Travel, locum, and contract nursing rates look huge next to staff salaries — until you subtract the benefits stack and the days you are not on assignment.
Try an $85,000 staff W-2 with strong health benefits against a $65/hour 1099 contract. Change unpaid days to match your real time between assignments. If the contract includes stipends, add them to 1099 gross or reduce expenses.
FAQ
Can nurses be 1099?
Some contract, locum, and consulting roles are 1099. Hospital staff roles are usually W-2. Classification depends on facts, not the label on the contract.
What extras should nurses count on W-2?
Health insurance, retirement match, paid PTO, shift differentials, and sometimes malpractice coverage or loan repayment.
What 1099 costs do nurses forget?
Malpractice insurance, licensing fees, unpaid charting time, and gaps between contracts.
Estimate only — not tax, legal, or financial advice. Numbers use the same engine as the free calculator (2026 federal brackets; state brackets from Tax Foundation where selected).