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Flexibility is the main reason why I’ve been practicing locum tenens since it allows me to create the schedule that fits my lifestyle. It feels great being able to decide for myself if I’m willing to make a nice lump sum in the next several months or to take off and travel. I know I can do it without asking anyone’s permission – this is the greatest thing of all!

[Read more…] about Flexibility is the main perk of working locum tenens, here’s why:

Vlad Dzhashi, MD

While working locum tenens, you can make significantly more money compared to a permanent hospitalist. However, when you’re first starting out, it is hard to find accurate locum tenens salary numbers.

And even if you come across recruiter emails or online job postings with locum tenens positions and the pay rate is listed, you can only guess if what they offer you is a starting point, the best rate they can give you, or somewhere in between.

That’s why it is better to know the numbers and consider the factors that affect the pay one way or the other in order to negotiate with either the facility directly or through one of the best locum tenens companies.

 

My locum tenens salary experience

Information provided here is based on personal experience, as well as experience of many of my colleagues.

I also screen a lot of emails and talk with multiple recruiters on the regular basis, which helps me better understand market conditions.

• If you’ve ever worked locum tenens as a hospitalist, please share your experience below.

 

Please keep in mind that hospitalists were consistently making more year after year (until about a few years ago), so locum tenens pay rates may change over time as well.

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Hospitalist locum hourly rate: can hospitalist locums get $200/hr?

Now, I have to say that the possible hospitalist locum hourly rate is quite wide. Some aggressive recruiters can start negotiation with 130/hr, and on the other end, physicians skilled at negotiation can end up getting 200+/hr or even more.

It’s a huge difference!

Think about it: with 15 shifts a month on average, you can make as little as $280K/year with 130/hr or as much as 430K/year at 200/hr.

You can check out the Locum tenens salary calculator to see how even a small increase in the locum pay rate can make a big difference.

New to locum tenens? Check out my complete guide for newbies!

What affects locum tenens hospitalist hourly rate?

Intrinsic factors that affect the locum tenens hospitalist hourly rate include facility location, as well the shift type. Although eventually, it all boils down to supply vs. demand.

From lower to higher pay rate:

1 – Location: Urban vs rural area

2 – Type of shift: Daytime vs Swing vs Night

3 – ICU set up – closed ICU vs open ICU.

4 – Government vs private facility

So at the low end of the spectrum (e.g. prestigious tertiary center in the big city), pay could be as little as $130/hr.

At the high end of the spectrum, e.g. night shifts at a rural hospital in South Dakota with ICU coverage, pay could be as much as $200+/hr.

There are always exceptions, and the pay can be even higher at a facility that is desperate to fill a position.

Although, these “gigs” tend to be short-lived and won’t affect your bottom line significantly. Whether you want to work at the “desperate” hospital or not is a different story; it depends on the hospitalist lifestyle you’re after

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• Jumpstart your Locums Career!
• Sign up for my coaching to access:

• Top Gigs
• Top Pay
• Unique resources
• No stress

Learn more

Locum tenens hospitalist pay in different US regions.

Now, there are also regional variations, and that’s why I strongly encourage you to talk to your colleagues who are currently working locum tenens in your region/state to see what their locums hospitalist salary experience has been.

From what I’ve encountered, the highest pay rates I was offered were consistently in the Southwest region; the lowest were in the Northeast.

Again, a rural NY job with open ICU will definitely command higher pay compared to a downtown tertiary center in Minneapolis with no ICU or procedure requirements.

If you want to learn more about how much locum hospitalists get paid in different regions, check out the special report I’ve created.

Click Here to download it.

Another important exception is government facilities (VA, Indian Tribal Health, etc). From my observation, they tend to pay 10-30% less and the credentialing process is longer. On the upside, you can have any state license and work in all 50 states’ government-run hospitals and clinics.

Average pay for locum tenens hospitalist across the US

The overallaverage pay for a locum tenens hospitalist is around $160/hr for the day rounding shifts. I’ve personally never accepted anything less than $150/hr. However, if you are offered $130/hr for a very comfortable job at the hospital across the street, I would say, go for it. I’ve just never been that lucky.

Finally, when planning your locum tenens job location and target hospitalist salary, consider the state income tax burden (don’t forget to use my locum tenens tax calculator), e.g., given the same pay rate while working in CA or NY, hospitalists will have a lower bottom line compared to no income tax states like WA, FL, and TX.

If you’re interested in information about other specialities, please check out my guides that reveal pay-rates, pros and cons, demand for specialties and other crucial data here:

Locum Tenens Neurology Guide.

Locum Tenens Psychiatry Guide

Locum Tenens Urology Guide

Locum Tenens Dentistry Guide