Travel Therapy Stipends in Iowa
For a travel PT, OT or SLP on contract in Iowa, the housing stipend is measured against GSA’s lodging rate for the locality where you sleep on the contract (IRS Publication 463: “the locality where you stop for sleep or rest”): $122 a night in the Des Moines, IA area, which takes in Iowa’s largest metro, and $113 a night at the standard rate (GSA, FY2027, effective October 1, 2026). Check a package’s stipends against this page, then: Find my next contract.
GSA’s FY2027 per diem rates for Iowa: lodging and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE), area by area, and the rate in its largest metro.
The largest metro
Iowa’s largest metro area is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates, read October 4, 2026). Its most populous county in Iowa, Polk County, is in GSA’s Des Moines, IA rate area: lodging $122 a night, M&IE $80 a day (FY2027). Source: GSA per diem rates, FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), from GSA’s per diem API (retrieved September 21, 2026).
Rates across Iowa
Anywhere in Iowa without a rate of its own, GSA’s FY2027 standard rate applies: lodging $113 a night, M&IE $68 a day. 2 areas have their own rates:
| Area | Counties GSA lists | Lodging a night | M&IE a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, IA | Dallas | $117 | $80 |
| Des Moines, IA | Polk | $122 | $80 |
Source: GSA per diem rates, FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), from GSA’s per diem API (retrieved September 21, 2026).
How a stipend relates to these rates
The U.S. General Services Administration says: “We establish the per diem rates that federal agencies use to reimburse their employees for lodging and meals and incidental expenses incurred while on official travel within the continental United States.” Source: GSA: Per diem rates, read October 10, 2026.
The IRS says: “If your allowance is less than or equal to the federal rate, the allowance won’t be included in box 1 of your Form W-2.” Source: IRS Publication 463 (2025), read October 6, 2026.
The IRS says: “Generally, your tax home is your regular place of business or post of duty, regardless of where you maintain your family home. It includes the entire city or general area in which your business or work is located.” Source: IRS Publication 463 (2025), read October 6, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the GSA lodging rate in Iowa?
GSA’s FY2027 standard lodging rate in Iowa is $113 a night. The 2 areas with their own rates run from $117 to $122 a night, depending on the area and the month. Source: GSA per diem rates, FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), from GSA’s per diem API (retrieved September 21, 2026).
What is the M&IE rate in Iowa?
GSA’s FY2027 standard rate for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) in Iowa is $68 a day; the 2 areas with their own rates are all $80 a day. Source: GSA per diem rates, FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), from GSA’s per diem API (retrieved September 21, 2026).
Is a stipend at or below the federal rate reported as wages?
The IRS says: “If your allowance is less than or equal to the federal rate, the allowance won’t be included in box 1 of your Form W-2.” Source: IRS Publication 463 (2025), read October 6, 2026.
To see what a package’s stipends come to, use the stipend calculator. Stipend rates for every state.
Stipends are only part of the package — see ProTherapy Staffing’s median weekly gross by state and discipline, computed from live travel contracts, in the Travel Therapy Pay Index (e.g. travel PT salary in California, Texas, Florida).