Travel Nurse Salary in Colorado
A representative travel-nurse package in Colorado — a $24.00/hr taxable base on a 3×12 schedule, plus tax-free housing and meal stipends benchmarked to the Denver GSA per-diem — runs about $2,654 gross per week, or $2,506 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. Colorado's top income tax rate is 4.4%.
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Avg RN wage (BLS)
$44.00/hr
$91,500/yr staff mean
Example weekly gross
$2,654
3×12 blended package
Take-home / week
$2,506
5.6% effective tax
State income tax
4.4% top
on taxable wages
GSA housing cap
$6,000/mo
Denver
Cost of living
105
US average = 100
What travel nurses earn in Colorado
Travel-nurse pay in Colorado depends far more on your specialty, the season, and the assignment's urgency than on a single statewide number. As a baseline, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average staff-RN wage of $44.00/hour ($91,500/year) in Colorado. Travel contracts typically pay more than the staff mean because they bundle a taxable base wage with sizable tax-free stipends — and because they fill urgent, hard-to-staff gaps.
The reason travel pay looks so high is the stipend structure. In Colorado, tax-free housing stipends are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county — about $6,000/month for the Denver area — plus roughly $86/day for meals and incidentals. Because that money isn't taxed (when you qualify for a tax home), the effective tax rate on the whole package in our example is just 5.6%, even though the taxable base wage is modest.
Keep in mind Colorado taxes wages at up to 4.4%, which applies to the taxable base portion of your pay (not your tax-free stipends). With a cost-of-living index of 105 (US average = 100), Colorado sits close to the national average on cost of living.
Run your own numbers for Colorado
Colorado travel nurse pay FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in Colorado?
Travel-nurse pay in Colorado varies by specialty, season, and demand, but a representative 3×12 package — a $24/hr taxable base stacked with tax-free housing and meal stipends benchmarked to the Denver GSA per-diem — comes to roughly $2,654 gross per week, or about $2,506 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. For context, the BLS reports an average staff-RN wage of $44/hr ($91,500/yr) in Colorado; travel rates typically run higher.
Do travel nurses pay income tax in Colorado?
Colorado's top state income tax rate is 4.4%, which reduces take-home on the taxable portion of your package. You owe income tax to the state where you physically work, and separately to your state of legal residence (usually with a credit for tax paid to the work state). Your tax-free housing and M&IE stipends are not taxed in any state as long as you maintain a qualifying tax home.
What is the housing stipend for travel nurses in Colorado?
Tax-free housing stipends in Colorado are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county. For Denver, the representative GSA ceiling is about $6,000/month for lodging and $86/day for meals & incidentals. Agencies usually pay at or just under these limits to keep the stipend tax-free; amounts above the GSA cap can be reclassified as taxable wages.
Is Colorado a good state for travel nurses?
Colorado taxes wages at up to 4.4%, and its cost-of-living index is 105 (US average = 100). Weigh the pay package against housing costs, license requirements, and unit quality — and run your specific offer through the Compare Contracts and Stipend Analysis tools before signing.
Educational estimates, not a pay quote or tax advice. RN wages are BLS OEWS state means (May 2024) for all staff RNs; the example package is an illustrative 3×12 benchmarked to representative GSA per-diem (FY2025) and modeled as a single filer taxed in Colorado. Your actual offer, metro, and tax situation will differ — confirm with a travel-tax professional.