Neurologist Salary Guide

The average annual neurologist salary is $255,510 per year in the U.S., according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, neurologists make a total of $313,000 per year, according to Medscape’s 2023 neurologist compensation report.  

Locum tenens neurologists can make up to $250 per hour on average, however, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate that rate over a year (at 40 hours per week), the average locum salary comes out to around $520,000. 

That means locum tenens neurologists can make up to 66% more than the average provider. However, making direct salary comparisons can be complicated. While perm neurologists are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens neurologists are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year. 

Furthermore, because locum tenens neurologists are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried neurologist’s additional hours may not be reflected in their salary.

Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm neurologists salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance. 

The most recent state breakdown of neurologists salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the BLS was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states. That said, the top 5 highest paying states for neurologists salary are:

• Delaware 
• Kentucky 
• Louisiana
• Maine 
• New Hampshire 

Neurologists are in the bottom half of the 30+ physician specialties surveyed in the Medscape 2023 compensation report. The top five specialties (plastic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, gastroenterology) all reported annual income of greater than $500,000.

That being said, neurologists were among the list of physician specialists that experienced an increase in compensation from 2022 to 2023. 

Neurologists salaries have increased over the past few years, with a 37% increase in compensation since 2015. Compensation for neurologists increased 4% from 2022 to 2023, and if that trend continues, neurologists can expect to make an average of $325,520 in annual salary in 2024. Based on this data, neurologists have the opportunity to earn substantial income for years to come, making this a lucrative specialty.