If you’ve ever–or let’s face it, often–wondered how your salary stacks up to what other doctors are earning, you’re not alone. Compensation-related questions are among the most common our Nomad Navigators receive.
Particularly when it comes to the medical field where salaries vary greatly by specialty, we feel strongly that that kind of information should be clear and transparent. In fact, we’re proud to say we’re the first physician job search site to show your pay upfront.
This in mind, we thought it might be helpful to share a breakdown of the average income for both permanent and locum tenens jobs by speciality. A few things to know out of the gate:
The mean salary of a doctor in the United States is $299,000/year according to a new Medscape Report.
However, doctor salaries vary based on location and specialty. For instance, neurosurgeons make the most per year on average at $663K, while a Pediatric Infectious Disease doctor makes $192K. But one thing is for sure – locum tenens medical professionals can expect to make 30-50% more than a permanent position.
In this article, we break down the average doctor salaries by specialty and compare that to an estimated locum tenens salary to show how much more you could be making through locum tenens work.
Doctor Salaries and Locum Tenens Salaries
Locum tenens medical professionals can expect to make between 30-50% more than a permanent position.
In the table below, we compare the national average annual salary by specialty and the estimated locum tenens salary a doctor could make.
| List of Doctor Specialties | National Average Salary¹ | Locums Tenens Salary² |
| Anesthesiology | $409,000 | $531,700 |
| Cardiology | $473,000 | $614,900 |
| Colon & Rectal Surgery | $380,000 | $494,000 |
| Dermatology | $434,000 | $564,200 |
| Emergency Medicine | $336,000 | $436,800 |
| Endocrinology | $266,000 | $345,800 |
| Family Medicine | $241,000 | $313,300 |
| Gastroenterology | $456,000 | $592,800 |
| General Surgery | $382,000 | $496,600 |
| Geriatrics | $245,000 | $318,500 |
| Hematology | $372,000 | $483,600 |
| Infectious Disease | $265,000 | $344,500 |
| Internal Medicine | $260,000 | $338,700 |
| Medical Genetics | $247,000 | $321,100 |
| Medicine/Pediatrics | $232,000 | $301,600 |
| Neurology | $286,000 | $371,800 |
| Neurosurgery | $662,755 | $809,581 |
| Occupational Medicine | $290,000 | $377,000 |
| Oncology | $404,000 | $525,200 |
| Ophthalmology | $391,000 | $508,300 |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | $537,568 | $698,838 |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) | $431,000 | $560,300 |
| Pediatric Cardiology | $283,000 | $367,900 |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine | $274,000 | $356,200 |
| Pediatric Endocrinology | $214,911 | $279,384 |
| Pediatric Gastroenterology | $255,000 | $331,500 |
| Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology | $208,524 | $271,081 |
| Pediatric Infectious Disease | $191,735 | $249,255 |
| Pediatrics | $221,900 | $288,470 |
| Physical Medicine / Rehab | $304,000 | $395,200 |
| Plastic Surgery | $473,212 | $615,175 |
| Preventive Medicine | $231,838 | $301,389 |
| Psychiatry | $268,000 | $348,400 |
| Pulmonology | $354,000 | $460,200 |
| Radiation Oncology | $468,000 | $608,400 |
| Radiology | $431,000 | $560,300 |
| Rheumatology | $270,000 | $351,000 |
| Thoracic Surgery | $602,745 | $783,568 |
| Urology | $427,000 | $555,100 |
| Vascular Surgery | $476,300 | $619,190 |
1. Data from Doximity Report
2. Based on 30% average increase
Working locum tenens allows doctors to work when and where they want while also getting paid a premium. Since locum tenens work is so flexible, many full-time doctors actually do locum tenens work on the side as supplemental income to their primary job.
If this chart inspired you to look for a locum tenens job, you can start your search here!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Nomad Navigators team.
Good luck!
The Nomad Team
nomadhealth.com
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