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Travel nursing in Madison, WI

The tax-free housing stipend ceiling in Madison, WI is $893/week (about $3,870/month, GSA FY2027), plus up to $560/week for meals. Median 1-bedroom rent in Madison is $1,277/month. Madison has 4 hospitals; the most common charting system is Epic. Wisconsin is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate license from another compact state covers it.

Updated October 2026

Housing ceiling
$893/wk
Meals & incidentals
$560/wk
License
Compact state
Hospitals (CMS)
4

Is your Madison offer good?

Job boards show one weekly number. What matters is the split: tax-free stipends can't exceed the GSA ceiling for Madison, and the rest is taxable pay. Example: a $2,500/week package with both stipends at the max is $1,453 tax-free and $1,047 taxable, about $29/hour over 36 hours.

Aim for $2,300–$3,100/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 $770–$1,570 a month for you.
Median 1-bedroom rent in Madison: $1,277/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 Madison

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 Madison

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

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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 Madison (4)

Wisconsin nursing license

Wisconsin is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate license from another compact state covers it.

Endorsement steps and every Wisconsin stipend area →

Agencies travelers used in Wisconsin

No agency has 3 reviewed contracts in Wisconsin yet. Review yours or see all agencies.

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Questions

What is the travel nurse housing stipend in Madison, WI?
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing in Madison is $893/week (about $3,870/month) under GSA FY2027 rates for Madison, plus up to $560/week for meals and incidentals. Agencies can pay less; anything above the ceiling is taxable.
How much is rent in Madison for a travel nurse?
The median 1-bedroom rent in Madison is $1,277/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 $3,870/month; whatever you pay below it is yours.
Is $2,500 a week good for a travel nurse in Madison?
If both stipends are at the GSA maximum ($1,453/week tax-free), $2,500 leaves $1,047/week of taxable pay, about $29/hour over 36 hours. That is a reasonable taxable share. 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 Wisconsin nursing license to work in Madison?
Wisconsin is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate license from another compact state covers it. Status per the NCSBN compact map, checked 2026-10-11.
How many hospitals in Madison hire travel nurses?
CMS lists 4 hospitals in Madison, WI: Unitypoint Health - Meriter, University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority, SSM Health St Mary's Hospital - Madison, Madison VA Medical Center. Each page lists the hospital's stipend ceiling, charting system and reports from travel nurses.
What EHR do hospitals in Madison use?
3 hospitals use Epic, per the certified EHR each reported to CMS for 2023–2024.