How much does a physician assistant make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $65.33 an hour or $11,320 a month.
- Hourly
- $65.33
- Average (mean)
- $141,300
- Jobs
- 162,150
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $99,380 | $47.78 | |
| 25th | $120,700 | $58.01 | |
| Median | $135,900 | $65.33 | |
| 75th | $164,000 | $78.84 | |
| 90th | $190,300 | $91.48 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| New Jersey | $165,700 |
| California | $165,700 |
| Washington | $164,400 |
| Hawaii | $164,100 |
| New York | $160,900 |
| Oregon | $155,800 |
| New Hampshire | $151,000 |
| Alaska | $150,700 |
| Vermont | $150,500 |
| Massachusetts | $142,400 |
| Montana | $141,500 |
| Minnesota | $141,200 |
| Rhode Island | $139,900 |
| New Mexico | $139,900 |
| Connecticut | $139,900 |
| Delaware | $139,400 |
| Maryland | $137,600 |
| Oklahoma | $136,600 |
| Wyoming | $136,100 |
| Virginia | $135,900 |
| District of Columbia | $135,100 |
| Missouri | $135,100 |
| Iowa | $134,800 |
| Utah | $134,700 |
| Nevada | $134,700 |
| Arizona | $134,700 |
| Texas | $134,600 |
| Colorado | $134,500 |
| Wisconsin | $134,000 |
| Idaho | $133,800 |
| North Dakota | $133,500 |
| South Dakota | $133,200 |
| Nebraska | $133,000 |
| Ohio | $132,100 |
| Indiana | $132,100 |
| Illinois | $132,000 |
| Michigan | $131,500 |
| Maine | $131,200 |
| Florida | $129,600 |
| North Carolina | $129,400 |
| Louisiana | $128,900 |
| West Virginia | $128,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,100 |
| Kansas | $125,600 |
| South Carolina | $122,500 |
| Kentucky | $120,800 |
| Arkansas | $118,400 |
| Tennessee | $118,200 |
| Georgia | $115,400 |
| Mississippi | $105,900 |
| Alabama | $105,000 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $223,600 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $198,100 |
| San Francisco, CA | $184,400 |
| Yuba City, CA | $183,500 |
| Vallejo, CA | $179,500 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $172,800 |
| Napa, CA | $172,200 |
| Salinas, CA | $170,200 |
| Honolulu, HI | $170,100 |
| Wenatchee, WA | $168,100 |
| New York, NY | $167,700 |
| Seattle, WA | $167,300 |
| Visalia, CA | $166,500 |
| Modesto, CA | $165,700 |
| Riverside, CA | $165,500 |
In other countries
Physician Assistant belongs to the international group "Paramedical practitioners".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Chiropractor$79,200
- Dentist$171,000
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon$352,200
- Orthodontist$289,100
- Prosthodontist$311,200
- Dentist$225,000
- Dietitian and Nutritionist$76,400
- Optometrist$136,600
- Pharmacist$140,900
- Podiatrist$160,300
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physician assistant make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $65.33 ($135,900 a year).
How much does a physician assistant make a month?
About $11,320 a month before tax, based on a median of $135,900 a year.
How much does a physician assistant make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $99,380 or less a year ($47.78 an hour); the top 10% make $190,300 or more.
Which state pays physician assistants the most?
New Jersey, with a median of $165,700 a year, followed by California ($165,700) and Washington ($164,400).
Which city pays physician assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $223,600 a year.
How many physician assistants are there in the United States?
About 162,150 people work as physician assistants.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.