How Much Do Physician Assistants Make?
How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2023, the average annual salary for Physician Assistants (PA) is $130,020 or $62.51 per hour.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $86,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $170,790.
Popular Online Healthcare Leadership Programs
The University of Scranton offers multiple online degrees in the growing healthcare industry. The comprehensive coursework is based on real-world scenarios and is equally rigorous and rewarding. The return on investment will be as big as the change you can make in a variety of healthcare leadership roles!
Multiple
Online
Enrollment: Nationwide
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
AONL’s Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML®) credential is designed exclusively for nurse leaders in the nurse manager role and is the only of its kind. With the CNML certification, you will become recognized as a leader in your health care community. AONL also offers the Transition to Nurse Manager Practice program where incoming and new nurse managers can build the leadership skills necessary for their new role.
NCCA & ANCC
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Ohio University, we provide aspiring and current nursing professionals programs and credentials that will help them launch their careers and advance toward leadership positions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, except AL, AZ, CO, DE, GA, IA, ID, KS, LA, MD, ND, NE, NY, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, WA, and WY
Physician Assistant Salary by State
|
State |
Annual Salary |
Hourly Wage |
|
New York |
$125,125 |
$60.16 |
|
New Hampshire |
$116,295 |
$55.91 |
|
Vermont |
$114,688 |
$55.14 |
|
Maine |
$113,602 |
$54.62 |
|
Hawaii |
$110,301 |
$53.03 |
|
Massachusetts |
$110,289 |
$53.02 |
|
Nevada |
$109,609 |
$52.70 |
|
Arizona |
$109,606 |
$52.70 |
|
Wyoming |
$109,309 |
$52.55 |
|
Tennessee |
$109,092 |
$52.45 |
|
Washington |
$108,050 |
$51.95 |
|
New Jersey |
$107,603 |
$51.73 |
|
Connecticut |
$105,909 |
$50.92 |
|
Indiana |
$105,831 |
$50.88 |
|
West Virginia |
$105,438 |
$50.69 |
|
Montana |
$104,675 |
$50.32 |
|
Minnesota |
$104,624 |
$50.30 |
|
Alaska |
$104,387 |
$50.19 |
|
Rhode Island |
$104,362 |
$50.17 |
|
Oregon |
$104,189 |
$50.09 |
|
Pennsylvania |
$102,930 |
$49.49 |
|
North Dakota |
$101,883 |
$48.98 |
|
Maryland |
$101,421 |
$48.76 |
|
Idaho |
$99,740 |
$47.95 |
|
Wisconsin |
$99,531 |
$47.85 |
|
Virginia |
$98,840 |
$47.52 |
|
Ohio |
$98,793 |
$47.50 |
|
California |
$98,213 |
$47.22 |
|
South Dakota |
$97,702 |
$46.97 |
|
Iowa |
$97,164 |
$46.71 |
|
Utah |
$96,921 |
$46.60 |
|
Colorado |
$96,194 |
$46.25 |
|
Kentucky |
$95,741 |
$46.03 |
|
Delaware |
$95,601 |
$45.96 |
|
Alabama |
$95,474 |
$45.90 |
|
Nebraska |
$95,414 |
$45.87 |
|
New Mexico |
$94,297 |
$45.34 |
|
South Carolina |
$94,144 |
$45.26 |
|
Kansas |
$92,498 |
$44.47 |
|
Oklahoma |
$91,170 |
$43.83 |
|
Arkansas |
$91,080 |
$43.79 |
|
Mississippi |
$90,745 |
$43.63 |
|
Florida |
$89,926 |
$43.23 |
|
Illinois |
$89,808 |
$43.18 |
|
Michigan |
$89,704 |
$43.13 |
|
Missouri |
$88,787 |
$42.69 |
|
Texas |
$88,377 |
$42.49 |
|
Georgia |
$87,836 |
$42.23 |
|
Louisiana |
$83,764 |
$40.27 |
|
North Carolina |
$78,886 |
$37.93 |
Via ZipRecruiter
Physician Assistant Salary by Years of Experience
As of 2023, physician assistants earn the following salaries by years of experience, according to Payscale.
- Less than 1 years of experience earn an average annual salary of $94,476
- 1-4 years of experience earn an average annual salary of $100,110
- 5-9 years of experience earns an average annual salary of $110,864
- 10-19 years of experience earns an average annual salary of $116,390
- 20+ years of experience earns an average annual salary of $120,981
Physician Assistant Salary by Work Setting
According to the BLS, as of May 2021, the median annual wages for Physician Assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Outpatient care centers: $141,050
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: $134,120
- Offices of physicians: $126,280
- Government: $122,010
- Educational services; state, local, and private: $115,160
Popular Online Healthcare Leadership Programs
The University of Scranton offers multiple online degrees in the growing healthcare industry. The comprehensive coursework is based on real-world scenarios and is equally rigorous and rewarding. The return on investment will be as big as the change you can make in a variety of healthcare leadership roles!
Multiple
Online
Enrollment: Nationwide
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
AONL’s Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML®) credential is designed exclusively for nurse leaders in the nurse manager role and is the only of its kind. With the CNML certification, you will become recognized as a leader in your health care community. AONL also offers the Transition to Nurse Manager Practice program where incoming and new nurse managers can build the leadership skills necessary for their new role.
NCCA & ANCC
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Ohio University, we provide aspiring and current nursing professionals programs and credentials that will help them launch their careers and advance toward leadership positions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, except AL, AZ, CO, DE, GA, IA, ID, KS, LA, MD, ND, NE, NY, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, WA, and WY
How to Make More Money as a Physician Assistant
Negotiation
PA positions are typically salary-based, which indicates that negotiation can be essential in earning a higher salary.
Overtime
Physician Assistants who work overtime are entitled to increased pay for their additional work hours. Generally, this is considered time and a half pay. In most cases, this means working over 40 hours a week.
The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that all "non-exempt" employees receive overtime pay equal to one-and-one-half times their regular pay rate for every hour over 40 hours worked during a work week.
Per diem or Contract Employment
Per diem and contract employees earn a higher wage than staff members. They are paid a premium for working less desirable shifts and having shifts canceled at any given time. Per diem employees are not offered guaranteed hours so remember that a paycheck most likely will not be consistent.
Hazard Pay
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, hazard pay means “additional pay for performing a hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship.” It may also include work duty that causes “extreme physical discomfort and distress.”
Is Becoming a Physician Assistant Worth it?
Becoming a PA is a very in-demand career. According to the BLS, there is a projected growth of 27% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 12,200 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. According to U.S. News & World Report, PAs rank #2 in Best Health Care Jobs, #4 in 100 Best Jobs, and #4 in Best STEM Jobs.
Salaries of Related Nursing Careers vs. Physician Assistant
Registered Nurse
Registered Nurses (RNs) median annual salary is $86,070 as of May 2023, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $63,720, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $132,680.
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) median annual salary is $126,260 as of May 2023, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $94,530, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $168,030.
Nurse Midwives
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) median annual salary is $129,650 as of May 2023, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $87,320, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $177,530.
Physician Assistant FAQs
Popular Online Healthcare Leadership Programs
The University of Scranton offers multiple online degrees in the growing healthcare industry. The comprehensive coursework is based on real-world scenarios and is equally rigorous and rewarding. The return on investment will be as big as the change you can make in a variety of healthcare leadership roles!
Multiple
Online
Enrollment: Nationwide
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
AONL’s Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML®) credential is designed exclusively for nurse leaders in the nurse manager role and is the only of its kind. With the CNML certification, you will become recognized as a leader in your health care community. AONL also offers the Transition to Nurse Manager Practice program where incoming and new nurse managers can build the leadership skills necessary for their new role.
NCCA & ANCC
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
At Ohio University, we provide aspiring and current nursing professionals programs and credentials that will help them launch their careers and advance toward leadership positions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, except AL, AZ, CO, DE, GA, IA, ID, KS, LA, MD, ND, NE, NY, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, WA, and WY
