Travel Nurse Pay in New Jersey (2026)
New Jersey posts the highest RN median of the ten states in this series, sits in the compact, and runs a dense hospital market that shadows New York City. Here are the verified BLS numbers, hedged package ranges, and the tax reality behind the big quotes.
By the NursePayLab editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Measure | Figure | What it means for travelers |
|---|---|---|
| RN employment (New Jersey) | 92,680 | Large, dense staff market (per BLS OEWS, May 2025) |
| Median RN wage | $106,500/yr ($51.20/hr) | Highest median in this series — anchors bill rates high |
| Mean RN wage | $110,100/yr ($52.93/hr) | Includes the experienced-nurse band travelers replace |
| Entry RN (10th pct) | $83,060/yr | Entry pay alone clears many states' medians |
Travel nurse pay in New Jersey: the numbers
New Jersey employed 92,680 registered nurses as of May 2025, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The median RN wage was $106,500/year ($51.20/hr) with a mean of $110,100 ($52.93/hr), a 10th percentile of $83,060 and a 90th percentile of $135,170 — the highest median of any state in this batch.
The structure is what you would expect from a market wedged between two of the most expensive cities in America: even the 10th percentile ($83,060) clears what median RNs earn in several other states, and the 25th percentile sits at $99,710 (per BLS, May 2025). Northern New Jersey systems compete directly with Manhattan hospitals for staff, which drags the whole table upward; the experienced band ($127,730 at the 75th percentile to $135,170 at the 90th) is where travel bill rates anchor. Demand runs deep in the big systems — Newark's University Hospital, the Hackensack Meridian and RWJBarnabas networks, Camden's Cooper and Virtua — with ICU, ED, L&D and behavioral health lines in near-constant rotation.
The hedged range below reflects the NYC-adjacent premium. Verify live offers with your recruiter — North Jersey quotes run above South Jersey for the same specialty.
| Measure | Figure | What it means for travelers |
|---|---|---|
| RN employment (New Jersey) | 92,680 | Large, dense staff market (per BLS OEWS, May 2025) |
| Median RN wage | $106,500/yr ($51.20/hr) | Highest median in this series — anchors bill rates high |
| Mean RN wage | $110,100/yr ($52.93/hr) | Includes the experienced-nurse band travelers replace |
| Entry RN (10th pct) | $83,060/yr | Entry pay alone clears many states' medians |
| Experienced RN (75th–90th pct) | $127,730–$135,170/yr | Where bill rates cluster |
| Typical travel package (hedged) | roughly $2,500–$3,200/week gross | Taxable wage + stipends; varies by specialty and season — verify with recruiters |
| State income tax (2026) | 1.4%–10.75% graduated | Applies to taxable wages only, not stipends |
| Nurse Licensure Compact | Yes — member since Nov. 15, 2021 | Multistate license works; fast starts possible |
All BLS figures on this page: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release (bls.gov/oes). Wage figures are for staff registered nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries — travel packages are quoted separately and are inherently variable. See the full list on our travel nurse pay by state hub.
How stipends change the math in New Jersey
Stipend caps follow the federal GSA per-diem tables, and the ones that matter here are big: Newark and the NYC-adjacent counties carry some of the highest lodging caps in the country, Jersey City and Hoboken effectively trade on Manhattan's per-diem tier, while South Jersey and the shore settle lower outside summer (current tables at gsa.gov/perdiem). High caps are permission, not protection — North Jersey rents will consume every dollar of a maximum housing stipend and ask for more, so the stipend versus agency housing decision is worth more per week in this market than almost anywhere.
Illustrative math: $25/hr × 36 guaranteed hours = $900/week taxable. Subtract roughly $103 federal and $69 FICA, then about $50 for New Jersey tax at a hedged 5.5% mid-bracket marginal, leaving about $678. Add $1,500 housing plus $400 M&IE — $1,900 tax-free — for a take-home near $2,580/week, about $72/hour blended, roughly $33,500 over 13 weeks. New Jersey's graduated schedule is steep at the top (10.75%), but traveler-level taxable pay stays in the mid-brackets — the real risk here is housing, not withholding. Run your actual offer through the take-home calculator and compare by blended rate.
The standing rule: stipends are tax-free only with a valid tax home and duplicated living expenses. In a market this expensive, the amounts at stake if the IRS recharacterizes your stipends are correspondingly large — read the tax home guide before your first contract.
New Jersey income tax: graduated to 10.75%, with PA reciprocity
New Jersey taxes income on a graduated schedule from 1.4% to 10.75% at the top bracket (per the New Jersey Division of Taxation). A traveler's annualized taxable pay — often $45,000–$55,000 — typically lands in the mid-brackets, so a roughly 5.5–6.5% marginal on taxable wages is the right planning figure, well short of the headline top rate. New Jersey holds reciprocity with Pennsylvania, so PA residents working in New Jersey generally keep paying Pennsylvania; there is no reciprocity with New York, which matters for travelers mixing assignments on both sides of the Hudson. Stipends sit outside state tax under the federal accountable-plan rules. Verify your filing position with the division and a CPA who handles multistate healthcare workers.
Tax figures here are 2026 planning rates from official state sources — confirm your own filing position with the relevant state revenue department or a CPA; this page is not tax advice.
Licensure in New Jersey: compact member since 2021
New Jersey is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact — implemented November 15, 2021, per the NCSBN map. A multistate RN license from your compact home state covers New Jersey assignments with no separate application, which gives compact travelers a structural speed advantage into the NYC-area market: New York, next door, is not a compact state and requires its own license with its own timeline. For travelers weighing the metro, that asymmetry is real money — a North Jersey contract can start weeks sooner than a Manhattan one. If New Jersey becomes your primary residence mid-contract, apply for your New Jersey multistate license within 60 days under compact rules. Verify current status at nursecompact.com.
Where the demand is in New Jersey
The northern corridor leads: University Hospital in Newark, Hackensack University Medical Center, and the RWJBarnabas and Atlantic Health systems run the deepest specialty demand, all within sight of the Manhattan skyline and its wage pressure. New Brunswick's Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital anchors the academic middle of the state, Trenton's Capital Health and the Camden systems (Cooper, Virtua) run steady South Jersey lines at somewhat lighter quotes, and the shore — AtlantiCare above all — adds a seasonal summer swell on top of a retiree-heavy year-round census. Behavioral health and ICU lines post year-round statewide. Housing strategy differs sharply north to south: agency housing or a careful stipend calculation up north, stipend and a South Jersey or Pennsylvania-side lease for Camden and Trenton runs.
Stipend ceilings everywhere follow the federal per-diem tables for your assignment location — gsa.gov/perdiem.
FAQ
How much do travel nurses make in New Jersey?
Per BLS OEWS (May 2025), the median staff RN in New Jersey earns $106,500/year — the highest median in this state series. Travel packages typically quote $2,500–$3,200/week gross, with northern New Jersey and NYC-adjacent systems at the top — verify offers with recruiters.
Is New Jersey a Nurse Licensure Compact state?
Yes — New Jersey implemented the compact on November 15, 2021, per NCSBN. A multistate license from your compact home state covers New Jersey assignments with no separate application.
What is New Jersey's income tax for travelers?
Graduated rates from 1.4% to a 10.75% top bracket. A traveler's taxable wages typically land in the mid-brackets — figure roughly 5.5–6.5% marginal. New Jersey holds reciprocity with Pennsylvania; stipends are untouched by state tax.
Are stipends taxed in New Jersey?
No — stipends are tax-free when you maintain a valid tax home and duplicated living expenses. New Jersey's income tax applies only to your taxable hourly wages.
New Jersey or New York for a NYC-area assignment?
Licensure and tax both favor New Jersey for compact travelers: New Jersey honors multistate licenses while New York requires its own license, and a traveler's taxable wages land in New Jersey's mid-brackets rather than New York's higher ones. Run both through a take-home calculator before deciding.
What is a good blended rate in New Jersey?
An illustrative $2,580/week take-home over 36 hours is about $72/hour blended. With high-bracket potential and NYC-area rents, negotiate the stipend split hard and compare after tax.