Travel Nurse Pay in Tennessee
Discover average travel nurse pay rates, stipends, and take-home calculations for Tennessee. Use our free calculator below to estimate your earnings.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
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 Pay in Tennessee
Use our calculator to estimate your take-home pay in Tennessee, including cost of living analysis to see your true discretionary income.
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, and TN levies no wage income tax, so no state income tax return is due on these wages.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$102.44
Based on 36 hours in TN.
Gross Weekly Pay
$3,688
Taxable Weekly Income
$1,476
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$268
True Net Weekly Pay
$3,420
Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$44,462
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$88,925
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$177,849
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$3,420
per week
Taxes
$268
per week
Total Gross: $3,688 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,610
≈ $6,971/month
Est. 1BR Rent in Tennessee
$1,000
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$5,971
Your stipend covers rent with $5,971 left over each month.
Find apartments under $1,000/month in Nashville:
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Cost of Living Analysis in Tennessee
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. Tennessee's cost of living is lower than the national average by 11.0 points.
💡 Lower cost of living area. Your pay may go further here than in expensive cities.
Rent figures are our own editorial estimates, not survey or listings data. Actual rent varies by neighborhood and housing type.
Resources for Your Assignment
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Average Travel Nurse Pay in Tennessee
These are average pay rates for travel nurses in Tennessee. Actual pay varies by specialty, experience, and facility. Use our pay calculator to estimate your specific take-home pay.
Hourly Rate
$41/hr
Weekly Gross
$1,640
Annual
$85,280
GSA Per Diem Rates for Tennessee
Lodging
$230/night
Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
$86/day
These rates determine the maximum tax-free stipend amounts for travel nurses in Tennessee.
Tax Information for Tennessee
Cost of Living in Tennessee
Cost of Living Index
89
Below national average
Housing
Low
Utilities
Low
How TN Compares: Hourly Pay Estimates
Data source: these are TravelNurseCalc's own editorial estimates, last reviewed July 31, 2026. They are not survey, government or submitted-rate data, and they are quoted on a 40-hour full-time-equivalent basis, not a 36-hour contract. Actual pay varies by facility, experience and contract terms. See the methodology for what is sourced and what is ours.
TN estimate
$41/hr
Editorial estimate, 40-hour basis
Mean of all 50 state estimates
$47/hr
Simple average, not weighted by nurse headcount
Estimated Pay by Specialty
$55/hr
$54/hr
$56/hr
$52/hr
$48/hr
$53/hr
$54/hr
$55/hr
$49/hr
$51/hr
$54/hr
$50/hr
$130/hr
$62/hr
TN vs. the Highest-Estimate States
$58/hr
$58/hr
$56/hr
$56/hr
$55/hr
$41/hr
Want real submitted rates?
Offers submitted by nurses appear in the Agency Pay Tracker, and only once a segment has at least 30 submissions. Until then, use the calculator to turn any offer into take-home pay.
Popular Cities for Travel Nurses in Tennessee
These are the most popular cities for travel nurse assignments in Tennessee. Click on any city to see detailed pay information, cost of living, and job opportunities. Use our state comparison tool to compare pay across different states.
Chattanooga
Avg Pay: $49/hr
1BR Rent: $950/mo
View city guide →
Knoxville
Avg Pay: $50/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
Memphis
Avg Pay: $48/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
Murfreesboro
Avg Pay: $41/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
Nashville
Avg Pay: $50/hr
1BR Rent: $1400/mo
View city guide →
View all state pay guides or search for specific cities using our calculator.
Tennessee Pay by Nursing Specialty
Pay varies significantly by specialty. Select a specialty to see detailed salary data for Tennessee:
ICU
$45/hr
~$1,620/wk
Very High DemandER
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
Very High DemandOR
$46/hr
~$1,656/wk
High DemandLabor & Delivery
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandMed-Surg
$41/hr
~$1,476/wk
Very High DemandPACU
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
High DemandNICU
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
High DemandPICU
$45/hr
~$1,620/wk
High DemandPsychiatric
$42/hr
~$1,512/wk
Moderate DemandOncology
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandCardiac
$44/hr
~$1,584/wk
High DemandTelemetry
$43/hr
~$1,548/wk
High DemandCRNA
$97/hr
~$3,492/wk
Very High DemandCath Lab
$46/hr
~$1,656/wk
High DemandTop Hospitals in Tennessee
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
- University of Tennessee Medical Center
Nursing License Requirements for Tennessee
Cost of Living in Tennessee
Average 1BR Rent
$1,000/mo
Cost of Living Index
89
National avg = 100
Housing Cost
Low
Tip: Use our pay calculator to see how your take-home pay compares to the cost of living in Tennessee. Consider that rent in Tennessee is lower than the national average.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do travel nurses make in Tennessee?
Travel nurses in Tennessee typically earn between $36 and $51 per hour in taxable wages, with an average of $41/hr. When including tax-free stipends, the blended hourly rate ranges from $50-65 per hour.
What are the GSA rates for Tennessee?
The GSA per diem rates for Tennessee are: Lodging: $230/night, and Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE): $86/day — GSA publishes M&IE as a single combined rate, not a separate incidentals figure. These rates determine the maximum tax-free stipend amounts travel nurses can receive. For official rates, visit [GSA.gov](https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates).
Is Tennessee tax-friendly for travel nurses?
Tennessee has no state income tax — we don't publish a specific rate here, since we only compute exact state tax for the 9 states with no wage income tax at all (see our methodology). You'll pay federal tax and FICA on your taxable wages regardless of state.
What is the cost of living in Tennessee?
The cost of living index in Tennessee is 89, which is below the national average. Housing costs are low, and utilities are low.
Do I need a separate license to work in Tennessee?
Tennessee is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), so if you have a compact license, you can work here without additional licensing. The license costs $200 and typically takes 2-4 weeks to process.