Physician Assistants salary
Physician Assistants earn a median of $135,880 a year ($65.33/hr) in the U.S. – from $104,960 in Alabama to $165,690 in New Jersey. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$65.33/hr · $135,880 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$99,380$47.78/hr
75% earn more$120,670$58.02/hr
half earn more, half less$135,880$65.33/hr
25% earn more$163,980$78.84/hr
top 10% earn more$190,280$91.48/hr
pulled up by top earners$141,280$67.92/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among physician assistants. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for physician assistants. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
4,790 jobs · $79.66/hr$165,690
13,600 jobs · $79.64/hr$165,650
3,540 jobs · $79.02/hr$164,360
530 jobs · $78.87/hr$164,050
19,140 jobs · $77.35/hr$160,880
2,250 jobs · $74.89/hr$155,780
1,060 jobs · $72.58/hr$150,960
700 jobs · $72.45/hr$150,700
410 jobs · $72.35/hr$150,490
4,470 jobs · $68.47/hr$142,410
600 jobs · $68.02/hr$141,470
3,660 jobs · $67.88/hr$141,190
810 jobs · $67.27/hr$139,930
700 jobs · $67.27/hr$139,920
3,570 jobs · $67.24/hr$139,860
860 jobs · $67.00/hr$139,350
2,950 jobs · $66.13/hr$137,560
1,770 jobs · $65.65/hr$136,550
330 jobs · $65.42/hr$136,080
4,340 jobs · $65.36/hr$135,940
470 jobs · $64.97/hr$135,140
2,300 jobs · $64.96/hr$135,130
1,200 jobs · $64.79/hr$134,770
1,610 jobs · $64.78/hr$134,740
1,090 jobs · $64.74/hr$134,660
3,750 jobs · $64.73/hr$134,650
10,110 jobs · $64.69/hr$134,550
3,270 jobs · $64.68/hr$134,540
3,580 jobs · $64.40/hr$133,950
1,320 jobs · $64.32/hr$133,790
510 jobs · $64.16/hr$133,450
680 jobs · $64.04/hr$133,200
1,330 jobs · $63.96/hr$133,040
4,900 jobs · $63.51/hr$132,090
2,110 jobs · $63.49/hr$132,050
3,790 jobs · $63.44/hr$131,950
6,310 jobs · $63.23/hr$131,510
1,030 jobs · $63.06/hr$131,170
9,310 jobs · $62.32/hr$129,620
7,490 jobs · $62.19/hr$129,360
1,360 jobs · $61.96/hr$128,870
1,080 jobs · $61.83/hr$128,610
9,020 jobs · $61.09/hr$127,070
890 jobs · $60.41/hr$125,640
2,250 jobs · $58.89/hr$122,490
1,360 jobs · $58.06/hr$120,760
850 jobs · $56.94/hr$118,430
2,240 jobs · $56.85/hr$118,240
5,610 jobs · $55.48/hr$115,390
320 jobs · $50.92/hr$105,920
930 jobs · $50.46/hr$104,960
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 29-1071. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do physician assistants make?
The median wage for physician assistants in the U.S. was $65.33 an hour or $135,880 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $120,670 and $163,980 a year.
Which state pays physician assistants the most?
New Jersey has the highest median wage for physician assistants: $165,690 a year. The lowest published median is in Alabama at $104,960. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many physician assistants are there?
BLS estimates 162,150 physician assistants were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.