Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$99,380
- 25th Percentile — Junior$120,670
- 50th Percentile — Median$135,880
- 75th Percentile — Senior$163,980
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$190,280
The top 10% of Physician Assistants earn $190,280 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $99,380, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $169,110 | +19.7% |
| Washington | $164,430 | +16.4% |
| New Jersey | $162,100 | +14.7% |
| Oregon | $155,300 | +9.9% |
| New York | $155,150 | +9.8% |
| Vermont | $152,520 | +8.0% |
| New Hampshire | $150,150 | +6.3% |
| Alaska | $148,080 | +4.8% |
| Minnesota | $147,630 | +4.5% |
| Connecticut | $146,930 | +4.0% |
| Hawaii | $146,780 | +3.9% |
| Rhode Island | $146,630 | +3.8% |
| Massachusetts | $146,480 | +3.7% |
| District of Columbia | $146,230 | +3.5% |
| Indiana | $144,260 | +2.1% |
| Delaware | $143,840 | +1.8% |
| Virginia | $142,630 | +1.0% |
| Arizona | $140,850 | -0.3% |
| Montana | $140,800 | -0.3% |
| Iowa | $139,870 | -1.0% |
| Maryland | $139,740 | -1.1% |
| Colorado | $139,580 | -1.2% |
| Oklahoma | $138,700 | -1.8% |
| Missouri | $137,710 | -2.5% |
| Wyoming | $137,320 | -2.8% |
| Wisconsin | $136,750 | -3.2% |
| Ohio | $136,560 | -3.3% |
| Texas | $135,850 | -3.8% |
| Nevada | $135,790 | -3.9% |
| Maine | $134,690 | -4.7% |
| New Mexico | $134,670 | -4.7% |
| Florida | $134,470 | -4.8% |
| Nebraska | $132,810 | -6.0% |
| Idaho | $132,540 | -6.2% |
| Utah | $132,530 | -6.2% |
| Michigan | $132,140 | -6.5% |
| South Dakota | $131,910 | -6.6% |
| Illinois | $131,880 | -6.7% |
| North Dakota | $130,930 | -7.3% |
| Louisiana | $130,290 | -7.8% |
| North Carolina | $130,030 | -8.0% |
| West Virginia | $128,830 | -8.8% |
| Kansas | $127,240 | -9.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $125,160 | -11.4% |
| South Carolina | $120,720 | -14.6% |
| Kentucky | $119,990 | -15.1% |
| Arkansas | $118,430 | -16.2% |
| Tennessee | $117,300 | -17.0% |
| Georgia | $112,090 | -20.7% |
| Alabama | $110,860 | -21.5% |
| Mississippi | $106,820 | -24.4% |
What Factors Affect Physician Assistants Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Physician Assistants is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $169,110, while Mississippi pays $106,820 — a gap of $62,290 per year.
The middle half of Physician Assistants earn between $120,670 and $163,980 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $99,380, while the top 10% earn more than $190,280.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Software Developers $148,100/yr United States +4.8% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Physician Assistants?
The average salary for Physician Assistants in the United States is $141,280 per year, with a median of $135,880.
What is the starting salary for Physician Assistants?
Entry-level Physician Assistants typically earn between $99,380 and $120,670 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Physician Assistants the most?
California pays Physician Assistants the most at $169,110 per year on average, followed by Washington ($164,430) and New Jersey ($162,100).
How much do Physician Assistants make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $141,280, Physician Assistants earn approximately $67.92 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Physician Assistants a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 162,150 Physician Assistants jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $141,280 and a median of $135,880 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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