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Travel nursing in Washington, DC

The tax-free housing stipend ceiling in Washington, DC is $1,721/week (about $7,458/month, GSA FY2027), plus up to $644/week for meals. Median 1-bedroom rent in Washington is $1,944/month. Washington has 8 hospitals; the most common charting system is Oracle Health (Cerner). District of Columbia's compact status: compact legislation pending. Until multistate licenses work there, you need a District of Columbia license by endorsement.

Updated October 2026

Housing ceiling
$1,721/wk
Meals & incidentals
$644/wk
License
Compact legislation pending
Hospitals (CMS)
8

Is your Washington offer good?

Job boards show one weekly number. What matters is the split: tax-free stipends can't exceed the GSA ceiling for District of Columbia, and the rest is taxable pay. Example: a $3,400/week package with both stipends at the max is $2,365 tax-free and $1,035 taxable, about $29/hour over 36 hours. That taxable share is under 40%, which shrinks overtime, holiday pay and 401(k) contributions.

Aim for $4,450–$5,950/month in rent (60–80% of the ceiling). Landlords often price right up to the ceiling; with a stipend at the max, staying in that range keeps about $1,508–$3,008 a month for you.
Median 1-bedroom rent in Washington: $1,944/month across all renters. New furnished short-term leases cost more, sometimes far more in tight markets, so check listings near the hospital before you accept.
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25031 (median gross rent, 1 bedroom). Includes utilities and long-time tenants.
Check an offer in Washington

Free, no account. It checks the stipends against the ceiling for your exact dates and shows what you keep after rent. Only have a job post? Paste it into the decoder.

What travelers were offered in Washington

No offers shared yet. Pay is published as medians once 3 travelers have shared, so no one's offer can be singled out.

Got an offer in Washington? Share it anonymously

Shared by travelers: the taxable rate and stipends from their offer, never their name, and agencies aren't named per hospital. Figures are rounded medians from the last 24 months when there are enough, otherwise all time.

Hospitals in Washington (8)

District of Columbia nursing license

District of Columbia's compact status: compact legislation pending. Until multistate licenses work there, you need a District of Columbia license by endorsement.

Endorsement steps and every District of Columbia stipend area →

Agencies travelers used in District of Columbia

No agency has 3 reviewed contracts in District of Columbia yet. Review yours or see all agencies.

Nearby cities

Questions

What is the travel nurse housing stipend in Washington, DC?
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing in Washington is $1,721/week (about $7,458/month) under GSA FY2027 rates for District of Columbia, plus up to $644/week for meals and incidentals. Agencies can pay less; anything above the ceiling is taxable.
How much is rent in Washington for a travel nurse?
The median 1-bedroom rent in Washington is $1,944/month (Census ACS, all renters, utilities included). That includes long-time tenants, so a new furnished short-term lease usually costs more. The housing stipend ceiling is about $7,458/month; whatever you pay below it is yours.
Is $3,400 a week good for a travel nurse in Washington?
If both stipends are at the GSA maximum ($2,365/week tax-free), $3,400 leaves $1,035/week of taxable pay, about $29/hour over 36 hours. Under 40% of the package is taxable, which usually means lower overtime, holiday and 401(k) pay; ask how overtime is calculated. Whether it's good depends on your rent: housing that costs less than the stipend is money you keep. Check the exact split for your dates with the free offer checker.
Do I need a District of Columbia nursing license to work in Washington?
District of Columbia's compact status: compact legislation pending. Until multistate licenses work there, you need a District of Columbia license by endorsement. Status per the NCSBN compact map, checked 2026-10-11.
How many hospitals in Washington hire travel nurses?
CMS lists 8 hospitals in Washington, DC: Sibley Memorial Hospital, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, United Medical Center and others. Each page lists the hospital's stipend ceiling, charting system and reports from travel nurses.
What EHR do hospitals in Washington use?
3 hospitals use Oracle Health (Cerner), 1 hospital uses Epic, 1 hospital uses MEDITECH MAGIC, 1 hospital uses Oracle Health CommunityWorks, per the certified EHR each reported to CMS for 2023–2024.