Median Salary
$135,880
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$65.33
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$190,280
entry level starts ~$99,380
Pay Grade
A+
elite pay · 162,000 employed
How much does a Physician Assistant make?
The median pay for a Physician Assistant in the United States is $135,880 per year — about $65.33 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $99,380, while the most experienced Physician Assistants in the top 10% earn $190,280.
That is $74,490 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Physician Assistant salary range by percentile
Half of all Physician Assistants earn between $120,670 and $163,980 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $99,380 | $47.78 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $120,670 | $58.01 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $135,880 | $65.33 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $163,980 | $78.84 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $190,280 | $91.48 |
|
Highest-paying states for Physician Assistant
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New Jersey leads the country for Physician Assistant pay at $165,690 a year, followed by California ($165,650) and Washington ($164,360). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $104,960 — a gap of $60,730 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Physician Assistant salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
New Jersey $165,690California $165,650Washington $164,360Hawaii $164,050New York $160,880Oregon $155,780New Hampshire $150,960Alaska $150,700Vermont $150,490Massachusetts $142,410Montana $141,470Minnesota $141,190Rhode Island $139,930New Mexico $139,920Connecticut $139,860Delaware $139,350Maryland $137,560Oklahoma $136,550Wyoming $136,080Virginia $135,940District of Columbia $135,140Missouri $135,130Iowa $134,770Utah $134,740Nevada $134,660Arizona $134,650Texas $134,550Colorado $134,540Wisconsin $133,950Idaho $133,790North Dakota $133,450South Dakota $133,200Nebraska $133,040Ohio $132,090Indiana $132,050Illinois $131,950Michigan $131,510Maine $131,170Florida $129,620North Carolina $129,360Louisiana $128,870West Virginia $128,610Pennsylvania $127,070Kansas $125,640South Carolina $122,490Kentucky $120,760Arkansas $118,430Tennessee $118,240Georgia $115,390Mississippi $105,920Alabama $104,960
Workforce and education
About 162,000 people work as Physician Assistants in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $141,280 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Physician Assistant make in the United States?
The median Physician Assistant salary in the United States is $135,880 per year, or about $65.33 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $99,380, while the top 10% of earners make $190,280 or more.
How does Physician Assistant pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A+ (elite pay), the Physician Assistant median of $135,880 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Physician Assistants the most?
New Jersey is the highest-paying state for Physician Assistants, with a median salary of $165,690 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Physician Assistant?
Becoming a Physician Assistant typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Physician Assistants work in the United States?
About 162,000 people were employed as Physician Assistants in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other healthcare roles with similar pay.
$100,330
median pay · 162,000 employed
$115,210
median pay · 29,000 employed
$105,310
median pay · 17,000 employed
$100,040
median pay · 4,000 employed
$95,780
median pay · 14,000 employed
$102,760
median pay · 267,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.