29 Series · SOC 29-1071
Physician Assistants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $135,880
- Median / year
- +2%
- 2024→2025
- $190,280
- Top 10% earn
- +20.4%
- Growth '24–'34
- 162,150
- Estimated US jobs
Physician Assistants earn a median of $135,880 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $135,880, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $99,380 (10th percentile) to $190,280 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 162,150 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is New Jersey ($165,690).
The pay verdict
Physician Assistants earn a median of $135,880, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 94% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #28 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 20.4% by 2034.
- $135,880
- Median annual wage
- Top 6%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #28 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $165,690. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Physician Assistants moved from $112,260 in May 2019 to $135,880 in May 2025 (+21.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Physician Assistants sits -3.4 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) has a national median of $135,880 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $99,380 to $190,280, and the published mean is $141,280. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 162,150 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 51 state or territory areas and 465 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $133,260 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $135,880 in May 2025, a rise of $2,620 (+2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +20.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 12,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $165,690, which is +22% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $223,640. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$135,880
per year
Median Hourly
$65.33/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$141,280
average
Employment
162,150
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Physician Assistants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$135,880 Top 6% higher than 94% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 (this entry) | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$135,880 · 94th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Physician Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
- Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
- Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
- Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
- Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
- Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
- Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
- Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
- Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
- Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
- Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
- Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
- Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
- Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
- Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
- Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
- Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
- Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
- Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
- Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
- Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
- Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
- Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
- Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+20.4%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
12,000
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+33,200
162,700 (2024) → 195,800 (2034)
Typical Education
Master's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Physician Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- ▸ Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- ▸ Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- ▸ Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- ▸ Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
- ▸ Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.
- ▸ Instruct and counsel patients about prescribed therapeutic regimens, normal growth and development, family planning, emotional problems of daily living, and health maintenance.
- ▸ Perform therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and infection management.
- ▸ Visit and observe patients on hospital rounds or house calls, updating charts, ordering therapy, and reporting back to physician.
- ▸ Provide physicians with assistance during surgery or complicated medical procedures.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Physician Assistants pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $98,180 |
| 2016 | $101,480 |
| 2017 | $104,860 |
| 2018 | $108,610 |
| 2019 | $112,260 |
| 2020 | $115,390 |
| 2021 | $121,530 |
| 2022 | $126,010 |
| 2023 | $130,020 |
| 2024 | $133,260 |
| 2025 | $135,880 |
2015 median
$98,180
2025 median
$135,880
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$23,620 (+21%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $98,180 | First banked release | 98,470 |
| May 2016 | $101,480 | +3.4% | 104,050 |
| May 2017 | $104,860 | +3.3% | 109,220 |
| May 2018 | $108,610 | +3.6% | 114,710 |
| May 2019 | $112,260 | Classification break | 120,090 |
| May 2020 | $115,390 | +2.8% | 125,280 |
| May 2021 | $121,530 | +5.3% | 132,940 |
| May 2022 | $126,010 | +3.7% | 140,910 |
| May 2023 | $130,020 | +3.2% | 145,740 |
| May 2024 | $133,260 | +2.5% | 155,540 |
| May 2025 | $135,880 | +2.0% | 162,150 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $98,180 in May 2015 to $135,880 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 120,090 in May 2019 to 162,150 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $165,690 | +22% above national |
| 2 | California | $165,650 | +22% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $164,360 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Hawaii | $164,050 | +21% above national |
| 5 | New York | $160,880 | +18% above national |
| 6 | Oregon | $155,780 | +15% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $150,960 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Alaska | $150,700 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Vermont | $150,490 | +11% above national |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $142,410 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Montana | $141,470 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $141,190 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $139,930 | +3% above national |
| 14 | New Mexico | $139,920 | +3% above national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $139,860 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Delaware | $139,350 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Maryland | $137,560 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $136,550 | same as national |
| 19 | Wyoming | $136,080 | same as national |
| 20 | Virginia | $135,940 | same as national |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $135,140 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Missouri | $135,130 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Iowa | $134,770 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Utah | $134,740 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Nevada | $134,660 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Arizona | $134,650 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Texas | $134,550 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Colorado | $134,540 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $133,950 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Idaho | $133,790 | 2% below national |
| 31 | North Dakota | $133,450 | 2% below national |
| 32 | South Dakota | $133,200 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Nebraska | $133,040 | 2% below national |
| 34 | Ohio | $132,090 | 3% below national |
| 35 | Indiana | $132,050 | 3% below national |
| 36 | Illinois | $131,950 | 3% below national |
| 37 | Michigan | $131,510 | 3% below national |
| 38 | Maine | $131,170 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $129,620 | 5% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $129,360 | 5% below national |
| 41 | Louisiana | $128,870 | 5% below national |
| 42 | West Virginia | $128,610 | 5% below national |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $127,070 | 6% below national |
| 44 | Kansas | $125,640 | 8% below national |
| 45 | South Carolina | $122,490 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Kentucky | $120,760 | 11% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $118,430 | 13% below national |
| 48 | Tennessee | $118,240 | 13% below national |
| 49 | Georgia | $115,390 | 15% below national |
| 50 | Mississippi | $105,920 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Alabama | $104,960 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 348 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $223,640 | +65% above national |
| 2 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $198,070 | +46% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $184,380 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Yuba City, CA | $183,460 | +35% above national |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $179,520 | +32% above national |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $172,750 | +27% above national |
| 7 | Napa, CA | $172,170 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $170,180 | +25% above national |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $170,060 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $168,080 | +24% above national |
| 11 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $167,650 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $167,290 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Visalia, CA | $166,510 | +23% above national |
| 14 | Modesto, CA | $165,730 | +22% above national |
| 15 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $165,490 | +22% above national |
| 16 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $165,160 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $164,910 | +21% above national |
| 18 | Chico, CA | $164,780 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Merced, CA | $164,080 | +21% above national |
| 20 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $163,810 | +21% above national |
| 21 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $163,560 | +20% above national |
| 22 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $162,790 | +20% above national |
| 23 | Barnstable Town, MA | $162,330 | +19% above national |
| 24 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $162,110 | +19% above national |
| 25 | Walla Walla, WA | $161,980 | +19% above national |
| 26 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $161,890 | +19% above national |
| 27 | Springfield, MA | $161,770 | +19% above national |
| 28 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $161,470 | +19% above national |
| 29 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $161,470 | +19% above national |
| 30 | Bellingham, WA | $161,260 | +19% above national |
| 31 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $159,030 | +17% above national |
| 32 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $158,360 | +17% above national |
| 33 | Midland, TX | $158,200 | +16% above national |
| 34 | El Centro, CA | $156,730 | +15% above national |
| 35 | Fresno, CA | $155,440 | +14% above national |
| 36 | Medford, OR | $155,110 | +14% above national |
| 37 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $154,760 | +14% above national |
| 38 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $154,610 | +14% above national |
| 39 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $154,230 | +14% above national |
| 40 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $153,940 | +13% above national |
| 41 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $153,810 | +13% above national |
| 42 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $153,280 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Worcester, MA | $152,860 | +12% above national |
| 44 | Anchorage, AK | $152,710 | +12% above national |
| 45 | Grants Pass, OR | $152,350 | +12% above national |
| 46 | Kingston, NY | $150,470 | +11% above national |
| 47 | Joplin, MO-KS | $150,300 | +11% above national |
| 48 | Redding, CA | $150,010 | +10% above national |
| 49 | New Haven, CT | $149,960 | +10% above national |
| 50 | Bend, OR | $148,610 | +9% above national |
| 51 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $148,200 | +9% above national |
| 52 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $147,570 | +9% above national |
| 53 | Corvallis, OR | $146,710 | +8% above national |
| 54 | Binghamton, NY | $146,120 | +8% above national |
| 55 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $145,400 | +7% above national |
| 56 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $145,030 | +7% above national |
| 57 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $145,030 | +7% above national |
| 58 | Salem, OR | $144,190 | +6% above national |
| 59 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $143,710 | +6% above national |
| 60 | Greenville, NC | $142,950 | +5% above national |
| 61 | Farmington, NM | $142,890 | +5% above national |
| 62 | Salisbury, MD | $142,580 | +5% above national |
| 63 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $142,510 | +5% above national |
| 64 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $142,410 | +5% above national |
| 65 | Albany, OR | $142,220 | +5% above national |
| 66 | Mankato, MN | $142,020 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Bozeman, MT | $141,800 | +4% above national |
| 68 | Grand Island, NE | $141,590 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Billings, MT | $141,470 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Las Cruces, NM | $141,350 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $141,080 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Utica-Rome, NY | $140,300 | +3% above national |
| 73 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $140,200 | +3% above national |
| 74 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $140,160 | +3% above national |
| 75 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $140,030 | +3% above national |
| 76 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $139,950 | +3% above national |
| 77 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $139,930 | +3% above national |
| 78 | Albuquerque, NM | $139,920 | +3% above national |
| 79 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $139,210 | +2% above national |
| 80 | Ithaca, NY | $138,920 | +2% above national |
| 81 | Oklahoma City, OK | $138,920 | +2% above national |
| 82 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $138,880 | +2% above national |
| 83 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $138,790 | +2% above national |
| 84 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $138,680 | +2% above national |
| 85 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $138,400 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $138,310 | +2% above national |
| 87 | St. George, UT | $138,110 | +2% above national |
| 88 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $138,060 | +2% above national |
| 89 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $137,850 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Lebanon, PA | $137,770 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Pittsfield, MA | $137,620 | +1% above national |
| 92 | Columbus, OH | $137,550 | +1% above national |
| 93 | Elmira, NY | $137,550 | +1% above national |
| 94 | Lubbock, TX | $137,510 | +1% above national |
| 95 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $137,420 | +1% above national |
| 96 | Rochester, MN | $137,340 | +1% above national |
| 97 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $137,240 | +1% above national |
| 98 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $137,220 | +1% above national |
| 99 | Lexington Park, MD | $136,860 | +1% above national |
| 100 | Fond du Lac, WI | $136,700 | +1% above national |
| 101 | Fargo, ND-MN | $136,610 | +1% above national |
| 102 | Yakima, WA | $136,570 | +1% above national |
| 103 | Boulder, CO | $136,540 | same as national |
| 104 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $136,120 | same as national |
| 105 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $135,960 | same as national |
| 106 | Roanoke, VA | $135,940 | same as national |
| 107 | Ogden, UT | $135,930 | same as national |
| 108 | Cleveland, OH | $135,860 | same as national |
| 109 | Duluth, MN-WI | $135,860 | same as national |
| 110 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $135,830 | same as national |
| 111 | Kenosha, WI | $135,800 | same as national |
| 112 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $135,790 | same as national |
| 113 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $135,790 | same as national |
| 114 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $135,640 | same as national |
| 115 | Pueblo, CO | $135,640 | same as national |
| 116 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $135,630 | same as national |
| 117 | Flagstaff, AZ | $135,600 | same as national |
| 118 | Jefferson City, MO | $135,340 | same as national |
| 119 | Ann Arbor, MI | $135,310 | same as national |
| 120 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $135,240 | same as national |
| 121 | Colorado Springs, CO | $135,200 | 1% below national |
| 122 | Carson City, NV | $135,180 | 1% below national |
| 123 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $135,040 | 1% below national |
| 124 | Twin Falls, ID | $135,010 | 1% below national |
| 125 | Missoula, MT | $134,990 | 1% below national |
| 126 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $134,960 | 1% below national |
| 127 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $134,900 | 1% below national |
| 128 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $134,860 | 1% below national |
| 129 | Boise City, ID | $134,800 | 1% below national |
| 130 | Iowa City, IA | $134,770 | 1% below national |
| 131 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $134,660 | 1% below national |
| 132 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $134,650 | 1% below national |
| 133 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $134,550 | 1% below national |
| 134 | Greeley, CO | $134,550 | 1% below national |
| 135 | Lafayette, LA | $134,550 | 1% below national |
| 136 | Reno, NV | $134,550 | 1% below national |
| 137 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $134,540 | 1% below national |
| 138 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $134,490 | 1% below national |
| 139 | Tulsa, OK | $134,380 | 1% below national |
| 140 | Corpus Christi, TX | $134,360 | 1% below national |
| 141 | Sheboygan, WI | $134,360 | 1% below national |
| 142 | Fayetteville, NC | $134,300 | 1% below national |
| 143 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $134,290 | 1% below national |
| 144 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $134,260 | 1% below national |
| 145 | Traverse City, MI | $134,180 | 1% below national |
| 146 | Omaha, NE-IA | $134,130 | 1% below national |
| 147 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $134,120 | 1% below national |
| 148 | Minot, ND | $134,090 | 1% below national |
| 149 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $134,090 | 1% below national |
| 150 | Helena, MT | $134,030 | 1% below national |
| 151 | Madison, WI | $133,950 | 1% below national |
| 152 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $133,830 | 2% below national |
| 153 | Springfield, IL | $133,750 | 2% below national |
| 154 | Charlottesville, VA | $133,540 | 2% below national |
| 155 | Tyler, TX | $133,460 | 2% below national |
| 156 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $133,450 | 2% below national |
| 157 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $133,350 | 2% below national |
| 158 | Yuma, AZ | $133,290 | 2% below national |
| 159 | Peoria, IL | $133,170 | 2% below national |
| 160 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $133,140 | 2% below national |
| 161 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $133,060 | 2% below national |
| 162 | Syracuse, NY | $133,000 | 2% below national |
| 163 | Amarillo, TX | $132,990 | 2% below national |
| 164 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $132,920 | 2% below national |
| 165 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $132,880 | 2% below national |
| 166 | Great Falls, MT | $132,740 | 2% below national |
| 167 | Alexandria, LA | $132,710 | 2% below national |
| 168 | Glens Falls, NY | $132,700 | 2% below national |
| 169 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $132,670 | 2% below national |
| 170 | St. Cloud, MN | $132,650 | 2% below national |
| 171 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $132,360 | 3% below national |
| 172 | Jacksonville, FL | $132,350 | 3% below national |
| 173 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $132,310 | 3% below national |
| 174 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $132,230 | 3% below national |
| 175 | Columbia, MO | $132,220 | 3% below national |
| 176 | Lawton, OK | $132,220 | 3% below national |
| 177 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $131,950 | 3% below national |
| 178 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $131,930 | 3% below national |
| 179 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $131,870 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $131,830 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $131,770 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Beckley, WV | $131,750 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Toledo, OH | $131,730 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Green Bay, WI | $131,720 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $131,710 | 3% below national |
| 186 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $131,700 | 3% below national |
| 187 | Fort Wayne, IN | $131,400 | 3% below national |
| 188 | Wilmington, NC | $131,270 | 3% below national |
| 189 | Asheville, NC | $131,260 | 3% below national |
| 190 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $131,180 | 3% below national |
| 191 | Waco, TX | $131,000 | 4% below national |
| 192 | Akron, OH | $130,980 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $130,970 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Battle Creek, MI | $130,870 | 4% below national |
| 195 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $130,830 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $130,810 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Rapid City, SD | $130,740 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $130,730 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Winston-Salem, NC | $130,730 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Baton Rouge, LA | $130,670 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Jackson, MI | $130,640 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Rochester, NY | $130,430 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Bangor, ME | $130,380 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Saginaw, MI | $130,270 | 4% below national |
| 205 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $130,240 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Reading, PA | $130,160 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Eau Claire, WI | $130,090 | 4% below national |
| 208 | Wausau, WI | $129,980 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Grand Junction, CO | $129,930 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Tucson, AZ | $129,880 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Midland, MI | $129,860 | 4% below national |
| 212 | Idaho Falls, ID | $129,800 | 4% below national |
| 213 | Johnstown, PA | $129,800 | 4% below national |
| 214 | Topeka, KS | $129,800 | 4% below national |
| 215 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $129,680 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $129,680 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Bismarck, ND | $129,650 | 5% below national |
| 218 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $129,620 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Pocatello, ID | $129,480 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $129,460 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Odessa, TX | $129,380 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Springfield, MO | $129,270 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Dover, DE | $129,190 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Gainesville, FL | $129,150 | 5% below national |
| 225 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $129,050 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $128,920 | 5% below national |
| 227 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $128,870 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Wichita Falls, TX | $128,780 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $128,580 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $128,520 | 5% below national |
| 231 | Niles, MI | $128,480 | 5% below national |
| 232 | State College, PA | $128,480 | 5% below national |
| 233 | Goldsboro, NC | $128,370 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Appleton, WI | $128,270 | 6% below national |
| 235 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $128,230 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Longview, TX | $128,180 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Morgantown, WV | $128,170 | 6% below national |
| 238 | Lincoln, NE | $128,050 | 6% below national |
| 239 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $127,940 | 6% below national |
| 240 | Punta Gorda, FL | $127,820 | 6% below national |
| 241 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $127,820 | 6% below national |
| 242 | Rockford, IL | $127,800 | 6% below national |
| 243 | Cheyenne, WY | $127,790 | 6% below national |
| 244 | Santa Fe, NM | $127,730 | 6% below national |
| 245 | Casper, WY | $127,640 | 6% below national |
| 246 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $127,570 | 6% below national |
| 247 | Abilene, TX | $127,550 | 6% below national |
| 248 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $127,370 | 6% below national |
| 249 | Logan, UT-ID | $127,350 | 6% below national |
| 250 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $127,210 | 6% below national |
| 251 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $127,200 | 6% below national |
| 252 | Lake Charles, LA | $127,160 | 6% below national |
| 253 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $126,900 | 7% below national |
| 254 | Richmond, VA | $126,810 | 7% below national |
| 255 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $126,770 | 7% below national |
| 256 | Charleston, WV | $126,620 | 7% below national |
| 257 | York-Hanover, PA | $126,530 | 7% below national |
| 258 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $126,430 | 7% below national |
| 259 | Harrisonburg, VA | $126,400 | 7% below national |
| 260 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $126,360 | 7% below national |
| 261 | Lawrence, KS | $126,340 | 7% below national |
| 262 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $126,290 | 7% below national |
| 263 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $126,230 | 7% below national |
| 264 | Monroe, LA | $126,190 | 7% below national |
| 265 | Winchester, VA-WV | $126,080 | 7% below national |
| 266 | Dubuque, IA | $126,050 | 7% below national |
| 267 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $125,930 | 7% below national |
| 268 | Ocala, FL | $125,790 | 7% below national |
| 269 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $125,700 | 7% below national |
| 270 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $125,690 | 7% below national |
| 271 | Savannah, GA | $125,500 | 8% below national |
| 272 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $125,460 | 8% below national |
| 273 | Tallahassee, FL | $125,410 | 8% below national |
| 274 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $125,350 | 8% below national |
| 275 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $125,290 | 8% below national |
| 276 | Pittsburgh, PA | $125,230 | 8% below national |
| 277 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $125,230 | 8% below national |
| 278 | Flint, MI | $125,190 | 8% below national |
| 279 | Lima, OH | $125,100 | 8% below national |
| 280 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $125,050 | 8% below national |
| 281 | Paducah, KY-IL | $124,990 | 8% below national |
| 282 | Williamsport, PA | $124,920 | 8% below national |
| 283 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $124,870 | 8% below national |
| 284 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $124,610 | 8% below national |
| 285 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $124,580 | 8% below national |
| 286 | Gettysburg, PA | $124,520 | 8% below national |
| 287 | Columbus, IN | $124,460 | 8% below national |
| 288 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $124,300 | 9% below national |
| 289 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $124,190 | 9% below national |
| 290 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $124,170 | 9% below national |
| 291 | Laredo, TX | $124,120 | 9% below national |
| 292 | Lancaster, PA | $124,070 | 9% below national |
| 293 | Bloomington, IN | $123,860 | 9% below national |
| 294 | Evansville, IN | $123,410 | 9% below national |
| 295 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $123,310 | 9% below national |
| 296 | Altoona, PA | $123,270 | 9% below national |
| 297 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $123,110 | 9% below national |
| 298 | Lynchburg, VA | $122,800 | 10% below national |
| 299 | Hot Springs, AR | $122,720 | 10% below national |
| 300 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $122,670 | 10% below national |
| 301 | Rome, GA | $122,440 | 10% below national |
| 302 | Albany, GA | $122,170 | 10% below national |
| 303 | Spartanburg, SC | $121,990 | 10% below national |
| 304 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $121,900 | 10% below national |
| 305 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $121,710 | 10% below national |
| 306 | Wichita, KS | $121,640 | 10% below national |
| 307 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $121,600 | 11% below national |
| 308 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $121,540 | 11% below national |
| 309 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $120,540 | 11% below national |
| 310 | Florence, SC | $120,290 | 11% below national |
| 311 | Mansfield, OH | $120,290 | 11% below national |
| 312 | Chambersburg, PA | $120,030 | 12% below national |
| 313 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $119,840 | 12% below national |
| 314 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $119,570 | 12% below national |
| 315 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $119,070 | 12% below national |
| 316 | Springfield, OH | $117,830 | 13% below national |
| 317 | Jonesboro, AR | $117,660 | 13% below national |
| 318 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $117,490 | 14% below national |
| 319 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $117,240 | 14% below national |
| 320 | Columbus, GA-AL | $117,030 | 14% below national |
| 321 | Rocky Mount, NC | $116,930 | 14% below national |
| 322 | Jacksonville, NC | $116,300 | 14% below national |
| 323 | Columbia, SC | $115,840 | 15% below national |
| 324 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $115,530 | 15% below national |
| 325 | Burlington, NC | $113,200 | 17% below national |
| 326 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $112,610 | 17% below national |
| 327 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $112,230 | 17% below national |
| 328 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $111,810 | 18% below national |
| 329 | Gainesville, GA | $111,440 | 18% below national |
| 330 | Erie, PA | $111,260 | 18% below national |
| 331 | Terre Haute, IN | $109,950 | 19% below national |
| 332 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $109,110 | 20% below national |
| 333 | Hattiesburg, MS | $108,420 | 20% below national |
| 334 | Knoxville, TN | $107,980 | 21% below national |
| 335 | Huntsville, AL | $107,230 | 21% below national |
| 336 | El Paso, TX | $107,220 | 21% below national |
| 337 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $105,920 | 22% below national |
| 338 | Sebring, FL | $105,920 | 22% below national |
| 339 | Birmingham, AL | $105,440 | 22% below national |
| 340 | Mobile, AL | $104,960 | 23% below national |
| 341 | Jackson, TN | $104,600 | 23% below national |
| 342 | Dothan, AL | $103,890 | 24% below national |
| 343 | Morristown, TN | $103,350 | 24% below national |
| 344 | Montgomery, AL | $102,040 | 25% below national |
| 345 | Jackson, MS | $101,830 | 25% below national |
| 346 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $101,120 | 26% below national |
| 347 | Johnson City, TN | $100,060 | 26% below national |
| 348 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $98,130 | 28% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Acupuncturists
SOC 29-1291
Anesthesiologists
SOC 29-1211
Athletic Trainers
SOC 29-9091
Audiologists
SOC 29-1181
Cardiologists
SOC 29-1212
Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($135,880 here) and reported employment (162,150 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Physician Assistants make? ▼
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How does Physician Assistants pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Physician Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $163,980/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $165,690/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.