Recruiters quote a blended weekly rate that mixes a low taxable hourly with tax-free stipends. Use this calculator to see your real take-home and compare offers side by side.
Why a blended weekly rate hides your real pay
Travel nurse offers are quoted as one blended weekly number — for example, “2,400/week.” That figure mixes a low taxable hourly rate with tax-free stipends for housing and meals and incidentals (M&IE). Because the split varies by agency and city, two offers with the same headline can put very different amounts in your bank account, and can leave you with very different reportable income for loans and benefits. The only way to compare fairly is to break the rate apart and calculate real take-home.
Taxable wage vs tax-free stipend: the breakdown
A travel contract pays you in two buckets, taxed very differently:
Overtime, Social Security, unemployment, mortgage/loan income
Meals & incidentals (M&IE)
The tradeoff: a higher stipend means more cash now, but a lower taxable wage weakens your reportable income for mortgages, auto loans, disability, and Social Security. A higher taxable wage takes home a bit less weekly but builds a stronger financial paper trail. Neither is “right” — it depends on your goals.
What the calculator shows
Enter a few inputs and STRMLYN returns the numbers that matter:
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Inputs: taxable hourly rate, weekly housing and M&IE stipend, hours per week, contract length, and state
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Outputs: gross pay, estimated tax on the taxable portion, weekly take-home, full-contract take-home, and an effective blended hourly
It also references GSA per-diem caps so you can sanity-check whether a stipend is realistic for the city, or whether an agency is shifting taxable wages into stipends in a way that raises audit risk.
Worked example: two offers, same headline
Both contracts quote 2,400/week for 13 weeks, but the split is different:
Weekly stipend (housing + M&IE)
Estimated weekly take-home
Offer B nets roughly 220 more per week (about 2,860 over the contract), but Offer A reports far more taxable income — which matters if you are buying a house this year. Same headline number, very different decision. STRMLYN saves both offers so you compare them on take-home and reportable income side by side, instead of redoing math in a notes app.
How taxes hit the taxable portion
Only the taxable hourly wage is subject to income tax, Social Security, and Medicare, and only that portion is withheld from your check. Overtime, call pay, and bonuses are taxable too. Stipends are not withheld or taxed — provided you qualify (next section). This is why a contract with a very low taxable rate can look great weekly but leave gaps later.
Keep your stipends tax-free
Stipends are non-taxable only if you maintain a qualifying tax home — generally meaning you duplicate living expenses, return home regularly, and do not stay in one work area too long. Break those rules and the IRS can reclassify stipends as taxable income. This is educational, not tax advice; work with a tax professional who knows travel nursing.
Common mistakes when comparing offers
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Comparing blended weekly rates instead of real take-home
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Ignoring the local cost of housing versus the housing stipend
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Forgetting that overtime and bonuses are taxable
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Chasing the maximum stipend at the cost of reportable income
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Not subtracting travel, licensing, and certification costs
Compare your offers in STRMLYN
Start from the travel nursing app overview, confirm you are licensed where the job is with the compact states guide, and make sure your file is ready with the recruiter-ready resume template. Build your travel profile to save offers and compare real take-home in seconds.
FAQ
How is travel nurse take-home calculated?
Your taxable hourly pay is taxed; qualified housing and M&IE stipends are not, if you maintain a tax home. The calculator splits the two and estimates weekly and full-contract take-home.
Why do two offers with the same weekly rate pay differently?
Because the taxable/stipend split and the local cost of housing differ. The same blended number can net hundreds more or less, and changes how much income you can report.
Are travel nurse stipends really tax-free?
Only if you meet IRS tax-home rules. Otherwise stipends become taxable. The calculator is educational, not tax advice.
Should I take the higher stipend or the higher taxable rate?
Higher stipend means more cash now; higher taxable rate builds reportable income for loans and benefits. The calculator shows both so you can choose by your goals.
What is a blended rate?
A single weekly figure combining your taxable hourly wage and tax-free stipends, which hides your real take-home until you break it apart.
Can I compare multiple offers in STRMLYN?
Yes. Save each offer and line them up on real take-home and reportable income, instead of recalculating by hand.