Nitrogen (N) fertilization potentially affects the amount of N uptake and N translocation (NT) within plants, but the synergetic effects of plastic mulching and N application rates on the grain yield (GY), N uptake and NT of maize have not been studied. A fertilization experiment with six N application rates (0, 80, 160, 240, 350 and 450 kg ha⁻¹) with or without mulch was conducted in 2015 and 2016 in the Loess Plateau of China. There were significant interactions between mulch and the N fertilizer rate on the GY. Under mulch treatments, the highest GY was observed at 450 kg ha⁻¹, which was 53.9%, 36.4%, 20.2%, 1.6% and 0.3% higher than those obtained with N application rates of 0, 80, 160, 240 and 350 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, in 2015. The ranking of NT to grain N accumulation was leaves > sheaths and stems > ear axis > bracts. The NT efficiency (NTE) levels averaged over the different N fertilization rates under the no-mulch treatment were 5.6% and 12.9% higher than those under the plastic mulch treatment in 2015 and 2016, respectively. We conclude that an N fertilizer application rate of 240 kg ha⁻¹ with mulch can achieve a relatively higher NTE, GY, WUE and NUE.