Average Physician Assistant Salary – Overview
The healthcare industry is one of the biggest employers in the United States. Physician assistants are ranked as one of the most in-demand professionals in the country.
As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for physician assistants is set to grow with 37,000 vacancies by 2028.
This is an impressive 31% projected growth for the field, which is significantly faster than most other occupations.
If you are a certified physician assistant and want to evaluate the best place to practice, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we have listed the average physician assistant salary in the US.
You will also learn the highest paying states for a physician assistant profession in the US.
Physician Assistant Annual Median Salary
According to the BLS, the median annual salary of physician assistants in the US is around US$ 108,430. This is more than double the median annual salary for other occupations, which is around US$ 51,960.
Physician Assistant Annual Median Salary
Top 10 Highest Paying States for Physician Assistants in 2022
Now that you know the national annual average salary for physician assistants, let’s take a look at the top ten highest-paying states:
| STATE | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | US$ 125,610 |
| Washington | US$ 123,980 |
| Alaska | US$ 122,260 |
| Hawaii | US$ 121,120 |
| California | US$ 117,230 |
| New York | US$ 117,000 |
| Wyoming | US$ 116,890 |
| Nevada | US$ 116,850 |
| New Jersey | US$ 116,270 |
| Minnesota | US$ 116,200 |
Overall, every state in the US has experienced double-digit growth in the percentage of average physician assistant salary between 2013 and 2018.
Connecticut, the highest-paying state for physician assistants, has seen a 21% growth in wages during the five-year duration.
The average annual salary of physician assistants in Connecticut increased from US$ 103,840 in 2013 to US$ 125,610 in 2018.
Ten Lowest-Paying States for Physician Assistants in 2022
At the other end of the spectrum, we have listed the ten lowest-paying states when it comes to physician assistant salaries. These states pay almost US$ 20,000 less than the national average.
Despite this, a physician assistant still earns a higher annual average salary in these states as compared to other professions.
Let’s take a quick look at the lowest-paying states for physician assistants to practice in 2022:
| STATES | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | US$ 81,130 |
| Louisiana | US$ 85,990 |
| Tennessee | US$ 87,700 |
| Kentucky | US$ 91,010 |
| Alabama | US$ 92,880 |
| Missouri | US$ 94,480 |
| Indiana | US$ 96,090 |
| Pennsylvania | US$ 98,510 |
| Arkansas | US$ 99,280 |
| Virginia | US$ 99,340 |
These are the states with the lowest average annual salaries for physician assistants in the US in 2022. Mississippi, with the lowest average annual salary, has still seen tremendous growth over the years.
Between 2013 and 2018, the median annual salary for physician assistants rose from US$ 49,930 to US$ 81,130, showing an impressive 62.5% growth in five years.
Illinois had the second-best growth of annual average salary for physician assistants, with an increase of 33.6%. Hawaii comes third with a growth of 31.6% in the past five years.
State-wise Annual Average Salary of Physician Assistants in the US
Now that you’ve had a look at the highest and lowest-paying states for physician assistants, let’s take a look at how much each state pays:
| STATE | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | US$ 125,610 |
| Washington | US$ 123,980 |
| Alaska | US$ 122,260 |
| Hawaii | US$ 121,120 |
| California | US$ 117,230 |
| New York | US$ 117,000 |
| Wyoming | US$ 116,890 |
| Nevada | US$ 116,850 |
| New Jersey | US$ 116,270 |
| Minnesota | US$ 116,200 |
| Oregon | US$ 113,570 |
| New Hampshire | US$ 111,080 |
| Iowa | US$ 110,550 |
| Michigan | US$ 110,240 |
| Maine | US$ 110,030 |
| Texas | US$ 109,590 |
| Idaho | US$ 109,090 |
| Massachusetts | US$ 108,700 |
| New Mexico | US$ 108,610 |
| Illinois | US$ 108,260 |
| Maryland | US$ 108,180 |
| Wisconsin | US$ 107,920 |
| North Dakota | US$ 107,340 |
| Nebraska | US$ 106,700 |
| Vermont | US$ 106,520 |
| Montana | US$ 106,130 |
| Florida | US$ 105,930 |
| Ohio | US$ 105,410 |
| Delaware | US$ 105,300 |
| Kansas | US$ 104,720 |
| North Carolina | US$ 104,680 |
| Oklahoma | US$ 104,200 |
| West Virginia | US$ 104,180 |
| Rhode Island | US$ 103,710 |
| South Carolina | US$ 103,710 |
| Georgia | US$ 103,190 |
| South Dakota | US$ 102,830 |
| Colorado | US$ 102,770 |
| Utah | US$ 102,710 |
| Arizona | US$ 101,590 |
| Virginia | US$ 99,340 |
| Arkansas | US$ 99,280 |
| Pennsylvania | US$ 98,510 |
| Indiana | US$ 96,090 |
| Missouri | US$ 94,480 |
| Alabama | US$ 92,880 |
| Kentucky | US$ 91,010 |
| Tennessee | US$ 87,700 |
| Louisiana | US$ 85,990 |
| Mississippi | US$ 81,130 |
Conclusion
We hope this article was helpful in learning about the average physician assistant salary in the US.
The profession is one of the fastest-growing ones in the US as healthcare demands increase every year.
Even the lowest-paying average salary for physician assistants in the US is significantly higher than other occupations.
See Also
Difference Between Medical Assistant and Physician Assistant
How Much Do Physician Assistants Make
Non Clinical Physician Assistant Jobs
Grants for Dental Assistant School
How to Become a Dermatologist Assistant
How to Become a Physician Assistant
References:
https://www.payscale.com/research/
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