Travel Nurse Salary Calculator — California
Pre-loaded with California's numbers: 13.3% state income tax, average pay of $2,200/week ($55/hr), and CA GSA stipend rates. Adjust to your offer and see real take-home.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
Market 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.
$2,200/wk
Avg CA Pay
13.3%
State Income Tax
~$2,548/wk
Typical Stipend Ceiling
151.7
Cost of Living Index
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
$125.78
Based on 36 hours in CA.
Gross Weekly Pay
$4,528
Taxable Weekly Income
$1,980
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: $4,528 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,904
≈ $8,244/month
Est. 1BR Rent in California
$2,300
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$5,944
Your stipend covers rent with $5,944 left over each month.
Find apartments under $2,300/month in San Francisco:
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Top-Paying California Cities
California Pay Questions
How much do travel nurses take home in California?
With the average California package of $2,200/week and 13.3% state income tax, most travel nurses take home roughly 75–85% of gross — the tax-free stipend share is what pushes take-home above staff-job ratios. Enter your actual split above for your number.
What is the maximum tax-free stipend in California?
Stipend ceilings are set per city by GSA per diem rates. Using California's average GSA rates ($272/night lodging + $92/day M&IE), the typical weekly ceiling is about $2,548. Specific cities differ — check your assignment ZIP in the GSA Rate Explorer.
Is California a good state for travel nurse pay?
California averages $2,200/week with a 13.3% state income tax and a cost-of-living index of 151.7. Whether it beats a no-tax alternative depends on the rate gap — run both offers through the calculator to compare take-home directly.
Do I pay California taxes as a travel nurse from another state?
Generally yes — you pay California income tax on money earned there, and your home state typically credits it against your home liability. You won't usually be double-taxed, but multi-state filing is why many travelers use a travel-nurse-specialized tax preparer.