Travel Nurse Salary in Massachusetts
A representative travel-nurse package in Massachusetts — a $24.00/hr taxable base on a 3×12 schedule, plus tax-free housing and meal stipends benchmarked to the Boston GSA per-diem — runs about $3,119 gross per week, or $2,956 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. Massachusetts's top income tax rate is 9%.
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Avg RN wage (BLS)
$53.00/hr
$110,200/yr staff mean
Example weekly gross
$3,119
3×12 blended package
Take-home / week
$2,956
5.2% effective tax
State income tax
9% top
on taxable wages
GSA housing cap
$8,100/mo
Boston
Cost of living
148
US average = 100
What travel nurses earn in Massachusetts
Travel-nurse pay in Massachusetts 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 $53.00/hour ($110,200/year) in Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts, tax-free housing stipends are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county — about $8,100/month for the Boston area — plus roughly $92/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 5.2%, even though the taxable base wage is modest.
Keep in mind Massachusetts taxes wages at up to 9%, which applies to the taxable base portion of your pay (not your tax-free stipends). With a cost-of-living index of 148 (US average = 100), Massachusetts is a relatively expensive market, so a high paycheck buys less than the headline suggests.
Run your own numbers for Massachusetts
Massachusetts travel nurse pay FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in Massachusetts?
Travel-nurse pay in Massachusetts 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 Boston GSA per-diem — comes to roughly $3,119 gross per week, or about $2,956 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. For context, the BLS reports an average staff-RN wage of $53/hr ($110,200/yr) in Massachusetts; travel rates typically run higher.
Do travel nurses pay income tax in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's top state income tax rate is 9%, 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 Massachusetts?
Tax-free housing stipends in Massachusetts are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county. For Boston, the representative GSA ceiling is about $8,100/month for lodging and $92/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 Massachusetts a good state for travel nurses?
Massachusetts taxes wages at up to 9%, and its cost-of-living index is 148 (US average = 100), so a high paycheck buys less than the number suggests. 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 Massachusetts. Your actual offer, metro, and tax situation will differ — confirm with a travel-tax professional.