Explore family medicine physician salary ranges, hourly rates, and how locum tenens work changes earning potential.
Family medicine physicians earn between $214,000 and $280,000 annually across major benchmarks, with meaningful variation based on practice setting, panel size, and whether the physician works locum tenens assignments.
| Source | What it Measures | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024 (SOC 29-1215) | Mean annual wage | $214,370 |
| Medscape Physician Compensation Report (2025) | Average total compensation | $255,000 |
| Doximity Physician Compensation Report (2025) | Median total compensation | $262,000 |
| SalaryDr (April 2026) | Median verified compensation | $270,000 |
| Marit Health (2025) | Median compensation | $280,000 |
Family medicine is the most widely distributed primary care specialty in the country. The locum market is deep because coverage gaps exist in nearly every rural and underserved market.
| Compensation Type | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| W-2 employed (BLS mean) | ~$103 /hr |
| Locum tenens — lower band | $125 /hr |
| Locum tenens — upper band | $175 /hr |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 29-1215; Barton Associates market data 2025–2026.
Family medicine locum premiums are highest in rural and underserved markets where the physician shortage is most acute.
Family medicine pay is driven by supply-demand imbalance, not cost of living. Rural and underserved markets consistently outpay urban academic centers for both permanent and locum coverage.
HRSA designates more than 7,200 primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas across the country. Family medicine locum demand is structural, not cyclical.
A standard full-time family medicine physician sees 18 to 24 patients per day across a 40 to 45-hour clinical week, with additional time for documentation, care coordination, and administrative work. Urgent care and rural health clinic settings often have higher patient volumes and correspondingly higher locum rates.
Locum rates range from $125 to $175 per hour. The four scenarios below use representative rates from within that band.
To exceed $350,000: target rural health clinics, FQHC coverage, and urgent care assignments at the top of the rate band.
Family medicine locum income scales with market scarcity. Rural and HPSA-designated markets consistently command the highest rates.
A $150/hr locum rate versus a $103/hr W-2 equivalent is a meaningful structural advantage. 1099 family medicine physicians unlock business deductions across licensing, CME, travel, and equipment; higher retirement contributions through a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k); the Qualified Business Income deduction of up to 20%; and S-corp structuring at higher income levels. Barton partners with Earned to help locum physicians navigate these decisions.
Barton coordinates your job search from start to finish!
We’ll schedule a phone consultation to discuss your interests, goals, and work history to find the right opportunities.
Your Barton rep will submit your information to the facility you want to take an assignment at and work on next steps.
Barton handles licensing, credentialing, and travel arrangements before you arrive so you’re ready on day one.
Most earn between $214,370 (BLS mean) and $280,000 (Marit Health median). Physician-reported benchmarks from Doximity ($262,000) and Medscape ($255,000) reflect total compensation including bonuses and incentive pay.
W-2 employed family medicine physicians average approximately $103 per hour based on BLS data. Locum tenens rates range from $125 to $175 per hour, with the top of the band reserved for rural and HPSA-designated market coverage.
Yes. Full-time locum roles can reach approximately $316,800 annually at $165/hr working 16 shifts per month. Hybrid models combining employed income with regular locum shifts can push total compensation above $334,000.
Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, and other rural states consistently lead BLS state data. HRSA-designated Health Professional Shortage Areas pay the highest locum premiums.
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