In partnership with Marit Health
In partnership with Marit Health
Avg. total comp — 375 reported salaries, Marit Health, Sep 2026
Barton's 2026 cardiology locum rate guide (≈$235–$430/hr equivalent)
Full-time locum tenens cardiologists, annualized
There is no longer one standard path for building a successful career in cardiology.
A permanent position still offers what many cardiologists value: predictable compensation, employer-sponsored benefits, continuity with one organization, and opportunities to build a service line or move into leadership. Locum tenens offers a different set of advantages, including greater control over schedule and location, the ability to earn additional income, and the freedom to experience different practice environments.
For some cardiologists, the answer is one or the other. Increasingly, there is also a third option: both.
Marit Health and Barton Associates are putting compensation and locum tenens market data side by side to help cardiologists understand the economics behind each path and decide what fits their career and life.
Cardiologists have unusual leverage right now. Compensation is climbing, demand is structurally strong, and a meaningful share of the current workforce is approaching retirement — all while the supply pipeline stays fixed.
Average full-time cardiologist total compensation, based on 375 reported salaries
Projected patient-to-cardiologist ratio by 2035, up from 1:1,087 in 2025
Projected annual reduction in cardiologist supply by 2031 from retirements and fixed fellowship output
Or slightly over one in four practicing cardiologists are age 61 or older
Average cardiology wait time — a 26% increase since 2017
Annual range for full-time locum tenens cardiologists, depending on subspecialty, geography, and hours worked
The short version: demand is rising while the supply pipeline stays constrained. That combination is giving cardiologists more room to negotiate pay, schedule, call structure, geography, and whether they work as employees, independent contractors, or some mix of both.
According to industry reports, about 35% to 41% of all eligible U.S. physicians have experience working locum tenens positions during their careers, with over 60% open to or actively planning locum work.
Locum tenens physicians play a vital role in keeping care available when and where patients need it most. In cardiology, where demand is growing and specialized expertise can be difficult to replace, that role becomes even more critical. Locum tenens gives cardiologists the opportunity to bring their skills to communities that need them while building a career with greater choice over when, where, and how they practice.
Cardiologists are in demand right now, and that gives them options. Whether that means a permanent role, locum work, or some combination, the decision comes down to more than the salary line. Schedule, benefits, call, and how much flexibility the role offers all factor in. The data is there so physicians can weigh the trade-offs against the market instead of guessing.
Neither model is strictly better — they package income, risk, and flexibility differently.
Four categories where permanent and locum cardiology diverge most: compensation, schedule, benefits and taxes, and career mobility.
Compensation estimates vary widely depending on the source and exactly what's being measured — employer wages, total comp, productivity-driven pay, or self-reported earnings:
Marit Health, Sep 2026
Medscape, 2025
Doximity, 2025
MedAxiom, cardiovascular programs
Illustrative scenarios, not guarantees — but they show why hybrid schedules are gaining traction.
There is no single “cardiologist salary,” just as there is no universal locum tenens rate. Compensation varies significantly by subspecialty, geography, call expectations, procedures, productivity, experience, and practice setting. Different industry surveys also measure compensation differently, which makes direct comparisons difficult. That is why cardiologists should look beyond a single annual salary number.
For locum tenens, the same principle applies. Rates can vary based on assignment location, urgency, subspecialty, schedule, call responsibilities, procedures, and other assignment-specific factors.
Share of physicians citing each factor as a top priority in locum assignments
For many physicians, compensation gets them interested in locum tenens. Control can be what keeps them there. Locum tenens allows physicians to decide which opportunities they want to consider based on factors such as assignment dates, location, schedule, call expectations, and clinical environment. That can make locums useful at several career stages. An early-career cardiologist may use assignments to experience different practice settings before making a long-term commitment. A mid-career physician may add select assignments around an existing role. A physician approaching retirement may choose to continue practicing without maintaining a traditional full-time schedule. The value is optionality.
This is one of the most important differences to understand before comparing compensation.
Permanent physicians commonly receive employer-sponsored benefits such as health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, disability coverage, and other benefits. Those benefits have economic value beyond base salary.
Locum tenens physicians working as independent contractors generally take greater responsibility for managing their own taxes and benefits. That means a $600,000 W-2 salary and $600,000 in 1099 gross income should not be treated as financially equivalent.
Independent contractors may be responsible for self-employment taxes and their own insurance and retirement planning. At the same time, many locum tenens physicians make smart tax and financial moves throughout the year to significantly keep more of what they earn and build wealth.
Cardiologists considering locum tenens should evaluate gross compensation alongside taxes, insurance, retirement savings, unpaid time off, and other expenses, ideally with a qualified tax or financial professional.
Permanent employment can be particularly valuable for cardiologists who want to build deep roots within one organization, develop a program, pursue leadership, or establish long-term continuity within a community.
Locum tenens offers a different type of career capital. Physicians can experience different patient populations, hospital environments, geographic markets, schedules, and clinical teams without making the same long-term commitment required by a permanent move.
That can reduce one of the biggest risks in a physician career decision: committing to a job, location, or practice environment before knowing whether it actually fits.
Where a cardiologist practices moves the number almost as much as subspecialty does.
Cardiologist salaries are highest in the Plains region at $771,000. The West & Pacific Islands ($655,000) and Great Lakes ($653,500) regions follow close behind, with the Northeast at $612,000. The Southwest region reports the lowest average at $502,500.
Rural areas pay more: cardiologists there earn $706,500 on average, compared with $661,500 in small metros, $635,500 in large metros, and $596,500 in mega metros.
Based on anonymous salaries shared on Marit Health, September 2026.
Compensation is only one measure of a career. Cardiologists rate their pay satisfaction 3.52 out of 5, near the middle among physician specialties. At the same time, 91% say they would choose cardiology again.
That gap is part of the context for any career decision. Strong commitment to the specialty sits alongside a real call and workload burden, which is one reason schedule and flexibility can carry as much weight as the salary line.
There is no single "locum physician." Cardiologists can use locums differently depending on where they are in their careers.
You have finished years of training, but you are not ready to assume your first job has to become your forever job. Locum tenens can provide exposure to different organizations, patient populations, schedules, and regions before making a longer-term commitment.
You have an established career but want another lever for increasing income. Selective locum assignments can potentially supplement an existing schedule without requiring a full career change.
You still want to practice medicine. You may simply want more influence over how much of your life your schedule controls. Locum tenens can allow physicians to evaluate opportunities based on dates, location, call requirements, and assignment structure.
Stepping away from full-time employment does not have to mean stepping away from medicine entirely. Locum tenens can offer experienced cardiologists a way to continue practicing on a more selective schedule while bringing deeply needed expertise to healthcare organizations.
Instead of asking whether permanent employment or locum tenens is "better," start with what matters most to you.
Your answers split fairly evenly between security and flexibility. A permanent base with selective locum days is worth exploring.
The economics of permanent versus locum cardiology extend well beyond salary.
Permanent employment can offer stability, benefits, institutional continuity, and a clear organizational path. Locum tenens can offer greater control over schedule and geography, access to different practice environments, and another way to turn highly specialized expertise into earning potential.
And in today’s cardiology market, physicians do not necessarily have to choose one model for the rest of their careers.
The better question is: What do you want your career to give you next?
See how your permanent cardiology compensation compares with real-world salary data.
See current cardiology opportunities or talk with a Barton team member about what a locum tenens career could look like for you.
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