As a medical professional, you have expertise and knowledge that can be shared beyond your staff or permanent position. Working as a locum tenens professional, you can earn extra money while you fill a medical healthcare need for a period of time.

How much do locum tenens medical professionals make, and is the locum tenens salary worth it?

This guide will answer those questions as we discuss average locum tenens salaries, what is and is not covered with locum tenens assignments, the benefits of working as a locum tenens professional, and how to get started with Trusted Locum Staffing.

• 3 Types of Compensation Typically Covered by Locum Tenens Agencies
• 2 Areas of Locum Tenens Salary That Are Not Covered by Agencies
• What Is the Average Locum Tenens Salary?
• Locum Tenens Salary By State 
• What Is the Highest Paid Locum Tenens Specialty?
• Why Does Locum Tenens Pay More?
• What Are the Benefits of Working With a Locums Tenens Agency?
• Trusted Locum Staffing: Providing White Glove Concierge Service to Locum Tenens

If you’re familiar with other types of medical staffing services — like those for nurses or allied health professionals — you may think that locum tenens positions work the same way. 

They are similar in some ways but are different in some key areas. It’s important to understand what is covered and not covered by locum tenens agencies so you know what to expect and what will be your responsibility.

Let’s take a look first at what is covered.

Locum tenens staffing agencies have teams to guide you through the licensing, credentialing, and privileging process. You’ll be ready to hit the ground running at your new assignment without any obstacles that would keep you from getting started right away.

Most staffing agency teams can help you know which documents you need to have and maintain and will communicate directly with boards and facilities to make the process as easy and streamlined as possible. 

Additionally, due to the work of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission, a provision has been made to expedite the process for licensure in over 30 U.S. states, including:

• Washington
• Texas
• Oklahoma
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• New Jersey
• And more

Trusted Locum Staffing provides these services for all our physicians and other medical professionals. Leave the paperwork to us. We’ll get it done for you so you can focus on your job without the extra attention to these details.

Medical malpractice insurance is an absolute necessity, and as a locum tenens medical professional, your locum tenens agency will take care of that need. You’ll be covered by the agency’s malpractice insurance for the duration of your assignment. 

Each staffing agency is different in the type of medical malpractice insurance they provide. With Trusted Locum Staffing, you can rest assured that we provide comprehensive malpractice insurance for every assignment.

Whether your assignment is for a few days or a few weeks, housing and travel are still details that need to be taken care of. As a locum tenens physician, you won’t need to handle those details yourself.

Locum tenens agencies take care of all housing and travel accommodations for their healthcare professionals, including:

• Booking flights
• Rental car arrangements
• Hotels accommodations for shorter assignments
• Extended-stay apartments or homes for longer assignments

Since locum tenens medical professionals are independent contractors rather than employees, certain things are not covered by the staffing agency and become the responsibility of the healthcare professional.

The two major responsibilities to be aware of are medical insurance benefits and taxes.

Since locum tenens agencies are not employers, medical insurance and benefits are not provided for the locum tenens medical professionals. 

If you currently have a permanent staff position, these benefits will likely be taken care of through your permanent employer.

If you need to provide your own insurance, here are some ways you can make sure you’re covered:

• Join in your spouse’s benefits plan.
• Search for insurance on the Federal Insurance Exchange. 
• Enroll in COBRA.
• Research plans with professional associations like AMA and AARP.
• Look for insurance policies with a local insurance agent.

As an independent contractor, you will be responsible for paying state, federal, Medicare, and Social Security taxes. This is typically done by making estimated tax payments throughout the year, usually in four payment periods.

Locum tenens professionals are responsible for paying any state income taxes in the states where they work on assignment. A state tax credit may be available for the nonresident state tax liability to decrease the home state tax, which typically taxes all income.

Consulting with a tax accountant can be a huge help in making sure you are accounting for all the taxes you’ll need to pay. You should also be aware of the extra locum tenens tax tips:

• Be proactive by creating a budget that includes estimated tax payments.
• Take advantage of all the tax deductions at your disposal, like:
• Health insurance premiums
• Equipment expenses used at work: cell phone, iPad, lab coat, etc.
• Meals
• Mileage/travel
• Continuing education

Average locum tenens salaries vary depending on specialty. Generally, though, a locum tenens medical professional can expect to make anywhere from $30 to $300 per hour. 

According to Salary.com, the average locum tenens salary for a physician is $108 per hour.

Specialty isn’t the only factor to consider when trying to get a clear picture of locum tenens salaries. Your location also affects how much you can make.

States with the highest salaries for locum tenens physicians in 2024 include:

• New York – $177.94/hour
• New Hampshire – $165.67/hour
• Arizona – $$155.20/hour
• Wyoming – $155.18/hour
• Tennessee – $152.27/hour
• Hawaii – $152.00/hour
• Massachusetts – $151.27/hour
• New Jersey – $151.13/hour
• Nevada – $150.79/hour
• West Virginia – $149.92

Neurological surgery is the highest paying locum tenens specialty, making $300 to $400 per hour and up to $5,000 per day for stroke care.

Some other popular locum tenens salaries for 2024 by specialty include:

• Locum tenens nurse practitioner salary – $150 to $190 per hour
• Locum tenens physician salary – $115 to $140 per hour
• Locum tenens psychiatry specialty – $180 to $210 per hour
• Locum tenens hospitalist salary – $150 to $190 per hour
• Locum tenens physician assistant salary – $65 to $115 per hour
• Locum tenens obstetrics/gynecology salary – $150 to $200 per hour
• Locum tenens pediatrics salary – $100 to $120 per hour

When a specialty is in high demand, facilities are generally willing to pay more for a locum tenens physician to fill that need. Though demand can fluctuate, specialties that consistently stay in demand include:

• Infectious disease physicians
• Psychiatrists
• General surgeons
• Emergency medicine
• Cardiologists
• Neurologists
• Obstetrics/Gynecology

As a traveling healthcare provider, you work hard. Let us support your efforts by working even harder to help you navigate processes like the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. 

At Trusted Locum Staffing, we give back to our physicians by helping them navigate the credentialing and placement process involved in working as a traveling healthcare provider. 

We provide our locum tenens with three teams that support:

• Travel assignments: When you partner with Trusted Locum Staffing, we provide you with your own recruiter and account manager. Together, they work closely with you to match your career goals and lifestyle with your ideal assignment. They handle everything from arranging your interviews to getting you settled into your new job.

• Compliance: Your Trusted Locum Staffing compliance team is dedicated to ensuring you meet all necessary facility standards while simplifying the certifications and licensing process. We focus on the fine details so you can focus on your job.

• Payroll: Our payroll team guarantees you are paid accurately and on time every time. We also answer any questions about your wages, benefits, or deductions.

Reach out to our team today to get started as a locum tenens with Trusted Locum Staffing.

Jobs that require specialized skills will usually pay more than other broad assignments. Also, locum tenens doctors may receive higher pay when patient numbers are high or when doctors work in fast-paced facilities.

All types of shifts are available for locum tenens medical professionals, but shifts that typically pay more include on-call, weekend, or holiday shifts.

Locum tenens positions usually pay more because, as independent contractors, they aren’t receiving the benefits and other perks as those in salaried positions. 

Healthcare organizations and facilities are often willing to pay more for locum tenens positions because of the shortages common in many areas of the country. When the demand is high, facilities bring in locum tenens professionals — and pay them more — to be able to provide quality care for their patients.

A quality locum tenens agency will provide a number of benefits to make sure you can easily get right to work while enjoying some perks and provisions along the way.

The team at Trusted Locum Staffing pulls out all the stops to provide comprehensive support and benefits that allow you to focus on the job you’re contracted to do — providing quality medical care to each of your patients.

To do that, Trusted Locum Staffing provides the following benefits:

• Well-organized and efficient onboarding system to streamline the credentialing process
• Comprehensive malpractice insurance for each assignment
• Travel and housing arrangements, as part of our concierge care
• Support and advocacy from your recruiter who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• A placement process that is personalized to you based on our knowledge of you and our facilities
• White glove service to ensure every single detail of your assignment is taken care of with extreme attention and commitment

There are many locum tenens staffing agencies to choose from, but they are not all built the same. 

Trusted Locum Staffing provides comprehensive support to each of our medical professionals. With our white glove service, you can be sure that every detail of your assignment will be managed with expert attention and an extra level of care.

Our expert care and attention to detail means you’ll have three teams dedicated to managing all the details of your assignment:

1. Travel Team: You’ll communicate with your recruiter, who will work to match your career goals and lifestyle to each particular assignment. They will set up interviews, help you settle into your new job, and arrange housing and travel specifics. They will stay in close contact with you every step of the way.
2. Compliance Team: This team will make sure you meet all the standards of each facility, including licensure and certifications. There will be no compliance issues for you to handle — you simply get to work taking care of your patients.
3. Payroll Team: Since your pay will be coming through the agency, we’ll make sure you get paid the right amount on time. If you have any questions about payment, benefits, or deductions, your payroll team will be ready to help you understand every detail involved in your compensation.

Contact Trusted Locum Staffing today to learn more about jobs available in your desired location, ask questions, or connect with a recruiter to get started.