Travel Nurse Salary in Washington (2026)
Travel nurses in Washington earn about $56/hr in taxable wages (our estimate), plus tax-free housing and meal stipends that can go up to $1,267–$2,429 per week depending on the city (GSA FY2027 ceiling). City pay for Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma is below. Use the calculator to turn an actual offer into take-home pay.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2027 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 Washington
Use our calculator to estimate your take-home pay in Washington, 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 WA levies no wage income tax, so no state income tax return is due on these wages.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$123.47
Based on 36 hours in WA.
Gross Weekly Pay
$4,445
Taxable Weekly Income
$2,016
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$428
True Net Weekly Pay
$4,017
Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$52,222
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$104,444
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$208,887
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$4,017
per week
Taxes
$428
per week
Total Gross: $4,445 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,785
≈ $7,729/month
Est. 1BR Rent in Washington
$1,600
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$6,129
Your stipend covers rent with $6,129 left over each month.
Find apartments under $1,600/month in Seattle:
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Cost of Living Analysis in Washington
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. Washington's cost of living is higher than the national average by 18.7 points.
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 Washington
These are average pay rates for travel nurses in Washington. Actual pay varies by specialty, experience, and facility. Use our pay calculator to estimate your specific take-home pay.
Hourly Rate
$56/hr
Weekly Gross
$2,240
Annual
$116,480
GSA Per Diem Rates for Washington
Lodging
$255/night
Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
$92/day
These rates determine the maximum tax-free stipend amounts for travel nurses in Washington.
Tax Information for Washington
Cost of Living in Washington
Cost of Living Index
118.7
Above national average
Housing
High
Utilities
Moderate
How WA 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.
WA estimate
$56/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
WA vs. the Highest-Estimate States
$58/hr
$58/hr
$56/hr
$56/hr
$55/hr
$55/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 Washington
These are the most popular cities for travel nurse assignments in Washington. 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.
Bellingham
Avg Pay: $56/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
Seattle
Avg Pay: $58/hr
1BR Rent: $2100/mo
View city guide →
Spokane
Avg Pay: $55/hr
1BR Rent: $1100/mo
View city guide →
Tacoma
Avg Pay: $56/hr
1BR Rent: $1400/mo
View city guide →
Yakima
Avg Pay: $56/hr
1BR Rent: $1000/mo
View city guide →
View all state pay guides or search for specific cities using our calculator. Stipend ceilings for every GSA locality: Washington per diem rates.
Washington Pay by Nursing Specialty
Pay varies significantly by specialty. Select a specialty to see detailed salary data for Washington:
ICU
$62/hr
~$2,232/wk
Very High DemandER
$60/hr
~$2,160/wk
Very High DemandOR
$63/hr
~$2,268/wk
High DemandLabor & Delivery
$59/hr
~$2,124/wk
High DemandMed-Surg
$56/hr
~$2,016/wk
Very High DemandPACU
$60/hr
~$2,160/wk
High DemandNICU
$60/hr
~$2,160/wk
High DemandPICU
$62/hr
~$2,232/wk
High DemandPsychiatric
$57/hr
~$2,052/wk
Moderate DemandOncology
$59/hr
~$2,124/wk
High DemandCardiac
$60/hr
~$2,160/wk
High DemandTelemetry
$58/hr
~$2,088/wk
High DemandCRNA
$132/hr
~$4,752/wk
Very High DemandCath Lab
$63/hr
~$2,268/wk
High DemandTop Hospitals in Washington
- University of Washington Medical Center
- Swedish Medical Center
- Virginia Mason Medical Center
Nursing License Requirements for Washington
Cost of Living in Washington
Average 1BR Rent
$1,600/mo
Cost of Living Index
118.7
National avg = 100
Housing Cost
High
Tip: Use our pay calculator to see how your take-home pay compares to the cost of living in Washington. Consider that rent in Washington is higher than the national average.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do travel nurses make in Washington?
Our estimate for Washington is about $56/hr in taxable wages (roughly $51–$66/hr depending on specialty and facility). On top of that, tax-free housing and meal stipends can be paid up to the GSA per diem ceiling: $1,267–$2,429 per week across Washington's GSA localities for FY2027 (lodging plus M&IE, times seven). Your agency's actual stipend is usually below that ceiling, so check the contract.
What are the GSA rates for Washington?
GSA sets per diem by locality, not by state. Across Washington's 5 GSA localities for FY2027, lodging runs $113–$255/night and Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE) $68–$92/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 Washington tax-friendly for travel nurses?
Washington 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 Washington?
The cost of living index in Washington is 118.7, which is above the national average. Housing costs are high, and utilities are moderate.
Do I need a separate license to work in Washington?
Washington 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 $300 and typically takes 2-4 weeks to process.