Updated July 2026 · 7 min read
The "$5,000/week travel nurse" headlines circulating during the pandemic were real — and largely gone. In 2025, travel nursing pay has normalized significantly since the COVID-era peaks, but the take-home is still meaningfully higher than staff nursing for most specialties. Here's what the numbers actually look like, how to read a pay package, and what ICU nurses net after taxes.
A travel nurse package has two components that get reported and taxed differently. Understanding this is essential to reading any offer correctly.
Taxable hourly wage: This is your base pay rate — what shows up on your W2 as ordinary income. For ICU nurses in 2025, this typically ranges from $18 to $32/hour depending on specialty, location, and agency. This number looks low compared to staff nurse rates because it is intentionally set lower — the rest of the compensation comes through stipends.
Non-taxable stipends: Housing allowance, meal and incidental stipend (M&IE), and sometimes transportation. These are non-taxable under IRS rules only if you have a legitimate tax home and the assignment is temporary. They can add $800 to $1,500/week to your take-home with no additional tax obligation.
| Component | Weekly Amount | Taxable? |
|---|---|---|
| Base hourly wage (36 hrs @ $24) | $864 | Yes |
| Housing stipend | $1,050 | No (if tax home valid) |
| Meals & incidentals stipend | $490 | No (if tax home valid) |
| Total gross package | $2,404/week | — |
| Federal/state tax on $864 (~28% effective) | -$242 | — |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$66 | — |
| Estimated take-home | ~$2,096/week | — |
This is a real-world example, not a marketing number. Your actual take-home varies based on your federal tax bracket, state income tax (California takes a big bite; Texas and Florida take none), health insurance deductions, and any 401k contributions. Always run your own numbers against the actual pay stub.
When comparing offers, don't compare total package numbers — compare taxable wage rates and stipend amounts separately. A $2,800/week package with a $20/hour base rate is structurally different from a $2,800/week package with a $30/hour base rate, even though the totals look the same. The first relies heavily on non-taxable stipends (more take-home, but requires valid tax home and more financial exposure if audited). The second has a higher taxable component (more earnings for retirement contributions, better Social Security credits, cleaner audit position).
| Specialty | Typical Package Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MICU / SICU | $1,800–$2,400/week | Consistent demand nationwide |
| CVICU / Cardiac | $2,000–$2,800/week | Premium for VAD, ECMO experience |
| Neuro ICU | $1,900–$2,500/week | ICP monitoring skills valued |
| ER | $1,700–$2,300/week | More variable; ER nurses common |
| L&D | $1,900–$2,600/week | Strong demand in rural/underserved areas |
| OR / Surgical | $2,000–$2,700/week | Specialty scrubbing skills command premium |
Beyond the base package: state income tax is the biggest variable. A $2,200/week package in Texas nets you more than the same package in California or New York. For a 13-week assignment, the difference can easily be $2,000 to $3,000. Travel nurses who aggressively target no-income-tax states (Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, Tennessee) over a career are making a sound financial decision.
Health insurance is another factor. If your agency's plan is expensive, consider whether staying on a spouse's plan or a marketplace plan is cheaper. Healthcare costs of $400 to $600/month directly reduce your effective take-home.
A nurse earning $2,200/week net and living on $800/week in housing (using stipend to cover it) has $1,400/week to direct toward savings, investment, or debt payoff — $72,800/year. Over three to five years of intentional travel nursing, this compounds dramatically. This is why travel nursing is one of the most effective financial strategies available to nurses, particularly those preparing for CRNA school or building toward financial independence.
Related: Tax home requirements · Retirement planning · Student loan strategy · Compact license guide
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