Illinois · SOC 29-1071
Physician Assistants in Illinois
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for Illinois; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$131,950
per year in this state
3% below
National Median
$135,880
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$63.44/hr
median hourly
Employment
3,790
jobs in IL
Salary Range in Illinois
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Physician Assistants in Illinois
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, Illinois ranks #36 of 51 states and territories for Physician Assistants pay, the middle tier (71st percentile) nationally. Full pay-distribution context, including how Illinois compares to the national median, follows below.
This page captures the Physician Assistants labor market inside Illinois using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $131,950 ($63.44/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 3,790 workers in this SOC code (29-1071). Relative to the national median of $135,880, the state estimate is 3% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within Illinois, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $105,160, the 25th earns $122,780, the 75th reaches $145,600, and the 90th hits $162,330. The upper boundary is roughly 1.5× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within Illinois where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in Illinois
What this shows Bar width is each occupation's median wage relative to the top-paying job on this list. Hover or tap a row for its exact share of the leader and rank.
Similar Occupations in Illinois
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Physician Assistants pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside Illinois. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($131,950 here).
- Physician Assistants in Indiana · $132,050
- Physician Assistants in Ohio · $132,090
- Physician Assistants in Michigan · $131,510
- Physician Assistants in Maine · $131,170
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (3,790 jobs here; floor 1,000).
- Physician Assistants in Arizona · 3,750
- Physician Assistants in Minnesota · 3,660
- Physician Assistants in Wisconsin · 3,580
- Physician Assistants in Connecticut · 3,570
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 29-1071. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for Illinois
📊 BLS OEWS - Illinois
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Physician Assistants make in Illinois?
The median annual salary for Physician Assistants in Illinois is $131,950 (3% below national avg). Pay ranges from $105,160 (10th percentile) to $162,330 (90th percentile).
How many Physician Assistants work in Illinois?
There are approximately 3,790 Physician Assistants employed in Illinois, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Physician Assistants in Illinois?
The median hourly wage for Physician Assistants in Illinois is $63.44/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's Illinois figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.