Travel Nurse Pay Transparency Report
Q2 2026 Mid-Year Edition
Published July 3, 2026 · Data from 50 states, 14 specialties, 220 cities
How the numbers here are checked
Tax figures are computed from published IRS and SSA sources and per diem from GSA, each carrying a citation and a retrieval date; our build fails if any loses one. Pay, rent and cost-of-living figures are our own editorial estimates. This page has not been reviewed by a licensed professional — see our methodology, and consult a CPA about your own situation.
Executive Summary
At the mid-point of 2026, travel nurse pay has held steady while housing costs continued to drift upward — which makes stipend margin, not headline weekly pay, the number that separates profitable contracts from break-even ones. Of the 220 cities we track, 218 still offer a housing stipend surplus (GSA lodging allowance exceeds local one-bedroom rent) while 2 run a deficit. This edition ranks both extremes, revisits the no-income-tax state strategy for peak summer season, and previews the GSA FY2027 rate reset landing October 1.
$1,868
Avg Weekly Pay
$47/hr
Avg Hourly Rate
$1,809/wk
Avg Weekly Stipend
218/220
Cities w/ Stipend Surplus
Top 10 Stipend-Surplus Cities
Where the GSA lodging allowance most exceeds actual one-bedroom rent — the pocketable gap that turns a mid-rate contract into a high-earning one.
| Rank | City | GSA Lodging/mo | 1BR Rent | Monthly Surplus | Avg Weekly Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Boston, MA | $11,096 | $2,400 | +$8,696 | $2,400 |
| #2 | Bozeman, MT | $9,910 | $1,300 | +$8,610 | $2,040 |
| #3 | New York, NY | $10,883 | $3,000 | +$7,883 | $2,480 |
| #4 | Charleston, SC | $8,755 | $1,300 | +$7,455 | $2,000 |
| #5 | Alexandria, VA | $8,968 | $1,800 | +$7,168 | $2,160 |
| #6 | San Francisco, CA | $9,880 | $3,200 | +$6,680 | $2,560 |
| #7 | Elgin, IL | $7,235 | $1,150 | +$6,085 | $2,080 |
| #8 | Glendale, AZ | $7,053 | $1,200 | +$5,853 | $2,040 |
| #9 | Chandler, AZ | $7,053 | $1,300 | +$5,753 | $2,040 |
| #10 | Mesa, AZ | $7,053 | $1,300 | +$5,753 | $2,000 |
10 Worst Stipend-Deficit Cities
Where one-bedroom rent outruns the GSA lodging allowance. A high weekly rate can still make these worth it — but only if you price the housing gap into your negotiation.
| Rank | City | GSA Lodging/mo | 1BR Rent | Monthly Deficit | Avg Weekly Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Honolulu, HI | $0 | $2,100 | −$2,100 | $2,320 |
| #2 | Anchorage, AK | $0 | $1,500 | −$1,500 | $2,320 |
| #3 | Jacksonville, FL | $3,435 | $1,300 | −$2,135 | $1,920 |
| #4 | Oakland, CA | $4,621 | $2,400 | −$2,221 | $2,360 |
| #5 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $3,435 | $1,200 | −$2,235 | $2,000 |
| #6 | Medford, OR | $3,435 | $1,200 | −$2,235 | $2,080 |
| #7 | Grand Junction, CO | $3,435 | $1,150 | −$2,285 | $2,040 |
| #8 | Iowa City, IA | $3,435 | $1,150 | −$2,285 | $2,040 |
| #9 | Newport News, VA | $3,435 | $1,150 | −$2,285 | $2,040 |
| #10 | Norfolk, VA | $3,435 | $1,150 | −$2,285 | $2,040 |
See every state's housing margin in the Stipends by State matrix.
The No-Income-Tax State Play, Ranked
Summer is peak contract season. All 8 states with no state income tax, ranked by average weekly travel nurse pay — where keeping more of the taxable rate compounds fastest.
Washington
COL: 118.7 · GSA lodging $255/night
$2,240/wk
0% state tax
Alaska
COL: 125.8 · GSA lodging $/night
$2,200/wk
0% state tax
Florida
COL: 100.7 · GSA lodging $244/night
$2,040/wk
0% state tax
Nevada
COL: 101.6 · GSA lodging $183/night
$2,000/wk
0% state tax
Texas
COL: 92.7 · GSA lodging $192/night
$1,840/wk
0% state tax
Wyoming
COL: 92.3 · GSA lodging $113/night
$1,760/wk
0% state tax
Tennessee
COL: 89 · GSA lodging $230/night
$1,640/wk
0% state tax
South Dakota
COL: 99 · GSA lodging $173/night
$1,600/wk
0% state tax
Pay by Specialty, Mid-2026
Negotiating a contract this quarter? Our Negotiation ROI Calculator shows what an extra $2–5/hr is worth over a year of contracts.
Looking Ahead: GSA FY2027 Rates Land October 1
GSA typically publishes fiscal-year per diem rates in August, effective October 1. Because tax-free stipend ceilings key off these rates, the FY2027 reset directly moves the maximum housing stipend agencies can offer in every market. What to do now:
Contracts crossing Oct 1
Ask which rate applies
Some agencies re-paper stipends at the new fiscal-year rate mid-contract; most lock at signing.
Rising-rate markets
Consider shorter contracts
A 13-week contract ending in October lets you renegotiate on FY2027 numbers.
Audit your current offer
Check the GSA ceiling
If your stipend is far below the local GSA max, that's negotiating headroom today.
Methodology & Data Sources
This report combines government-published tax and per diem data with TravelNurseCalc's own editorial pay and rent estimates. Stipend margin compares the monthly GSA lodging allowance (nightly rate × 30.4) against average local one-bedroom rent — see our methodology page for exactly which figures below are sourced and which are ours.
- • Pay data: TravelNurseCalc editorial estimates — not measured, surveyed, or aggregated from agency contract data or job postings
- • GSA rates: Official FY2026 per diem rates from GSA.gov
- • Rent data: TravelNurseCalc editorial estimates per city — not sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents or another external rent dataset
- • Cost of living: TravelNurseCalc editorial cost-of-living index — not derived from BEA Regional Price Parities or another external dataset
- • Tax data: IRS 2026 federal tax brackets and FICA, computed from published sources. State tax is computed only for the 9 states with no wage income tax; other states are not estimated
Data is refreshed quarterly. Individual results may vary based on specialty, experience, agency, and negotiation. This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice.
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