Explore emergency medicine physician salary ranges, shift-based hourly rates, and how locum tenens work changes earning potential.
Emergency medicine physicians earn between $275,000 and $430,000 annually across major benchmarks, with significant variation based on shift structure, setting, and whether the physician works locum tenens assignments.
| Source | What it Measures | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024 (SOC 29-1041) | Mean annual wage | $275,110 |
| Medscape Physician Compensation Report (2025) | Average total compensation | $352,000 |
| Doximity Physician Compensation Report (2025) | Median total compensation | $380,456 |
| SalaryDr (April 2026) | Median verified compensation | $400,000 |
| Marit Health (2025) | Median compensation | $430,000 |
Emergency medicine is one of the most shift-flexible specialties in medicine. That flexibility is exactly what makes locum tenens such a natural fit for EM physicians.
Emergency medicine is inherently shift-based, making the hourly rate the most meaningful compensation metric for comparing W-2 and locum roles.
| Compensation Type | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| W-2 employed (BLS mean) | ~$132 /hr |
| Locum tenens — lower band | $225 /hr |
| Locum tenens — upper band | $275 /hr |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 29-1041; Barton Associates market data 2025–2026.
The locum premium in emergency medicine is structural, not incidental. Facilities pay above W-2 equivalents because they need coverage on short notice and cannot always maintain full-time staffing.
Emergency medicine pay is driven by shift coverage demand and facility type. Trauma centers, rural critical access hospitals, and high-volume urban EDs all create different compensation dynamics.
Rural and critical access hospitals pay the highest locum premiums because they have the fewest alternatives when a shift goes uncovered.
A standard full-time EM physician works 120 to 144 clinical hours per month across 10 to 12-hour shifts. The ACEP Workforce Report projects a shortage of 2,400 to 3,800 emergency physicians by 2030, driven by growing ED volumes and uneven distribution of physicians across rural and urban markets.
Locum rates range from $225 to $275 per hour. The four scenarios below use representative rates from within that band.
To exceed $500,000: target trauma center coverage, night and weekend shifts at the top of the rate band, and hard-to-staff rural markets.
Emergency medicine offers one of the clearest paths to income growth through locum work because the specialty is already shift-based. Adding locum shifts requires no structural change to how the physician practices.
A $250/hr locum rate versus a $132/hr W-2 equivalent is a meaningful structural advantage. 1099 EM 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 $275,110 (BLS mean) and $430,000 (Marit Health median). Physician-reported benchmarks from Doximity ($380,456) and Medscape ($352,000) reflect total compensation including shift differentials and bonuses.
W-2 employed EM physicians average approximately $132 per hour based on BLS data. Locum tenens rates range from $225 to $275 per hour, with the top of the band reserved for trauma center and hard-to-fill rural coverage.
Yes. Full-time locum roles can reach approximately $445,200 annually at $265/hr working 14 shifts per month. Hybrid models combining employed income with regular locum shifts can push total compensation above $500,000.
Wyoming ($356,340), North Dakota ($343,250), Montana ($338,190), Nebraska ($331,870), and South Dakota ($328,450) lead BLS state data. Rural and critical access hospitals pay the highest premiums.
Tell us a bit about yourself to get started — we’ll match you with the right opportunities.
