Medical-Surgical Travel Nurse Pay & Jobs
Med-Surg travel nurses provide care for patients with various medical and surgical conditions, the most common travel nursing specialty.
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 Medical-Surgical Travel Nurse Pay
Use our calculator to estimate your take-home pay as a Medical-Surgical 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
$48/hr
Average Weekly Pay
$1,920
Average Annual Pay
$99,840
Requirements for Medical-Surgical Travel Nurses
- BLS
- 1+ years Med-Surg experience
Note: Requirements may vary by facility and state. Always verify specific requirements with your travel nurse agency.
Top Cities for Medical-Surgical 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.
Medical-Surgical 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 Medical-Surgical travel nurses make?
Medical-Surgical travel nurses typically earn between $43 and $58 per hour in taxable wages, with an average of $48/hr. When including tax-free stipends, the blended hourly rate typically ranges from $87-98 per hour.
What are the requirements for Medical-Surgical travel nurses?
Requirements for Medical-Surgical travel nurses typically include: BLS, 1+ years Med-Surg experience. Requirements may vary by facility and state.
What is the demand for Medical-Surgical travel nurses?
The demand for Medical-Surgical travel nurses is very high. This specialty offers excellent job opportunities and competitive pay rates.
Which states pay the most for Medical-Surgical travel nurses?
California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and Oregon typically offer the highest pay rates for Medical-Surgical travel nurses. However, consider cost of living when evaluating total compensation. Use our [state comparison tool](/compare-states/) to compare pay across different states.