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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

29-1071 Physician Assistants

Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants. Excludes “Registered Nurses” (29-1141), “Nurse Anesthetists” (29-1151), “Nurse Midwives” (29-1161), “Nurse Practitioners” (29-1171), “Emergency Medical Technicians” (29-2042), “Paramedics” (29-2043), “Surgical Assistants” (29-9093), and “Medical Assistants” (31-9092).


National estimates for Physician Assistants
Industry profile for Physician Assistants
Geographic profile for Physician Assistants

National estimates for Physician Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
145,740 1.7 % $ 62.74 $ 130,490 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 41.48 $ 51.97 $ 62.51 $ 72.94 $ 82.11
Annual Wage (2) $ 86,280 $ 108,100 $ 130,020 $ 151,720 $ 170,790


Industry profile for Physician Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Physician Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Physician Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 80,610 2.84 $ 61.49 $ 127,910
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 34,890 0.61 $ 63.74 $ 132,580
Outpatient Care Centers 14,060 1.32 $ 69.31 $ 144,160
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,520 0.11 $ 55.97 $ 116,420
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 2,880 0.25 $ 60.50 $ 125,840

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 80,610 2.84 $ 61.49 $ 127,910
Outpatient Care Centers 14,060 1.32 $ 69.31 $ 144,160
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 34,890 0.61 $ 63.74 $ 132,580
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,680 0.59 $ 64.55 $ 134,260
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 2,880 0.25 $ 60.50 $ 125,840

Top paying industries for Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Employment Services 1,550 0.04 $ 72.06 $ 149,870
Outpatient Care Centers 14,060 1.32 $ 69.31 $ 144,160
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 830 0.24 $ 67.88 $ 141,180
Scientific Research and Development Services 390 0.04 $ 66.67 $ 138,680
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 320 0.14 $ 66.36 $ 138,030


Geographic profile for Physician Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Physician Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Physician Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of physician assistants by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 16,690 1.78 1.85 $ 66.54 $ 138,410
California 12,880 0.72 0.75 $ 74.02 $ 153,960
Florida 9,060 0.95 0.99 $ 58.55 $ 121,780
Pennsylvania 8,730 1.47 1.53 $ 57.58 $ 119,760
Texas 8,630 0.64 0.66 $ 64.80 $ 134,780


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 16,690 1.78 1.85 $ 66.54 $ 138,410
Connecticut 2,950 1.77 1.85 $ 71.78 $ 149,300
North Carolina 8,180 1.71 1.78 $ 59.55 $ 123,860
Alaska 510 1.65 1.72 $ 71.39 $ 148,480
Pennsylvania 8,730 1.47 1.53 $ 57.58 $ 119,760


Map of annual mean wages of physician assistants by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 1,450 0.98 1.02 $ 74.42 $ 154,800
California 12,880 0.72 0.75 $ 74.02 $ 153,960
Washington 3,240 0.93 0.96 $ 73.46 $ 152,800
Connecticut 2,950 1.77 1.85 $ 71.78 $ 149,300
Alaska 510 1.65 1.72 $ 71.39 $ 148,480



Map of employment of physician assistants by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Physician Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 15,020 1.58 1.65 $ 69.53 $ 144,620
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,650 0.59 0.61 $ 71.34 $ 148,390
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,210 1.16 1.21 $ 62.34 $ 129,670
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,170 1.12 1.17 $ 65.94 $ 137,150
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,160 0.80 0.83 $ 66.24 $ 137,790
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,030 0.67 0.70 $ 59.60 $ 123,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,830 0.91 0.95 $ 58.40 $ 121,470
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,820 1.23 1.28 $ 63.29 $ 131,640
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,340 0.86 0.90 $ 58.08 $ 120,810
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,300 0.82 0.85 $ 55.34 $ 115,110


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physician Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rochester, MN 940 7.91 8.24 $ 61.34 $ 127,600
Iowa City, IA 340 3.76 3.92 $ 60.40 $ 125,630
Ann Arbor, MI 740 3.42 3.56 $ 61.47 $ 127,860
Williamsport, PA 140 2.84 2.96 $ 50.64 $ 105,330
Altoona, PA 150 2.65 2.76 $ 52.25 $ 108,680
Winston-Salem, NC 700 2.58 2.69 $ 63.66 $ 132,410
Asheville, NC 510 2.53 2.64 $ 58.71 $ 122,110
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 830 2.48 2.58 $ 60.37 $ 125,560
Danbury, CT 180 2.39 2.49 $ 67.52 $ 140,430
Sebring, FL 60 2.32 2.42 $ 37.58 $ 78,160