Travel Therapy Stipends in Washington
For a travel PT, OT or SLP on contract in Washington, 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”): $188 to $255 a night, depending on the month in the Seattle, WA area, which takes in Washington’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 Washington: lodging and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE), area by area, and the rate in its largest metro.
The largest metro
Washington’s largest metro area is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates, read October 4, 2026). Its most populous county in Washington, King County, is in GSA’s Seattle, WA rate area: lodging $188 to $255 a night, depending on the month, M&IE $92 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 Washington
Anywhere in Washington without a rate of its own, GSA’s FY2027 standard rate applies: lodging $113 a night, M&IE $68 a day. 9 areas have their own rates:
| Area | Counties GSA lists | Lodging a night | M&IE a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everett / Lynnwood, WA | Snohomish | $120 to $147 by month | $86 |
| Ocean Shores, WA | Grays Harbor | $136 to $155 by month | $86 |
| Olympia / Tumwater, WA | Thurston | $149 to $176 by month | $80 |
| Port Angeles / Port Townsend, WA | Clallam / Jefferson | $131 to $252 by month | $92 |
| Richland / Pasco, WA | Benton / Franklin | $136 | $86 |
| Seattle, WA | King | $188 to $255 by month | $92 |
| Spokane, WA | Spokane | $126 | $86 |
| Tacoma, WA | Pierce | $143 | $86 |
| Vancouver, WA | Clark / Cowlitz / Skamania | $161 | $86 |
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.
Washington on the other sites: Licensing · Salary · Jobs · Housing: Seattle
Frequently asked questions
What is the GSA lodging rate in Washington?
GSA’s FY2027 standard lodging rate in Washington is $113 a night. The 9 areas with their own rates run from $120 to $255 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 Washington?
GSA’s FY2027 standard rate for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) in Washington is $68 a day; the 9 areas with their own rates run from $80 to $92 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).