Physician Pay · EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Emergency Medicine pay: locum, telehealth, per diem & consulting rates (2026)
Real data on what emergency medicine physicians earn across every type of physician work. Tell us yours, and we'll show you what direct looks like.
What we hear from emergency medicine physicians
EM physicians tell us facility bill rates run $400–$450/hr in most markets, while agencies pay out around $275–$300/hr after their spread. Direct rates we've seen on Saile run higher because there's no middleman. The actual number depends on acuity, volume, and geography — rural critical access often pays the highest direct rates.
The Spread
What your staffing agency isn't telling you
When a facility pays a markup rate for your shift, where does the difference go? It's not malpractice. It's not credentialing. It's the spread — the gap between what the facility is billed and what you take home. Most agencies will never show you the bill rate. We will.
Facility pays
$420/hr
You receive
$300/hr
Agency keeps
$120/hr
Example based on typical community ED locum coverage rates. Your number is probably different. Submit it below and we'll show you where you fall.
Help us expose locum tenens markup
Anonymous. Takes 30 seconds. The more physicians tell us, the better we can call out who's taking what.
How Saile works
01 · Upload once
Credentials, licenses, DEA — all in one profile.
02 · Match direct
Facilities reach you directly. No recruiter.
03 · Keep the spread
No 30–50% agency markup. Ever.
Frequently asked questions
How much do emergency physicians make as locums? +
Locum EM physicians typically earn $250–$400/hr depending on acuity and geography. Direct rates on Saile can run higher because there's no agency markup.
What do staffing agencies take from EM placements? +
EM agency spreads commonly run 25–35% of the facility bill rate — often $100–$150/hr per shift kept by the agency.
Can EM physicians work locum without an agency? +
Yes. Saile connects EM physicians directly with EDs, freestanding ERs, and urgent care groups — no agency, no non-compete.
Are there per diem ED shifts on Saile? +
Yes. Per diem ED, freestanding ER, and urgent care shifts post regularly. Create a profile to see what's live in your market.
Built by physicians. For physicians.
Direct shifts. Transparent rates. No middleman.
Related specialties
Family Medicine·Hematology Oncology·Hospitalist Medicine·Internal Medicine