How pay is spread out
Pay runs from $99,380 at the 10th percentile to $190,280 at the 90th. Specialty is not broken out by the BLS, though it is often a large part of the difference.
Physician assistant salary by state
State medians run from $104,960 in Alabama to $165,690 in New Jersey. All states and DC license physician assistants, and most require an agreement with a physician. Once prices are taken into account, Oklahoma comes out on top at about $155,400.
| Compared with the top state | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $165,690 | 4,790 | $152,280 | |
| California | $165,650 | 13,600 | $149,610 | |
| Washington | $164,360 | 3,540 | $153,590 | |
| Hawaii | $164,050 | 530 | $149,200 | |
| New York | $160,880 | 19,140 | $149,070 | |
| Oregon | $155,780 | 2,250 | $150,710 | |
| New Hampshire | $150,960 | 1,060 | $144,920 | |
| Alaska | $150,700 | 700 | $147,230 | |
| Vermont | $150,490 | 410 | $153,630 | |
| Massachusetts | $142,410 | 4,470 | $134,660 | |
| Montana | $141,470 | 600 | $149,470 | |
| Minnesota | $141,190 | 3,660 | $143,160 | |
| Rhode Island | $139,930 | 810 | $136,810 | |
| New Mexico | $139,920 | 700 | $151,740 | |
| Connecticut | $139,860 | 3,570 | $134,990 | |
| Delaware | $139,350 | 860 | $139,620 | |
| Maryland | $137,560 | 2,950 | $131,060 | |
| Oklahoma | $136,550 | 1,770 | $155,450 | |
| Wyoming | $136,080 | 330 | $146,810 | |
| Virginia | $135,940 | 4,340 | $134,460 | |
| District of Columbia | $135,140 | 470 | $122,970 | |
| Missouri | $135,130 | 2,300 | $148,790 | |
| Iowa | $134,770 | 1,200 | $153,560 | |
| Utah | $134,740 | 1,610 | $136,290 | |
| Nevada | $134,660 | 1,090 | $134,690 | |
| Arizona | $134,650 | 3,750 | $133,740 | |
| Texas | $134,550 | 10,110 | $138,630 | |
| Colorado | $134,540 | 3,270 | $130,560 | |
| Wisconsin | $133,950 | 3,580 | $142,360 | |
| Idaho | $133,790 | 1,320 | $140,100 | |
| North Dakota | $133,450 | 510 | $150,010 | |
| South Dakota | $133,200 | 680 | $150,360 | |
| Nebraska | $133,040 | 1,330 | $147,650 | |
| Ohio | $132,090 | 4,900 | $142,380 | |
| Indiana | $132,050 | 2,110 | $141,490 | |
| Illinois | $131,950 | 3,790 | $132,010 | |
| Michigan | $131,510 | 6,310 | $136,680 | |
| Maine | $131,170 | 1,030 | $135,160 | |
| Florida | $129,620 | 9,310 | $125,340 | |
| North Carolina | $129,360 | 7,490 | $137,140 | |
| Louisiana | $128,870 | 1,360 | $146,100 | |
| West Virginia | $128,610 | 1,080 | $143,700 | |
| Pennsylvania | $127,070 | 9,020 | $130,230 | |
| Kansas | $125,640 | 890 | $139,490 | |
| South Carolina | $122,490 | 2,250 | $130,660 | |
| Kentucky | $120,760 | 1,360 | $133,940 | |
| Arkansas | $118,430 | 850 | $136,230 | |
| Tennessee | $118,240 | 2,240 | $128,700 | |
| Georgia | $115,390 | 5,610 | $119,830 | |
| Mississippi | $105,920 | 320 | $121,810 | |
| Alabama | $104,960 | 930 | $118,170 |
Best-paying cities
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA tops the metro list at $223,640.
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $223,640 | 1,030 | $202,530 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $198,070 | 350 | $196,330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $184,380 | 1,830 | $159,480 |
| Yuba City, CA | $183,460 | 40 | $176,010 |
| Vallejo, CA | $179,520 | 150 | $165,490 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $172,750 | 140 | $160,270 |
| Napa, CA | $172,170 | 50 | $152,970 |
| Salinas, CA | $170,180 | 130 | $156,070 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $170,060 | 390 | $153,260 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $168,080 | 60 | $161,840 |
Where the most jobs are
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $167,650 | 16,800 | $148,940 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $111,810 | 3,970 | $111,750 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $161,890 | 3,890 | $142,550 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $142,410 | 3,550 | $131,540 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $135,640 | 3,390 | $132,260 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $134,900 | 3,230 | $130,860 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $127,940 | 3,050 | $123,500 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $134,650 | 3,050 | $130,330 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $148,200 | 3,020 | $136,110 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $125,230 | 2,560 | $132,280 |
Pay by type of employer
Physicians' offices employ 54% of PAs at a median of $132,000. Hospitals pay $141,090, and outpatient care centers $153,500.
| Industry | Median | Employed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | $132,000 | 86,830 | 54% |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $141,090 | 40,850 | 25% |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $153,500 | 14,980 | 9% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $134,770 | 3,660 | 2% |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $164,760 | 3,560 | 2% |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $132,140 | 2,870 | 2% |
What physician assistants do
- 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.
Hourly to annual
Many PAs are salaried, so use this for comparing offers rather than estimating overtime. It assumes 2,080 hours a year.
How you get there
PA programs usually take at least two years after a bachelor's degree, and most applicants arrive with science coursework and hands-on patient care experience.
Typical entry-level education: master's degree. Projected job growth, 2025–35: 21.1%, about 11,500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections).
Compare with similar jobs
Questions people ask
How much do physician assistants make an hour?
The national median was $65.33 an hour in May 2025.
Which state pays physician assistants the most?
New Jersey had the highest median at $165,690, followed by California at $165,650.
Do PAs earn more in hospitals?
At the median, yes: $141,090 in general hospitals, compared with $132,000 in physicians' offices.
General information, not career or financial advice. Pay depends on hours, location and employer. Confirm licensing rules with your state's board.