Psychiatry Locum Tenens Rates
The national urban median for Psychiatry locum work is $214/hr. The middle 50% of benchmarked rates spans $195–$237/hr.
Psychiatry Locum Rate Benchmarks
Locum market rates, 2026.
P25
$195/hr
Median
$214/hr
P75
$237/hr
P90
$265/hr
Based on BLS OEWS public data and CMS geographic adjustments, processed through the LocumRates model.
Psychiatry Rates by Region and Setting
| Region | Setting | P25 | Median | P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | Urban Hospital | $186/hr | $203/hr | $226/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $230/hr | $251/hr | $279/hr | |
| Midwest | Urban Hospital | $207/hr | $227/hr | $251/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $256/hr | $280/hr | $311/hr | |
| South | Urban Hospital | $186/hr | $204/hr | $226/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $230/hr | $252/hr | $280/hr | |
| Southeast | Urban Hospital | $172/hr | $189/hr | $210/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $213/hr | $233/hr | $259/hr | |
| West | Urban Hospital | $184/hr | $201/hr | $223/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $227/hr | $248/hr | $276/hr | |
| Southwest | Urban Hospital | $197/hr | $215/hr | $239/hr |
| Rural Critical Access Rural / CAH | $243/hr | $266/hr | $295/hr |
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Psychiatry Locum 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 toolkit — 50-state rate tables, exact recruiter
scripts, contract protection, credentialing, and a first-offer-to-final-shift playbook.
What Affects Psychiatry Locum Pay
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
Psychiatry Contract Terms to Review
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
Exact recruiter scripts, 50-state rate tables at P25/50/75/90, specialty leverage,
contract and malpractice protection, credentialing, and first-shift guidance.
$99 one-time.
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