What Makes Up Your Pay Package
Every dollar in your travel therapy paycheck comes from one of these sources.
Taxable Hourly Rate
Your base hourly rate that gets taxed like normal W-2 income. Agencies often set this lower to maximize your tax-free stipends.
Housing Stipend
Non-taxable reimbursement for housing at your assignment location, based on GSA per diem rates.
Meals & Incidentals
Non-taxable daily allowance for food and incidentals. Cook at home and this is essentially extra income.
Travel Reimbursement
Some agencies reimburse travel costs to and from your assignment. Not universal — always ask.
How to Negotiate a Better Package
These strategies have helped travelers earn hundreds more per week.
Ask for the bill rate
The bill rate is what the facility pays your agency per hour. Knowing this tells you exactly how much margin the agency keeps.
Compare across 2–3 agencies
Submit to the same job through multiple agencies. The difference can be $200–$600/week for the exact same assignment.
Negotiate the taxable rate down
A lower taxable hourly rate with higher stipends means more tax-free income.
Take the stipend, skip company housing
Finding your own housing almost always saves money. The difference can be $500–$1,800/month.
Consider extension bonuses
Extending a contract gives the agency zero placement costs. That savings should come back to you.
Real Pay Experiences
Pay Questions Answered
Most travel therapists earn $1,800–$3,500/week depending on specialty, location, and setting.
The facility pays the same bill rate regardless of which agency places you. The difference is how much the agency keeps.
The bill rate is what the facility pays your agency per hour ($60–$100+). Your pay rate is what you receive after the agency takes their margin.
Higher stipends generally mean more take-home pay because they're tax-free.
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