Is locum tenens worth it for NPs? Pay, flexibility, and benefits explained

Many nurse practitioners who are considering locum tenens naturally want to know: Is it worth pursuing?

For most NPs, that question isn’t abstract. It’s about whether locums can realistically offer better pay, more control over time, and a sustainable alternative to traditional roles.

This article takes a closer look at what locum tenens offers in concrete terms: how pay compares to permanent roles, what benefits are available, how much flexibility is realistic, and what NPs tend to gain (and give up) when they make the switch.

Locum tenens NP pay and earning potential

One of the biggest draws of locum tenens work is compensation. In many cases, locum nurse practitioners earn more per hour than they would in a permanent position.

That doesn’t mean every assignment pays more than every staff job. Rates may vary by:

But across the board, locums roles are often structured to be financially competitive because facilities are paying for temporary, high-need coverage.

Overall, the pay is significantly more. Even with extra housing costs, you still come out ahead.

- Katherine Allen, NP

“I’m definitely making way more than what I was making in a brick-and-mortar setting.” — Nidhi Singh, NP

It’s also important to look at compensation holistically. Many locums assignments include:

Travel coverage

Housing or housing stipends

Licensing and credentialing support

When these costs are covered, it can meaningfully increase your overall take-home pay.

Benefits and W-2 security

A common misconception about locum tenens is that it’s always independent contractor work. While some locums roles are structured as 1099 positions, many major agencies offer W-2 employment for advanced practitioners, which comes with traditional benefits.

This can include:

For many NPs, this structure provides a sense of continuity and security, even while working temporary assignments. 

This hybrid model, flexible work with employed benefits, is one of the reasons locum tenens feels more sustainable than many people expect. You’re not necessarily trading stability for freedom. In many cases, you get a blend of both.

More than just a paycheck: Check out the benefits you get when you work with us

Schedule flexibility and work-life balance

Flexibility is where locum tenens differs most dramatically from traditional NP roles.

Instead of negotiating PTO or waiting for seniority, locum clinicians build time off directly into their schedule. You decide when to work, how long to work, and when to take breaks.

For some NPs, this leads to life changes that would be almost impossible in a permanent job.

This was the first time in my entire career that I had the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas off.

- Diana Armstrong, NP

“No other job would allow me to take four to six months off to hike the Appalachian Trail and then come back.” — Michelle Freiberger, NP

Even for those who don’t take extended sabbaticals, the ability to control timing can be transformative.

“There are a lot of short-term assignments that give you time to do something you need to do in your life.” — Kelly Lueck, NP

I think there’s just more flexibility in locums. Permanent jobs don’t always let you take time off when you need it.

- Kelly Lueck, NP

Instead of structuring their lives around work, many NPs find they can finally structure work around their lives.

Travel opportunities and geographic choice

For NPs who enjoy travel—or want a change of scenery—locum tenens offers a unique way to explore new places without stepping away from clinical practice.

Assignments exist across:

• Rural and urban settings

• Coastal and mountain regions

• Large hospital systems and small clinics

Some NPs travel continuously. Others choose one region at a time. And some work close to home but use locums to try different facilities.

I love being able to pick where I want to go and meet all kinds of different people.

- Diana Armstrong, NP

“Being in Oregon made me want to explore the area around me. I really love experiencing the United States, and locums gives you that opportunity.” — Kelly Lueck, NP

For many, travel isn’t just about tourism; it’s about seeing how healthcare operates in different environments and learning from a wide range of teams and patient populations.

Professional variety and skill expansion

Another significant advantage of locums work is exposure to diverse clinical environments, patient needs, and organizational cultures. Instead of staying in one system for years, NPs rotate through different settings, workflows, and clinical cultures.

Over time, this can help:

Locums can serve as a form of real-world continuing education, allowing many NPs to discover new specialties they enjoy, leadership interests they hadn’t anticipated, and, just as importantly, settings that aren’t the right fit for them.

Pros and cons vs. traditional employment

Like any career model, locum tenens comes with both advantages and limitations, so understanding both sides can help you decide whether it aligns with your long-term career plans.

Potential advantages:

Higher hourly pay

Flexible scheduling

Geographic freedom

Reduced long-term burnout risk

Professional variety

Employed benefits (in W-2 roles)

Potential tradeoffs:

Less continuity with patients

Repeated onboarding processes

Temporary team relationships

Periods without assignments (if you choose to take breaks)

Less institutional loyalty or advancement within one system

Some NPs miss the stability of a long-term workplace. Others find the lack of permanence liberating. Much of it comes down to personal preference and one’s life and career stage.

Dollars and cents: How does locum tenens pay work for NPs?

So, is locum tenens worth it?

For many nurse practitioners, the answer is yes—not because locums is perfect, but because it offers a rare combination of pay, flexibility, and professional freedom.

Locum tenens can allow NPs to earn competitively, explore new practice settings, reclaim work-life balance, and have more control over their time without stepping away from clinical practice or sacrificing long-term career growth.

In our next installment of our locum tenens for NPs series, we’ll focus on how to choose the right locum tenens agency—including what to look for, questions to ask, and how to find a partner that fits your career goals and lifestyle.

Go back to Part one: Getting started with locums

Interested in learning more about locum tenens opportunities? We can help you find your first assignment. Give us a call at 800.453.3030 or view today’s locum tenens job openings.