Master Travel Nurse Pay & Taxes

Not necessarily. Travel nurses who maintain a valid tax home can receive a significant portion of their pay as tax-free stipends, which can actually lower their overall tax burden compared to an equivalent staff nurse salary. The key is maintaining a legitimate tax home.

A tax home is your primary place of work or business, usually the area where you maintain a permanent residence. It matters because travel nurses with a valid tax home can receive tax-free housing and meal stipends. Without one, all compensation becomes taxable income.

Most experienced travel nurses prefer the stipend because it gives them more control and often allows them to pocket the difference between the stipend and actual housing costs. However, agency housing can be a good choice for first-time travelers or in expensive markets where finding short-term housing is difficult.

Convert everything to a single number: total gross pay per week or per hour. Add up the taxable hourly rate, overtime, housing stipend, meals and incidentals stipend, and travel reimbursement. Then subtract estimated taxes from the taxable portion. Our free pay calculator does this math for you.

A CPA who understands travel nursing is strongly recommended, especially in your first year. Travel nurse taxes involve multi-state filings, tax home rules, and stipend classification that many general CPAs are unfamiliar with. A specialist can save you thousands in avoided mistakes.