Locum Physician Compensation in South Carolina
Survey benchmarks by specialty and facility setting.
South Carolina — Benchmark Rates by Specialty
Median hourly rates in $/hr. Region: Southeast.
| Specialty | Urban Hospital — MedianUrban Median | Rural / Critical Access — MedianRural Median |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | $350/hr | $404/hr |
| Cardiology | $367/hr | $319/hr |
| Dermatology | $336/hr | $292/hr |
| Emergency Medicine | $260/hr | $282/hr |
| Family Medicine | $146/hr | $169/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $433/hr | $453/hr |
| General Surgery | $371/hr | $323/hr |
| Hematology-Oncology | $449/hr | $469/hr |
| Hospitalist | $201/hr | $232/hr |
| Internal Medicine | $157/hr | $176/hr |
| Neonatology | $217/hr | $259/hr |
| Neurology | $298/hr | $328/hr |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | $268/hr | $302/hr |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $448/hr | $389/hr |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) | $400/hr | $419/hr |
| Pain Management | $376/hr | $393/hr |
| Pathology | $355/hr | $309/hr |
| Pediatrics | $153/hr | $169/hr |
| Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | $201/hr | $211/hr |
| Psychiatry | $189/hr | $233/hr |
| Radiology | $413/hr | $359/hr |
| Urology | $392/hr | $410/hr |
Highest-Paying Specialties in South Carolina
Urban median hourly rate
| Specialty | Urban Median |
|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgery | $568/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $541/hr |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) | $490/hr |
| Urology | $487/hr |
| Hematology-Oncology | $464/hr |
South Carolina Market Overview
State income tax: 6% top marginal rate.
South Carolina's physician market has strong urban anchors in Charleston (MUSC Health) and Greenville (Prisma Health), with the rapidly growing Myrtle Beach coast adding seasonal demand. The Pee Dee region in the northeast, the rural Lowcountry, and Orangeburg County are federally designated physician shortage areas with high locum dependency for primary care and emergency medicine. Coastal retirement community growth is creating expanded demand for internal medicine and cardiology locum coverage beyond traditional shortage patterns.
Licensing: South Carolina does not participate in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). A separate South Carolina medical license is required to practice in the state.