Is It Worth
Traveling?
Enter your home scale, rent, and the per-diem rate from the call you're considering. We show every market ranked by what you'd actually net per month — after cost of living and state income tax.
Effective hourly = scale after state tax + per diem monthly ÷ hours, adjusted for local cost of living index.
Housing estimates: typical extended-stay or 1BR near job sites — not downtown rates. Source: regional housing benchmarks.
Per diem is contractor- and project-specific. Always confirm the rate with the dispatch hall for the specific call you're considering. Methodology →
The Per Diem Playbook
Per diem is a daily allowance contractors pay travelers to cover meals and incidentals while working away from home. Under IRS rules, per diem paid at or below the federal GSA rate is completely non-taxable — you receive it as cash with no withholding. For most journeymen, this is the biggest financial lever in the traveling decision.
Per diem rates are not posted on most local dispatch pages — they're job- and contractor-specific. Sometimes contractors post the per diem on the call itself; often you don't find out until you call dispatch. Always ask the dispatcher: “Does this call include per diem, and at what rate?” before committing.
If you're in a 22% federal bracket + 5% state = 27% marginal tax rate, $125/day non-taxable per diem is equivalent to ~$171/day in taxable wages. Over 22 working days, that's $2,750/month non-taxable = equivalent to $3,767/month in wages. This is why travelers in high-per-diem markets often net more than locals in higher-wage markets.