Intensive Care Unit Travel Nurse Pay & Jobs
ICU travel nurses care for critically ill patients in intensive care units, requiring advanced skills in life support, monitoring, and critical thinking.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
Specialty pay figures on this page are our own editorial estimates, reviewed July 31, 2026 — not survey or government wage data. How we produce these numbers.
Calculate Your Intensive Care Unit Travel Nurse Pay
Use our calculator to estimate your take-home pay as a Intensive Care Unit travel nurse, including cost of living analysis.
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
Estimate your take-home pay, taxes, and blended rate in seconds.
Federal tax applies to wages after the $16,100 standard deduction; FICA applies to all wages. Tax-free stipends are excluded from both.
Same-state assignment — you file one resident return in your home state.
State income tax not included
We do not yet have a sourced bracket schedule for this state, so we are not estimating its income tax. A wrong state figure is worse than none. Federal and FICA figures above are complete and sourced; your true net pay will be lower than gross by more than the amounts shown, so we are not displaying a net figure for this state.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$58.89
Based on 36 hours in CA.
Gross Weekly Pay
$2,120
Taxable Weekly Income
$720
Estimated Weekly Taxes
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True Net Weekly Pay
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Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
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Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
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Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
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Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
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per week
Taxes
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per week
Total Gross: $2,120 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,000
≈ $4,330/month
Est. 1BR Rent in California
$2,300
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$2,030
Your stipend covers rent with $2,030 left over each month.
Find apartments under $2,300/month in San Francisco:
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Average Hourly Rate
$55/hr
Average Weekly Pay
$2,200
Average Annual Pay
$114,400
Requirements for Intensive Care Unit Travel Nurses
- ACLS
- BLS
- 2+ years ICU experience
- Critical care certification preferred
Note: Requirements may vary by facility and state. Always verify specific requirements with your travel nurse agency.
Top Cities for Intensive Care Unit Travel Nurses
Anchorage, AK
Avg Pay: $58/hr
Rent: $1,500/mo
Auburn, AL
Avg Pay: $42/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Decatur, AL
Avg Pay: $42/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Dothan, AL
Avg Pay: $42/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Huntsville, AL
Avg Pay: $47/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Mobile, AL
Avg Pay: $46/hr
Rent: $900/mo
Tuscaloosa, AL
Avg Pay: $42/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Fort Smith, AR
Avg Pay: $40/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Hot Springs, AR
Avg Pay: $40/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
Jonesboro, AR
Avg Pay: $40/hr
Rent: $1,000/mo
View all city pay guides to compare pay and cost of living.
Intensive Care Unit Pay by State
Browse travel nurse pay, GSA stipend ceilings and tax detail for each state.
$42/hr
AK$55/hr
AZ$48/hr
AR$40/hr
CA$55/hr
CO$50/hr
CT$52/hr
DE$48/hr
FL$51/hr
GA$51/hr
HI$58/hr
ID$46/hr
IL$48/hr
IN$42/hr
IA$40/hr
KS$41/hr
KY$40/hr
LA$43/hr
ME$46/hr
MD$50/hr
MA$56/hr
MI$45/hr
MN$48/hr
MS$38/hr
MO$42/hr
MT$44/hr
NE$41/hr
NV$50/hr
NH$48/hr
NJ$52/hr
NM$46/hr
NY$58/hr
NC$44/hr
ND$42/hr
OH$52/hr
OK$40/hr
OR$54/hr
PA$48/hr
RI$50/hr
SC$42/hr
SD$40/hr
TN$41/hr
TX$46/hr
UT$45/hr
VT$48/hr
VA$47/hr
WA$56/hr
WV$38/hr
WI$44/hr
WY$44/hr
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Intensive Care Unit travel nurses make?
Intensive Care Unit travel nurses typically earn between $50 and $65 per hour in taxable wages, with an average of $55/hr. When including tax-free stipends, the blended hourly rate typically ranges from $94-105 per hour.
What are the requirements for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses?
Requirements for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses typically include: ACLS, BLS, 2+ years ICU experience, Critical care certification preferred. Requirements may vary by facility and state.
What is the demand for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses?
The demand for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses is very high. This specialty offers excellent job opportunities and competitive pay rates.
Which states pay the most for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses?
California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and Oregon typically offer the highest pay rates for Intensive Care Unit travel nurses. However, consider cost of living when evaluating total compensation. Use our [state comparison tool](/compare-states/) to compare pay across different states.