Psychiatry Locum Compensation Benchmarks

Based on BLS OEWS public data and CMS geographic adjustment factors, processed through a locum-adjusted model, calibrated and validated against publicly posted rates and observations.

Psychiatry — National Benchmark

Locum market rates, 2026.

P25

$195/hr

Median

$214/hr

P75

$237/hr

P90

$265/hr

Regional Estimates

Psychiatry hourly rate benchmarks by region and setting
Region	Setting	P25	Median	P75
Northeast	Urban Hospital	$186/hr	$203/hr	$226/hr
Northeast	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$230/hr	$251/hr	$279/hr
Midwest	Urban Hospital	$207/hr	$227/hr	$251/hr
Midwest	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$256/hr	$280/hr	$311/hr
South	Urban Hospital	$186/hr	$204/hr	$226/hr
South	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$230/hr	$252/hr	$280/hr
Southeast	Urban Hospital	$172/hr	$189/hr	$210/hr
Southeast	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$213/hr	$233/hr	$259/hr
West	Urban Hospital	$184/hr	$201/hr	$223/hr
West	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$227/hr	$248/hr	$276/hr
Southwest	Urban Hospital	$197/hr	$215/hr	$239/hr
Southwest	Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH	$243/hr	$266/hr	$295/hr

Rate Evaluator

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Market Overview

Psychiatry has the most severe locum shortage of any specialty, driven by a decades-long undersupply of psychiatrists relative to national mental health demand. Rural and critical access settings pay significantly above market to attract any coverage. Telepsychiatry has reshaped the market — many locum psychiatrists cover multiple sites remotely.

Most severe national shortage of any specialty — rural facilities will meet your stated rate
Telepsychiatry accepted at many sites, enabling multi-site income from a single location
Child and adolescent subspecialty doubles available assignment categories and rate ceiling
No state income tax states (TX, TN, FL) significantly improve effective take-home on locum income

Get the full Psychiatry negotiation toolkit — 50-state rate tables, word-for-word recruiter scripts, and contract red flag checklist.

Get the Toolkit — $99 →

Key Leverage Points

Urban Hospital

Inpatient and ED coverage capability commands a premium over outpatient-only psychiatrists
Child and adolescent subspecialty training doubles the pool of available assignments
Addiction medicine certification significantly increases your leverage at urban facilities
Weekend and holiday coverage is undersubscribed — use this to negotiate a rate bump

Rural Critical Access

Rural psychiatry is a sellers market — most facilities will meet your rate rather than go without
Telepsychiatry hybrid arrangements (some remote, some onsite) can increase total weekly earnings
Forensic or geriatric training opens niche high-rate assignment categories
Travel, housing, and licensing fees are standard coverage — always confirm in writing

Contract Review Checklist

Items to review carefully before signing

Patient panel size not specified — unlimited new intakes at an inpatient unit is unsustainable
Telepsychiatry rate equal to in-person rate — remote coverage should carry a different rate structure
No coverage for state licensing fees in non-compact states — this can cost $500–1,500 per state
On-call obligation not defined — psychiatric emergencies after hours must have a rate

Psychiatry Negotiation Toolkit

Word-for-word scripts for every recruiter objection, 50-state rate tables at P25/50/75/90, leverage points by credential and shift type, and a contract red flag checklist. $99 one-time.