The most an agency can usually pay you tax-free each week for housing and for meals and incidentals (M&IE), city by city, for federal fiscal year 2027 (October 2026 to September 2027).
| Where | Housing | M&IE | Total a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everywhere else in New York (standard rate) | $791/wk | $476/wk | $1,267/wk |
| Albany | $931/wk | $602/wk | $1,533/wk |
| Binghamton | $889/wk | $518/wk | $1,407/wk |
| Buffalo | $1,008/wk | $560/wk | $1,568/wk |
| Floral Park,Garden,Great Neck |
| $1,204/wk |
| $602/wk |
| $1,806/wk |
| Glens Falls | $847/wk | $602/wk | $1,449/wk |
|---|
| Ithaca | $1,015/wk | $560/wk | $1,575/wk |
|---|
| Kingston | $987/wk | $602/wk | $1,589/wk |
|---|
| Lake Placid | $1,190/wk | $602/wk | $1,792/wk |
|---|
| New York | $2,506/wk | $644/wk | $3,150/wk |
|---|
| Niagara Falls | $791/wk | $560/wk | $1,351/wk |
|---|
| Nyack,Palisades | $938/wk | $560/wk | $1,498/wk |
|---|
| Poughkeepsie | $868/wk | $560/wk | $1,428/wk |
|---|
| Riverhead,Ronkonkoma,Melville | $1,141/wk | $602/wk | $1,743/wk |
|---|
| Rochester | $952/wk | $560/wk | $1,512/wk |
|---|
| Saratoga Springs,Schenectady | $959/wk | $560/wk | $1,519/wk |
|---|
| Syracuse,Oswego | $952/wk | $560/wk | $1,512/wk |
|---|
| Tarrytown,White Plains,New Rochelle | $1,176/wk | $644/wk | $1,820/wk |
|---|
| Troy | $903/wk | $560/wk | $1,463/wk |
|---|
| West Point | $903/wk | $560/wk | $1,463/wk |
|---|
Source: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates. Weekly = the daily rate times 7.
The GSA (the federal General Services Administration) sets the most the government pays its own staff for lodging and for meals and incidentals (M&IE) when they travel. Travel nursing agencies use these same rates as the top of their tax-free housing and meals stipends. Many pay less than the limit.
Stipends are usually tax-free only if you keep a tax home you pay for while you're away. Weekly numbers here are the daily rate times 7.
This is general information, not tax advice. Talk to a tax professional about your situation. Read our guide to stipends and tax homes →