Travel Nurse Salary Guide 2026 — Pay, Stipends & Total Compensation

Travel nurse compensation is structured differently from staff nursing pay. A travel nurse’s total weekly package typically consists of three components: a taxable base hourly wage, a tax-free housing stipend, and a tax-free meals-and-incidentals stipend. Understanding how these pieces work together is key to accurately comparing offers and maximizing take-home pay.

Typical weekly travel nurse compensation ranges from $1,800 to $3,500+ depending on specialty, location, and agency. Crisis contracts in understaffed markets can reach $5,000+ per week. These are estimates based on publicly reported ranges — always verify actual compensation with your recruiter before signing any contract.

Pay by Specialty (Estimates)

• ICU / Critical Care RN — $2,200–$4,000/week total package
• Emergency Room RN — $2,000–$3,800/week total package
• Labor & Delivery RN — $2,000–$3,500/week total package
• Med-Surg RN — $1,800–$2,800/week total package
• OR / PACU RN — $2,200–$3,800/week total package
• Telemetry RN — $1,900–$3,200/week total package

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do travel nurses make more than staff nurses?

Travel nurses receive tax-free housing and meal stipends that staff nurses do not. These stipends are not subject to federal income tax, FICA, or state tax (for most states), which dramatically increases take-home pay relative to an equivalent taxable wage.

What is a bill rate and how does it affect travel nurse pay?

The bill rate is what the hospital pays the staffing agency per hour. From that, the agency subtracts its margin and pays out the remaining amount as wages and stipends. Negotiating your pay package is, in part, negotiating how the bill rate gets allocated.

All pay figures on this page are estimates for informational purposes. Verify actual compensation with your recruiter before accepting any contract.