Texas Travel Nurse Pay Guide: Salaries, Top Cities & No Income Tax (2026)

Texas is one of the most active travel nursing markets in the country — and one of the most misunderstood when nurses evaluate it purely on gross weekly pay. The headline numbers often look modest compared to California or New York, but the no-income-tax advantage changes the math considerably when you run the full net take-home comparison.

Add NLC compact membership, a healthcare system anchored by some of the largest medical centers in the world, and a cost of living that allows your housing stipend to stretch further than most coastal markets, and Texas earns a prominent place in any serious travel career rotation.

Texas Travel Nurse Pay: 2026 Overview

The No-Income-Tax Advantage

Texas levies no state individual income tax. For travel nurses, this means your taxable hourly wages are subject to federal withholding only — not state income tax. Every dollar of taxable hourly pay goes further in Texas than in states like California (up to 13.3%), New York (up to 10.9%), or Illinois (4.95% flat).

On a taxable wage of $1,000/week, the difference between Texas and California for a nurse in the mid-income bracket can be $70-$100/week in retained income. Over a 13-week contract, that is $910-$1,300 in additional take-home — approaching what many agencies advertise as a completion bonus.

Federal taxes and FICA still apply. Your housing and M&IE stipends remain non-taxable provided you maintain a valid tax home. See our tax home rules guide for the full framework on protecting stipend eligibility.

Texas Markets: Where to Find the Best Contracts

Texas is a geographically large state with very different market dynamics by region. The strongest contract concentration is in the “Texas Triangle” — the metro corridor connecting Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio.

Houston: Home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. Houston’s healthcare system is massive, with more than 60 institutions and a sustained demand for travel nurses across virtually every specialty. The scale means consistent contract availability year-round, particularly for ICU, OR, and cardiac specialties at major systems like Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and HCA facilities.

Dallas-Fort Worth: One of the fastest-growing metros in the country, with major health systems including Baylor Scott & White, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Health, and Texas Health Resources. Dallas averages $1,773/week and Fort Worth $1,828/week — both below the national average, but with the no-income-tax advantage narrowing that gap meaningfully on a net basis. Over 1,270 active RN travel listings on Vivian in March 2026 for Dallas alone.

San Antonio: University Health System and the large BAMC/Brooke Army Medical Center complex drive demand in the San Antonio market. Military-affiliated healthcare facilities create consistent specialty nursing needs particularly in trauma, ICU, and surgical specialties.

Austin: A growing market with Ascension Seton and St. David’s HealthCare as the primary systems, but Austin’s rapid population growth has also driven up housing costs faster than most Texas cities. The stipend-to-cost-of-living math is less favorable in Austin than in Houston or Dallas.

Rural and smaller markets: Facilities in east Texas, the Panhandle, and the Rio Grande Valley often offer stronger rates to attract travelers to harder-to-staff locations. Winter months in South Texas can see contract rate premiums as seasonal population influx strains regional healthcare capacity.

Specialty Pay in Texas

For a full national specialty pay comparison, see our highest paying travel nurse specialties guide.

Texas Nursing Licensure

Texas is a full member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. Travel nurses holding an active NLC multistate license from a compact home state can accept Texas assignments and begin working without a separate state application — no additional licensing process, no wait time. This is a meaningful practical advantage when comparing Texas to non-compact states like California or New York.

For nurses who need a Texas single-state license by endorsement, the Texas Board of Nursing processes applications with standard lead times of 4-8 weeks. Build this into your timeline if your home state is not compact.

Housing Stipend Value in Texas

One of Texas’s underappreciated advantages is the gap between GSA per diem housing allowances and actual housing costs in most markets. In Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, competitive short-term furnished apartments near major hospital campuses typically run $1,200-$1,800/month — leaving meaningful stipend surplus for nurses who manage their own housing rather than taking agency-arranged accommodations. Compare this to San Francisco or Los Angeles, where competitive housing can run $2,500-$3,500/month and often exceeds the housing stipend.

For more on how to use assignment location costs strategically in your pay package evaluation, see our travel nurse pay package guide. For specific GSA per diem rates by Texas city, use the travel nurse pay calculator.

What to Watch in Texas Contracts

Texas contract volume is high — over 8,000 active RN travel listings on Vivian in April 2026 — which means more options but also more variation in contract quality. The same contract evaluation standards apply here as anywhere. Verify guaranteed hours explicitly before signing, check how overtime is calculated, and confirm floating requirements are clearly defined.

For a full checklist of what to review in any contract before signing, see our travel nurse contract red flags guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Texas a compact state for nursing?

Yes. Texas is a full NLC member. If you hold an active multistate compact license from your home state, you can practice in Texas without additional licensing. This makes Texas one of the easiest major markets to enter for nurses who already hold a compact license.

How does no state income tax affect travel nurse pay?

Your taxable hourly wages are subject to federal income tax only — no Texas state tax. On $1,000/week in taxable wages, a nurse in a mid-income bracket saves $70-$100/week compared to working in a state with a 7-9% state income tax. Over a 13-week contract, that difference is $910-$1,300 in additional take-home — significant when comparing otherwise similar offers across states.

Which Texas city pays travel nurses the most?

Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth consistently offer the highest contract volume and the strongest specialty premiums, driven by the scale of the Texas Medical Center and the concentration of major health systems in both metros. Austin has grown rapidly but its housing cost inflation has reduced the net advantage relative to Houston and Dallas.

Are housing stipends higher in Texas than other states?

Texas housing stipends are mid-range nationally. What makes them valuable is the cost differential — Texas short-term housing costs are meaningfully lower than coastal markets, which means a larger portion of your housing stipend is surplus rather than covering actual rent. This is a key component of why Texas net take-home often competes with higher-paying states on a real-world basis.