Locum Physician Compensation in Washington
Survey benchmarks by specialty and facility setting. Compact state — multi-state license eligible.
Washington — Benchmark Rates by Specialty
Median hourly rates in $/hr. Region: West.
| Specialty | Urban Hospital — MedianUrban Median | Rural / Critical Access — MedianRural Median |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | $358/hr | $414/hr |
| Cardiology | $302/hr | $263/hr |
| Dermatology | $364/hr | $317/hr |
| Emergency Medicine | $258/hr | $280/hr |
| Family Medicine | $149/hr | $172/hr |
| Gastroenterology | $380/hr | $397/hr |
| General Surgery | $322/hr | $280/hr |
| Hematology-Oncology | $398/hr | $416/hr |
| Hospitalist | $194/hr | $224/hr |
| Internal Medicine | $153/hr | $172/hr |
| Neonatology | $226/hr | $269/hr |
| Neurology | $295/hr | $325/hr |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | $290/hr | $327/hr |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $421/hr | $366/hr |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) | $351/hr | $367/hr |
| Pain Management | $391/hr | $409/hr |
| Pathology | $352/hr | $307/hr |
| Pediatrics | $152/hr | $168/hr |
| Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | $210/hr | $219/hr |
| Psychiatry | $201/hr | $248/hr |
| Radiology | $432/hr | $376/hr |
| Urology | $351/hr | $368/hr |
Highest-Paying Specialties in Washington
Urban median hourly rate
| Specialty | Urban Median |
|---|---|
| Dermatology | $471/hr |
| Radiology | $405/hr |
| Pain Management | $402/hr |
| Anesthesiology | $389/hr |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $383/hr |
Washington Market Overview
No state income tax. Washington 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.
Washington has a strong and growing physician market anchored by UW Medicine and Providence Health in Seattle and MultiCare Health System in Tacoma. Eastern Washington, the Olympic Peninsula, and rural northeast Washington face persistent physician shortages, with many communities relying on locum physicians for primary care and emergency coverage. Seattle's technology industry-driven cost of living places it among the highest urban locum markets in the Pacific Northwest. The state's compact participation facilitates physician travel from Oregon and Idaho for rural and border-area coverage.
Licensing: Washington participates in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). A compact license held in another state can be used in Washington without a separate WA license application.