Locum Physician Compensation in New Jersey
Survey benchmarks by specialty and facility setting. Compact state — multi-state license eligible.
New Jersey — Benchmark Rates by Specialty
Median hourly rates in $/hr. Region: Northeast.
| Specialty | Urban Hospital — MedianUrban Median | Rural / Critical Access — MedianRural Median |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | $325/hr | $375/hr |
| Cardiology | $307/hr | $267/hr |
| Dermatology | $317/hr | $276/hr |
| Emergency Medicine | $251/hr | $272/hr |
| Family Medicine | $143/hr | $165/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $355/hr | $371/hr |
| General Surgery | $341/hr | $296/hr |
| Hematology-Oncology | $347/hr | $363/hr |
| Hospitalist | $176/hr | $203/hr |
| Internal Medicine | $146/hr | $165/hr |
| Neonatology | $198/hr | $236/hr |
| Neurology | $253/hr | $279/hr |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | $287/hr | $324/hr |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $433/hr | $377/hr |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) | $349/hr | $366/hr |
| Pain Management | $343/hr | $358/hr |
| Pathology | $363/hr | $316/hr |
| Pediatrics | $156/hr | $172/hr |
| Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | $184/hr | $192/hr |
| Psychiatry | $203/hr | $251/hr |
| Radiology | $412/hr | $358/hr |
| Urology | $332/hr | $347/hr |
Highest-Paying Specialties in New Jersey
Urban median hourly rate
| Specialty | Urban Median |
|---|---|
| Urology | $468/hr |
| Hematology-Oncology | $463/hr |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $436/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $424/hr |
| Radiology | $414/hr |
New Jersey Market Overview
State income tax: 10.75% top marginal rate. New Jersey is among the highest state tax states nationally. Factor this into net rate comparisons with no-tax states (TX, FL, WA, WY, NV, SD, AK, TN, NH).
New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the US, with a physician market defined by its proximity to the New York City and Philadelphia metros. RWJBarnabas Health, Hackensack Meridian Health, and Atlantic Health System are the dominant in-state networks. Despite high physician density overall, community hospitals in southern New Jersey (particularly Cape May and Cumberland counties) and rural areas routinely recruit locum physicians for specialty gaps. New Jersey's high cost of living places baseline locum rates among the highest on the East Coast.
Licensing: New Jersey participates in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). A compact license held in another state can be used in New Jersey without a separate NJ license application.