at federal, state and FICA rates. The non-taxable stipend covers housing, meals and incidentals while you work away from your tax home; it stays untaxed when you keep a legitimate tax home and the assignment is temporary (under 12 months).
Travel nurse pay guideA simplified blended federal rate, the state rate you choose and the standard 7.65% FICA apply to the taxable wage only. Itemized deductions, retirement contributions and local taxes are not modeled. Turn the tax-home toggle off to see what happens if the stipend is reclassified as taxable income.
13-week contracts rarely chain perfectly. Unpaid weeks between contracts and buying your own health plan are what close the gap to a staff job, so compare contract against contract and travel against staff on the annual net.
Staff vs travel nursingSimplified, for comparing contracts. Not tax advice.