Urgent Care Locum Compensation Benchmarks
Survey data by region and facility setting. Source: BLS OEWS, AMN Healthcare, CHG Healthcare. For informational purposes only.
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Compare to Market Data →Regional Benchmark Data
P25 / Median / P75 hourly rates in $/hr
| Region | Setting | P25 | Median | P75 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | Urban Hospital | $130 | $152 | $178 | BLS OEWS 2024 + AMN Healthcare 2025 Survey |
| Rural Critical Access | $142 | $168 | $198 | BLS OEWS 2024 + CHG Healthcare 2025 Survey | |
| Midwest | Urban Hospital | $118 | $140 | $162 | BLS OEWS 2024 + AMN Healthcare 2025 Survey |
| Rural Critical Access | $130 | $155 | $182 | BLS OEWS 2024 + CHG Healthcare 2025 Survey | |
| South | Urban Hospital | $112 | $132 | $155 | BLS OEWS 2024 + AMN Healthcare 2025 Survey |
| Rural Critical Access | $125 | $148 | $175 | BLS OEWS 2024 + Weatherby Healthcare 2025 | |
| West | Urban Hospital | $138 | $162 | $190 | BLS OEWS 2024 + AMN Healthcare 2025 Survey |
| Rural Critical Access | $150 | $178 | $210 | BLS OEWS 2024 + CHG Healthcare 2025 Survey |
Market Overview
Urgent care is a fast-growing locum segment distinct from emergency medicine. Corporate urgent care chains (FastMed, CityMD, MinuteClinic) regularly use locum physicians for site coverage. Rates are lower than EM but the practice environment is less intense. Double-shifts at a single site are common.
Key Leverage Points
Urban Hospital
- Same-day availability commands a premium at high-volume urban urgent care sites
- Experience with corporate urgent care chains (CityMD, Concentra) reduces onboarding friction
- Occupational medicine certification opens additional employer-contracted site opportunities
- Double-shift availability (16 hours) at a single site is attractive to facility managers
Rural Critical Access
- Rural urgent care is often the only access point — high leverage position
- Breadth of acute care (minor trauma, laceration repair, pediatrics) is required
- Evening and weekend coverage is chronically undersubscribed in rural markets
- Travel and housing are standard; negotiate for consistent schedule over ad-hoc coverage
Contract Review Checklist
Items to review carefully before signing
- Patient volume guarantees not specified — high-volume sites without staffing support are exhausting
- Radiology interpretation responsibility without radiologist backup — confirm coverage
- Non-physician supervision of PAs/NPs not explicitly agreed to — clarify scope
- Equipment and formulary limitations not disclosed — rural sites may lack standard medications
Urgent Care Negotiation Toolkit
Expanded benchmark tables, sample negotiation language, contract review checklist, and state-by-state take-home comparisons. One-time purchase.
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