Locum Tenens Stats
- 41% of physicians have worked locums at some point.
- The locum tenens staffing market will reach $13.5 billion in 2026.
- The U.S. accounted for 49% of the global locum tenens staffing market.
- A vacancy can cost hospitals $130,000 per month.
- 80% of healthcare organizations plan to maintain or boost locum tenens usage.
- 26% of physicians are “very or extremely interested” in locums work.
- 56% of physicians discovered locums by working with locums.
- Approximately 57,000 physicians now work locums.
- Employment for nurse practitioners will grow 40.9% through 2034.
A Mainstream Choice for Physicians
Working locum tenens used to be a path only a small group of healthcare providers pursued. As more of these professionals looked for ways to have more say over their schedules, workloads, and careers, locums jobs have become more common. In 2016, 20% of physicians worked a locums contract. As of 2025, a survey revealed that 41% of physicians had taken the path at some point.
The increase is unsurprising because the differences between locum tenens and permanent positions are stark.
- Work-Life Balance: Full-time doctors follow a consistent schedule with stricter PTO policies. In contrast, locum tenens providers can have traveling jobs that allow them to decide when, where, and how often they work.
- Earning Potential: Permanent positions guarantee a steady salary with health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and CME allowances. Locum assignments offer competitive hourly or daily pay, usually covering travel, housing, and malpractice insurance.
- Clinical Experience: Locum tenens doctors work in different hospitals and healthcare systems with diverse patient populations, practice settings, and clinical technologies. Whereas full-time doctors stay in one setting with one organization.
- Career Growth and Control: Locum assignments guarantee more flexibility than permanent ones. Doctors will be offered more options as their priorities shift and continue their locum tenens journey.
- Logistics: Most staffing agencies handle locum tenens licensing, credentialing, travel arrangements, housing, and other administrative tasks, while doctors seeking full-time positions are left to be more hands on during those processes.
A Market Growing Rapidly
Globally, locum tenens staffing is undeniably accelerating. We can expect the market to grow from $12.08 billion in 2025 to $13.5 billion in 2026 and to $20.84 billion by 2030.
Global Revenue In the U.S.
The U.S. remains the locum tenens industry’s largest market. In 2025 alone, the country generated 49% of the worldwide staffing revenue, producing $9.12 billion. Forecasts suggest that figure could climb to $16.3 billion by 2033. That leadership position is unlikely to change anytime soon, especially with the looming physician shortages, an aging population, and increasing patient volumes.
Locum Coverage During Peak Employee Turnover
When physicians leave during some of the busiest periods of the year, such as flu season or holidays, healthcare organizations feel the financial impact almost immediately. A single vacancy can cost over $130,000 every month through lost revenue, disrupted patient scheduling, and added pressure on existing staff. In certain specialties, those losses can reach two or three times a provider’s annual salary. As such, many healthcare leaders are incorporating locum coverage into workforce planning.
A Planned Workforce Strategy
The U.S. is facing a shortage of up to 86,000 doctors by 2036. This along with recruitment of permanent physicians taking as long as 300 days is why 80% of healthcare organizations say they expect to either maintain or boost their use of locum tenens physicians.
Where is this shortage coming from? One answer is burnout, with 43.2% of doctors reporting symptoms in 2024. Many hospitals, clinics, and other facilities are struggling to resolve the occupational phenomenon. As a result, they end up losing existing providers and needing new ones.
Locum coverage, then, is a long-term strategy, not a short-term solution. The changing mindset of doctors is heavily influencing the decisions of healthcare organizations.
Interest in Locum Tenens
A 2025 survey found that 26% of physicians described themselves as either very or extremely interested in taking a locum tenens contract. Moreover, many doctors return to locums after gaining experience. Among those who have ever accepted a locum assignment, 35% completed one within the past year. Simply put, more than one-third of professionals with locums experience have remained actively engaged in locums employment.
Discovering Locum Tenens
How do doctors discover that they could work locums? According to a 2026 report, traditional recruiting channels are becoming less influential than personal connections.
More than half of physicians, 56% to be exact, learned about locum tenens by working alongside a locum physician. 55% heard about it from a colleague, and 54% talked with a friend who has completed locum assignments.
In other words, doctors trust recommendations from peers who understand the realities of practicing medicine.
The Current Number of Physicians Working Locums
Today, there are about 57,000 physicians working locums. That is 8% of the physician workforce, up 110% since 2015. Demand from healthcare organizations is also promising. In 2024, locum doctors were used in 16.4% of all physician searches, the highest percentage ever recorded. This milestone proves that flexible staffing is no longer reserved for emergencies or unexpected vacancies.
APPs in the Locum Tenens Workforce
While doctors make up a large portion of the locum workforce, they are certainly not the only professionals in the industry. You can also find advanced practice providers (APPs), including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. In fact, employment for nurse practitioners is projected to hit 40.9% through 2034.
Is Locum Tenens for You?
Doctors turn to locums for a variety of different reasons throughout their professional lives.
New doctors do so for exposure to various practice environments and better income. With the median medical school debt for the class of 2025 reaching $215,000, it is understandable why many aim to pay off loans more quickly.
Well established doctors, on the other hand, do so to regain control after balancing demanding clinical workloads with administrative responsibilities, leadership duties, financial pressures, and family obligations. This group consistently reports some of the highest levels of stress and burnout within the profession.
Seasoned doctors may not be ready to stop practicing. So, they gradually reduce their workload through locums, also bringing decades of knowledge, mentorship, and experience to communities.
If you are looking for a career tool you can use whenever your priorities shift, locum tenens is one. It is an option that tens of thousands of healthcare professionals and organizations are choosing. Let the latest for locum tenens and statistics 2026 guide your decision.
