Physician Assistant Salary

2026 Salary Overview

Among the highest paying industries for this occupation are specialty hospitals, home healthcare services, office administrative services and outpatient centers. Top paying cities for physician assistants include Racine, WI ($145,860), Texarkana, TX-AR ($143,890), Tyler, TX ($127,160), and Gainesville, GA ($127,000).

Bonuses vary depending on a number of factors, such as years of experience. Physician assistants with less than 1 year of experience may earn bonuses of up to $512 per year, while those with 1 to 4 years of experience may earn up to $1,022. With more than 5 years of experience, a physician assistant may expect almost $2000 in bonuses per year.

Employment

About 83,640 physician assistants were employed across the country in 2012. Physicians' offices, hospitals and outpatient centers are the primary workplaces for physician assistants.

Job Outlook

The employment rate of physician assistants is predicted to grow by 38 percent between 2012 and 2022. It is expected that 33,300 new jobs will open during this period. This represents much faster than average growth for this occupation.

Work Environment

Physician assistants work under the supervision of physicians. They examine, diagnose, and treat patients. They are trained to provide many of the same services as physicians and often serve as a patient's principal healthcare provider.

Salary Trends Over Time

The chart below shows how physician assistant salaries have changed over the years, from 2015 to 2026. You can select a specific state to see localized trends or view the national average.

Salary by State

The following table shows physician assistant salary data by state, including the lowest 10%, median, highest 10%, and average salaries.