Know your tax-free stipend before you sign the contract

Free GSA per-diem rate lookup and a travel-nurse stipend calculator. See the federal housing & meal ceiling for any U.S. assignment city — FY2026 rates, updated from official GSA data.

Why it matters

Travel-nurse agencies can only pay housing and meal stipends tax-free up to the GSA per-diem rate for your assignment city. Pay above that may be taxable.

  • Check the max for your city in seconds
  • Compare an agency's offer against the ceiling
  • Understand the tax-home rules that keep it legal

Browse all per-diem rates

Popular assignment cities

Los Angeles, CA
$277 / day
lodging $191 + M&IE $86 San Francisco, CA
$364 / day
lodging $259–$272 + M&IE $92 San Diego, CA
$323 / day
lodging $199–$237 + M&IE $86 New York City, NY
$434 / day
lodging $179–$342 + M&IE $92 Seattle, WA
$340 / day
lodging $188–$248 + M&IE $92 Chicago, IL
$326 / day
lodging $142–$234 + M&IE $92 Nashville, TN
$334 / day
lodging $217–$248 + M&IE $86 Austin, TX
$267 / day
lodging $173–$187 + M&IE $80 Miami, FL
$324 / day
lodging $145–$232 + M&IE $92

Travel-nurse money guides

Travel Nurse Tax Home: What It Is and How to Keep Your Stipends Tax-Free

Your tax home is the single most important concept behind every tax-free stipend you earn. Here's what the IRS actually requires and the practical steps to qualify.

 Are Travel Nurse Stipends Taxable? Taxable vs. Non-Taxable Pay Explained

A plain-English breakdown of a travel nurse pay package: which dollars are taxable, which can be tax-free, and the rules that decide which is which.

 How GSA Per Diem Rates Set Your Travel Nurse Housing & Meal Stipend

Your agency's tax-free housing and M&IE stipends are capped by federal GSA per diem rates for your assignment city. Here's how to look yours up and check that an offer is legit.

 How to Tell If a Travel Nurse Pay Package Is Actually Good (Blended Rate)

Recruiters love big stipend numbers. Here's how to cut through the noise with one number — the blended rate — and spot the red flags that put your tax-free pay at risk.

 Travel Nurse Tax Audit Checklist: What Records to Keep

A calm, practical guide to the documents that defend your tax-free housing and M&IE stipends if the IRS ever asks — proof of tax home, duplicate-rent receipts, mileage logs, contracts, and return-trip evidence.