Is Travel Therapy Worth It for a New Grad OT?
For many new-grad OTs, yes — if you are ready to work without a built-in mentor. Travel OT contracts in the ProTherapy Staffing job feed that powers this site paid a median of $2,280 a week gross (taxable wages plus non-taxable stipends), pay data as of 2026-10-01.
That median is gross, not take-home, and the stipend part of it is only tax-free if you keep a qualifying tax home. It is a middle value across current OT postings in every setting and state, not an offer.
What the number does and does not tell you
A weekly gross figure bundles two very different things: taxable hourly wages and non-taxable reimbursements for housing and meals. Two offers with the same gross can leave you with different take-home pay once you see the split. Use the pay calculator on any offer in front of you, and read the tax home checklist before you count a stipend as tax-free.
When it is worth it for a new grad
Travel suits new-grad OTs who passed the NBCOT exam, hold (or can quickly get) the state license the contract needs, and had fieldwork in the setting they are applying to. Skilled nursing and home health contracts are the most common starting points; facilities expect you to be productive within days, with little orientation.
When to wait
If you want structured mentorship in your first year, or you have not practised in the setting you would travel into, a staff job first is a reasonable choice. Travel contracts can also end early or be cancelled, so keep savings for a gap between assignments.
Questions to ask any agency before you sign
Ask for the full breakdown: hourly taxable rate, housing stipend, meals and incidentals stipend, guaranteed hours, and the cancellation terms. An agency that will only quote a single weekly number is making the comparison harder than it needs to be.
See pay by state on the state pages, or compare settings on pay by setting.