Travel nursing in Washington
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Washington
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, 38 hospitals). Most expensive: Seattle at $1,511/wk on average, $1,785/wk at peak.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Seattle King | $1,511 $1,316–$1,785 · peaks Oct, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $644 | 17 |
Port Angeles / Port Townsend Clallam / Jefferson | $1,199 $917–$1,764 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | $644 | 3 |
Vancouver Clark / Cowlitz / Skamania | $1,127 flat all year | $602 | 4 |
Olympia / Tumwater Thurston | $1,090 $1,043–$1,232 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug | $560 | 3 |
Tacoma Pierce | $1,001 flat all year | $602 | 8 |
Ocean Shores Grays Harbor | $974 $952–$1,085 · peaks Jul, Aug | $602 | 2 |
Richland / Pasco Benton / Franklin | $952 flat all year | $602 | 5 |
Everett / Lynnwood Snohomish | $887 $840–$1,029 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug | $602 | 4 |
Spokane Spokane | $882 flat all year | $602 | 7 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 38 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Washington nursing license
Washington is a compact state. If your primary state of residence is another compact state and you hold a multistate license, you can work here without a new license. If you live in Washington, your multistate license comes from the Washington board.
If you don't have a multistate license: typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Washington 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. Washington 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 Washington
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 79 of 91 hospitals (12 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Epic56 · 71%
- Oracle Health9 · 11%
- MEDITECH8 · 10%
- TruBridge3 · 4%
- athenaOne2 · 3%
- Altera1 · 1%
Top travel-nurse markets in Washington
- Seattle, WA
- Tacoma, WA
- Mary Bridge Children'S Hospital$1,001/wk
- St Joseph Medical Center · Epic$1,001/wk
- Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital · Epic$1,001/wk
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Washington?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $1,785/week in Seattle at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Washington a compact nursing license state?
- Compact state (Enacted NLC), per the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map checked 2026-10-11.
- How many hospitals are in Washington?
- CMS lists 91 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Washington. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 9 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Washington use?
- Of the 79 Washington hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 71% use Epic, 11% use Oracle Health, 10% use MEDITECH. Each hospital guide shows its own system.