Trying to Figure out the Travel Nurse Lingo

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Currently looking into travel nursing but trying to decide which deal is best has been an adventure. The most recent convo I've had with a recruiter informed me my rate per hour would be $40 but only $17 of it would be taxed. I informed her I want to find my own housing and she said the per diem is included in the $23 that's untaxed. Bring home would be around $1400 a week. I know most agencies offer a housing stipend. So does this seem like a legit offer or keep looking? I have 3 years experience in Neurosurgery, Ortho, Trauma and med surg. TNCC certified as well.

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She is using a total hourly pay including a per diem, housing stipend, and perhaps travel and license reimbursement and health insurance all rolled into it. Try PanTravelers Calculator - a free signup is needed to use. The associated guides will define the lingo and help you compare different offers. I will say that $40 total pay is rock bottom. Most assignments will fall between $40 and $50 an hour with others paying more than that in your specialty usually only if housing costs are high. You can earn less, say in Ohio or the South, but you will have to try hard to make less than this offer.

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Thank you. I'm trying to decide what's best for my first assignment. The place I picked is in KY but Im trying to compare offers from different agencies to see what's best at the moment. This is the first agency I've talked to that taxes some of your wage and counts the rest as per diem. That's what has thrown me off a bit.

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That is a universal practice. It just was not made clear to you in previous conversations. Your quote is likely in the right ballpark for Kentucky.

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Specializes in ICU, and IR.

I am in KY right now on an assignment, here is what I am at for my first ever assignment.

Louisville KY. 3/12 hour shifts 13 weeks.

$

27/hour

Shift dif

Evening 1.50/hour

weekend 1.50/hour

OT 40.50/hour

holiday 40.50/hour

call 4.00/hour

call back 50.71/hour

M&I 35.00/day

allowance 245/week (I think this is same as M&I)

Lodging allowance 52.75/day

(estimated to be $1600)

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The only details I've received so far is my wage is $40 an hour and only $17 an hour is taxed. Leaving the $23 an hour as untaxed. They count that as their per diem. They reimburse for the license too. This is for an assignment in Lexington. It comes out close to $1400 a week. The other companies I've talked to would throw in a housing stipend if I chose to find my own housing. Trying to figure it all out is a headache lol

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