AMN Healthcare is the largest healthcare staffing company in the United States — publicly traded, with billions in annual revenue and one of the broadest facility networks in the industry. If you're evaluating locum tenens agencies, AMN will come up.
Here's how they actually compare to Locums One on the metrics that matter most to physicians.
DIRECT ANSWER — LOCUMS ONE VS AMN HEALTHCARE
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | Locums One | AMN Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Markup transparency | Published 15–22% margin; bill rate disclosed on request | Opaque; margin not disclosed |
| Credentialing speed | 21-day average (industry: 60–90 days) | 30–90 days typical |
| Recruiter consistency | Same recruiter every assignment | Rotating recruiters common |
| Tax/legal support | Free CPA consult for every placed physician | Not included |
| Rate structure | Bundled — malpractice, travel, lodging in one number | Often unbundled; separate invoices |
| 1099 vs EOR | 1099 independent contractor (physician-preferred) | Mix of 1099 and W-2/EOR |
| Locum career management | Full end-to-end: credentialing, licensing, tax, planning | Placement-focused; limited ongoing support |
| Malpractice | $1M/$3M occurrence-based, tail included | Varies; claims-made common |
| CV submission policy | No name-clearing without written approval | Standard industry practice varies |
Markup transparency
Credentialing speed
Recruiter consistency
Tax/legal support
Rate structure
1099 vs EOR
Locum career management
Malpractice
CV submission policy
Where AMN Is Actually Better
Scale and facility network. AMN has relationships with more facilities than any other agency in the country. If you're looking for assignments in a very specific market or a facility that smaller agencies don't reach, AMN may have access you won't find elsewhere.
Assignment volume. AMN's pipeline is massive. For physicians who want maximum options across every specialty and geography, AMN's volume is unmatched.
Subspecialty depth. AMN's size means they have dedicated teams for niche subspecialties that smaller agencies may not staff regularly.
Where Locums One Wins
Markup transparency. AMN is a publicly traded company with shareholders. Their margins are not disclosed to physicians. Locums One publishes its 15–22% margin and will share the hospital's bill rate on request. On a $500/hr bill rate, the difference between a 40% margin and an 18% margin is $110/hr — or roughly $250,000/year working full-time.
Credentialing speed. Locums One averages 21 days. AMN's typical timeline is 45–90 days. Every extra week of credentialing delay is a week you're not earning.
Same recruiter every assignment. AMN's scale means recruiter turnover and reassignment are common. Locums One assigns one recruiter who stays with you across every assignment, every state, every year. They know your case mix, your preferences, your schedule.
Free CPA consult. Every physician placed through Locums One gets a free consult with a CPA who specializes in 1099 physician income. AMN does not include this.
End-to-end locum career management. AMN places you on assignments. Locums One manages your locum career — credentialing packet, license expirations, malpractice tail, tax-pro consult, year-ahead planning. At AMN's scale, this level of individual attention is structurally impossible.
No name-clearing without approval. Locums One will not submit your CV to any facility without your written approval. No calls during shifts. No surprise fees post-acceptance.
The Cost of Scale
AMN's scale is their strength and their limitation. The same infrastructure that gives them facility breadth makes it impossible to deliver the individual attention that locum physicians actually need.
The typical locum physician loses $40,000–$60,000/year to hidden agency markup. At AMN's margin structure, that number is at the high end of the range.
Your Locum Career, Managed End-to-End
Other agencies place you on one assignment, then you start the paperwork from zero on the next. We carry it forward.
Your credentialing packet, license expirations, malpractice tail coverage, tax-pro consult, year-ahead assignment planning — all tracked in one place by the same team. You stay focused on patients. We handle the rest of your locum career.
*Nobody else in locum tenens does this end-to-end. We built it because every founder here lived through what didn't.*
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AMN Healthcare a good locum tenens agency?
AMN is the largest healthcare staffing company in the U.S. with unmatched facility network breadth. They're a legitimate option for physicians who prioritize assignment volume and geographic reach. The tradeoff is opacity on margins, rotating recruiters, and limited individual support.
How does Locums One's margin compare to AMN Healthcare?
Locums One operates at 15–22% margin and discloses it. AMN, as a publicly traded company, does not disclose physician-level margins. Industry estimates for large agencies run 35–50%. On a $500/hr bill rate, that's $85–$160/hr more in your pocket with Locums One.
Which agency has faster credentialing?
Locums One averages 21 days. AMN's typical timeline is 45–90 days. For physicians who want to start earning faster, credentialing speed is one of the most impactful variables.
For how agency markups affect your pay, see our guide on how locum tenens pricing works. For contract red flags, see our contract negotiation guide.