The former prime minister was appointed foreign minister on Saturday.
Two days later, he issued a joint media release with Prime Minister Julia Gillard announcing the US visit.
Mr Rudd will fly to Washington on Friday to meet with senior figures in the US administration.
He then heads to United Nations headquarters in New York on Saturday for a week.
He will attend the first meeting of a UN panel on sustainability and climate change, which he has been made a member of.
He will also take part in a summit of world leaders on the Millennium Development Goals - ambitious targets to alleviate poverty around the world.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has asked world leaders, not foreign ministers, to attend the summit. Ms Gillard will not attend.
Mr Rudd will also represent her in the UN General Assembly during his visit.
The statement emphasised the trip was a joint decision with Ms Gillard.
"The prime minister and the incoming foreign minister have agreed that Mr Rudd will visit Washington and New York from 17 September to 25 September," it said.
"This visit underlines the very high priority that the government places on its relations with the United States, Australia's key strategic partner."
When Mr Rudd was prime minister, critics accused him of spending too much time overseas and neglecting his domestic duties. He is likely to be given more latitude in his new role.
There has been intense focus on the working relationship between them since Ms Gillard deposed Mr Rudd in June and went on to call an election, which was dominated at times by the Rudd question.
