Louisiana Travel Nurse Stipend Calculator
Louisiana's average GSA rates allow up to $686/week in tax-free housing plus $413/week for meals — a combined ceiling around $1,099/week. Verify any LA stipend quote below.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
$98/night
Avg GSA Lodging
$59/day
M&IE Rate
~$1,099/wk
Combined Weekly Ceiling
$2,979/mo
Monthly Housing Allowance
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
Estimate your take-home pay, taxes, and blended rate in seconds.
Same state assignment. You'll pay 4.25% state tax plus 24% federal tax.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$73.53
Based on 36 hours in LA.
Gross Weekly Pay
$2,647
Taxable Weekly Income
$1,548
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$437
True Net Weekly Pay
$2,210
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Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$28,726
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$57,452
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$114,904
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$2,210
per week
Taxes
$437
per week
Total Gross: $2,647 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$686
≈ $2,970/month
Est. 1BR Rent in Louisiana
$950
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$2,020
Your stipend covers rent with $2,020 left over each month.
Find apartments under $950/month in New Orleans:
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Cost of Living Analysis in Louisiana
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. Louisiana's cost of living is lower than the national average by 7.9 points.
Housing Cost: Low
Utilities: Low
Rent data based on 2025 market averages. Actual rent may vary by neighborhood and housing type.
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Stipend vs Rent by Louisiana City
Monthly GSA housing allowance against average one-bedroom rent — positive margin means the max stipend more than covers housing.
| City | GSA Lodging/mo | 1BR Rent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | $5,563 | $1,300 | +$4,263/mo |
| Baton Rouge | $4,013 | $1,100 | +$2,913/mo |
| Lake Charles | $2,979 | $1,000 | +$1,979/mo |
| Monroe | $2,979 | $1,000 | +$1,979/mo |
Louisiana Stipend Questions
What is the maximum housing stipend in Louisiana?
Stipend ceilings follow GSA per diem rates, set per city. Louisiana's average GSA lodging rate is $98/night — about $686/week or $2,979/month in tax-free housing allowance. Add the $59/day M&IE rate and the combined weekly ceiling is roughly $1,099. Individual cities run higher or lower.
Is my Louisiana stipend offer good?
Compare it to two numbers: the GSA ceiling for the assignment city (offers at the ceiling are maxed; offers well below have negotiating headroom) and the local one-bedroom rent (a stipend above rent is tax-free profit). The table on this page shows both for every Louisiana city we track.
Are travel nurse stipends taxable in Louisiana?
Stipends are federal-tax-free (and state-tax-free) when you maintain a qualifying tax home and work far enough away to need overnight lodging — the state doesn't change the IRS rules. Amounts above the GSA ceiling for your assignment ZIP are generally treated as taxable wages.
Which Louisiana cities have the best stipend margin?
New Orleans currently has the best margin we track in Louisiana — the monthly GSA lodging allowance runs $4,263 above average one-bedroom rent. See the full city table above and the GSA Rate Explorer for all 221 cities nationally.