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Travel job or local job?

What a per diem job really pays once lodging, meals and long hours are counted

Travel job vs. local job Your scenario

Local job
Travel job
Your real costs on the road

How it works

383metros with rates
FY2027GSA rates
7days of per diem

Built on our data. Loads the official GSA per diem for the city of the travel job, and links from every city pay page with that city's lodging and meals rate already filled in.

Pick your trade and the city the travel job is in. We load the GSA federal per diem for that city, the lodging and meals allowance many employers use as a guide, as the starting per diem and as your starting costs.

Wages for both jobs include overtime after 40 hours at the rate you set. On the travel side we add the per diem you'd be paid, then subtract what you'd really spend on lodging, meals and getting home.

Per diem is usually not taxed when it's a true reimbursement and you keep a tax home, so the tool shows it separately from taxable wages. Rules vary; check with a tax pro.

Worked example

A welder earning $32/hr locally at 40 hours is offered $34/hr for 50 hours a week on a job in Midland/Odessa, with per diem at the GSA rate. Sharing a room and cooking cuts real costs below the allowance, and the tool shows the weekly difference, the share of it that's per diem and the extra hours worked to get it.

Tips & gotchas

  • Ask whether per diem is paid 7 days or only on workdays; it changes the math a lot.
  • Long hours are usually the biggest part of travel pay. Compare at the hours you'd actually get.
  • Sharing lodging or using a camper is how many travelers keep more of the per diem.
  • Count the trips home: flights or long drives every few weeks add up.

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FAQ

What is per diem?

A daily allowance for lodging and meals when you work away from home. The GSA sets the federal rates by city, and many private employers use them as a guide.

Is per diem taxable?

Often not, if it reimburses real travel costs and you keep a permanent tax home elsewhere. If it's simply added to pay, it can be taxable. This tool isn't tax advice.

Where do the city rates come from?

GSA FY2027 per diem rates, effective October 1, 2026. Places not listed by GSA use the standard rate.

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