Travel nursing in Massachusetts
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Massachusetts
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing is the GSA lodging rate × 7 nights. Cheapest: $791/wk (standard rate, every county not listed below, 1 hospitals). Most expensive: Martha's Vineyard at $2,032/wk on average, $3,311/wk at peak.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Martha's Vineyard Dukes | $2,032 $1,393–$3,311 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $644 | 1 |
Boston / Cambridge Suffolk, city of Cambridge | $1,990 $1,491–$2,555 · peaks Oct, Sep | $644 | 16 |
Nantucket Nantucket | $1,934 $1,197–$3,409 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $644 | 0 |
Burlington / Woburn Middlesex less the city of Cambridge | $1,186 $1,064–$1,309 · peaks Oct, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $602 | 10 |
Quincy Norfolk | $1,176 $1,022–$1,330 · peaks Oct, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $560 | 4 |
Falmouth City limits of Falmouth | $1,157 $966–$1,729 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug | $602 | 1 |
Northampton Hampshire | $1,099 flat all year | $560 | 2 |
Pittsfield Berkshire | $1,048 $994–$1,316 · peaks Jul, Aug | $602 | 3 |
Hyannis Barnstable less the city of Falmouth | $1,021 $917–$1,540 · peaks Jul, Aug | $644 | 1 |
Worcester Worcester | $980 flat all year | $560 | 8 |
Andover Essex | $959 flat all year | $560 | 5 |
Springfield Hampden | $917 flat all year | $518 | 5 |
Plymouth / Taunton / New Bedford Plymouth / Bristol | $889 flat all year | $560 | 8 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 1 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Massachusetts nursing license
Massachusetts: compact enacted, not yet implemented. NLC enacted: Awaiting implementation. A multistate license from another state doesn't cover Massachusetts; you need a Massachusetts license by endorsement before you start.
Typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Massachusetts board of nursing's site.
- Verify your current license through Nursys (or your original board if it doesn't use Nursys).
- Complete the criminal background check and fingerprints if the board requires them.
- Ask whether a temporary license is available while the full application processes, and how long processing takes now.
Requirements and timelines vary. Massachusetts board contact details (NCSBN) →
Where can your license take you?
Source: NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map, checked 2026-10-11. Covers RN/LPN compact licensure for the 50 states and DC. Confirm with the state board before you accept an assignment.
Charting systems in Massachusetts
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 55 of 65 hospitals (10 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Epic28 · 51%
- MEDITECH19 · 35%
- Oracle Health7 · 13%
- TruBridge1 · 2%
Top travel-nurse markets in Massachusetts
- Boston, MA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Epic$1,990/wk
- Boston Children'S Hospital$1,990/wk
- Boston Medical Center · Epic$1,990/wk
- Brigham And Women'S Hospital · Epic$1,990/wk
- Carney Hospital · MEDITECH Expanse$1,990/wk
- Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary - · Epic$1,990/wk
- Massachusetts General Hospital · Epic$1,990/wk
- Tufts Medical Center · Epic$1,990/wk
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Massachusetts?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $3,311/week in Martha's Vineyard at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Massachusetts a compact nursing license state?
- Compact enacted, not yet implemented (NLC enacted: Awaiting implementation), per the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map checked 2026-10-11.
- How many hospitals are in Massachusetts?
- CMS lists 65 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Massachusetts. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 8 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Massachusetts use?
- Of the 55 Massachusetts hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 51% use Epic, 35% use MEDITECH, 13% use Oracle Health. Each hospital guide shows its own system.