Locum Physician Compensation in Tennessee
Survey benchmarks by specialty and facility setting. Compact state — multi-state license eligible.
Tennessee — 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 Tennessee
Urban median hourly rate
| Specialty | Urban Median |
|---|---|
| Hematology-Oncology | $476/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $460/hr |
| Radiology | $442/hr |
| Urology | $434/hr |
| Pain Management | $404/hr |
Tennessee Market Overview
No state income tax. Tennessee does not tax earned income. At a $200/hr locum rate, your take-home advantage over a 10% state tax state is approximately $20/hr before federal taxes.
Tennessee has a strong physician market anchored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Memphis. HCA Healthcare, headquartered in Nashville, operates numerous facilities statewide and is a large locum employer. Rural Appalachian counties in eastern Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau have persistent shortages for primary care and emergency medicine. Nashville's rapid population growth and status as a healthcare industry headquarters create above-average urban demand and market-rate sensitivity.
Licensing: Tennessee participates in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). A compact license held in another state can be used in Tennessee without a separate TN license application.