Free GSA Per Diem Tool · No Signup

Your tax-free
stipend, by ZIP.

Just want the stipend portion? Enter your assignment ZIP. See the IRS-allowed maximum your agency can pay you tax-free for housing + meals. Live FY2026 GSA rates.

Assignment details

Two inputs. Everything else is auto-detected from your ZIP.

5-digit US ZIP of the hospital

Lodging rates vary by season in some cities.

Standard is 13 weeks.

Pulled from your ZIP automatically.

This is the IRS-allowed maximum. Your actual agency stipend may be lower depending on the bill rate. Stipends are tax-free only if you maintain a permanent tax home 50+ miles from the assignment. Read the tax home rules.

Weekly Tax-Free Stipend

$0

Enter ZIP to begin

Lodging / night

$0

M&IE / day

$0

Weekly Breakdown

🏠 Lodging stipend$0
🍽️ M&IE stipend$0
Total / week$0
📅 Contract total$0

Over selected weeks

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Stipend 101

What does this stipend mean for your take-home?

Your travel nurse pay is split into two parts: a taxable W2 hourly wage (gets federal/state/SS/Medicare withheld) and a non-taxable stipend for housing + meals (no taxes withheld). The number above is the IRS-allowed maximum stipend an agency can pay you for that assignment ZIP — set by the GSA every fiscal year.

Key Fact 1

Tax-free, in your pocket

A $24/hr W2 + max stipend often beats a $50/hr W2 with no stipend — because the stipend doesn't get taxed.

Key Fact 2

GSA-capped maximum

No agency can pay above the GSA per diem cap for that county. The number you see here is the legal ceiling.

Key Fact 3

Tax home required

You must maintain a permanent home 50+ miles away — duplicated housing expense is what makes the stipend tax-free.

Estimate based on FY2026 GSA per diem rates. Not tax advice — your specific take-home depends on your filing status, deductions, and tax home situation. Consult a CPA familiar with travel nurses.

Need the full picture?

See your complete take-home pay

Stipend + W2 wages + federal/state taxes — the whole breakdown.

Open Pay Calculator

Estimate only. Pulled live from the GSA Per Diem API (FY2026). Not tax advice. Stipend treatment depends on maintaining a valid tax home per IRS Pub 463. Always verify with a CPA before relying on these numbers for major financial decisions.