Travel Nurse Salary in North Carolina
A representative travel-nurse package in North Carolina — a $24.00/hr taxable base on a 3×12 schedule, plus tax-free housing and meal stipends benchmarked to the Charlotte/Raleigh GSA per-diem — runs about $2,209 gross per week, or $2,061 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. North Carolina's top income tax rate is 4.5%.
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Avg RN wage (BLS)
$38.00/hr
$79,000/yr staff mean
Example weekly gross
$2,209
3×12 blended package
Take-home / week
$2,061
6.7% effective tax
State income tax
4.5% top
on taxable wages
GSA housing cap
$4,200/mo
Charlotte/Raleigh
Cost of living
96
US average = 100
What travel nurses earn in North Carolina
Travel-nurse pay in North Carolina 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 $38.00/hour ($79,000/year) in North Carolina. 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 North Carolina, tax-free housing stipends are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county — about $4,200/month for the Charlotte/Raleigh area — plus roughly $74/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 6.7%, even though the taxable base wage is modest.
Keep in mind North Carolina taxes wages at up to 4.5%, which applies to the taxable base portion of your pay (not your tax-free stipends). With a cost-of-living index of 96 (US average = 100), North Carolina sits close to the national average on cost of living.
Run your own numbers for North Carolina
North Carolina travel nurse pay FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in North Carolina?
Travel-nurse pay in North Carolina 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 Charlotte/Raleigh GSA per-diem — comes to roughly $2,209 gross per week, or about $2,061 take-home after federal, FICA, and state tax. For context, the BLS reports an average staff-RN wage of $38/hr ($79,000/yr) in North Carolina; travel rates typically run higher.
Do travel nurses pay income tax in North Carolina?
North Carolina's top state income tax rate is 4.5%, 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 North Carolina?
Tax-free housing stipends in North Carolina are benchmarked to the GSA per-diem for the assignment's county. For Charlotte/Raleigh, the representative GSA ceiling is about $4,200/month for lodging and $74/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 North Carolina a good state for travel nurses?
North Carolina taxes wages at up to 4.5%, and its cost-of-living index is 96 (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 North Carolina. Your actual offer, metro, and tax situation will differ — confirm with a travel-tax professional.