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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
140,910 2.1 % $ 60.23 $ 125,270 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 40.30 $ 50.12 $ 60.58 $ 67.63 $ 80.83
Annual Wage (2) $ 83,820 $ 104,240 $ 126,010 $ 140,660 $ 168,120

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 76,270 2.74 $ 58.90 $ 122,510
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 33,070 0.59 $ 61.44 $ 127,800
Outpatient Care Centers 13,560 1.33 $ 65.89 $ 137,040
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 4,370 0.14 $ 52.08 $ 108,330
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,900 0.18 $ 56.97 $ 118,490

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 76,270 2.74 $ 58.90 $ 122,510
Outpatient Care Centers 13,560 1.33 $ 65.89 $ 137,040
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 33,070 0.59 $ 61.44 $ 127,800
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,400 0.52 $ 61.61 $ 128,150
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 680 0.21 $ 54.57 $ 113,500

Top paying industries for Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 13,560 1.33 $ 65.89 $ 137,040
Employment Services (8) (8) $ 64.31 $ 133,750
Scientific Research and Development Services 280 0.03 $ 62.69 $ 130,400
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 860 0.02 $ 62.17 $ 129,320
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,400 0.52 $ 61.61 $ 128,150

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 2022


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)
California 15,540 0.88 0.92 $ 69.48 $ 144,520
New York 14,790 1.62 1.70 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Texas 8,930 0.69 0.72 $ 63.93 $ 132,980
Florida 8,480 0.92 0.97 $ 53.33 $ 110,930
North Carolina 7,150 1.54 1.62 $ 57.61 $ 119,830


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by state, May 2022


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)
Connecticut 2,820 1.73 1.81 $ 68.89 $ 143,280
New York 14,790 1.62 1.70 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
North Carolina 7,150 1.54 1.62 $ 57.61 $ 119,830
Nebraska 1,410 1.46 1.53 $ 58.05 $ 120,740
Montana 700 1.43 1.51 $ 58.80 $ 122,310


Map of annual mean wages of physician assistants by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 3,040 0.89 0.94 $ 69.90 $ 145,390
California 15,540 0.88 0.92 $ 69.48 $ 144,520
Alaska 430 1.41 1.48 $ 69.45 $ 144,460
Connecticut 2,820 1.73 1.81 $ 68.89 $ 143,280
Nevada 1,260 0.89 0.94 $ 67.96 $ 141,360



Map of employment of physician assistants by area, May 2022


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 14,580 1.59 1.67 $ 66.77 $ 138,890
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,720 0.94 0.98 $ 66.52 $ 138,360
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,280 1.08 1.14 $ 58.77 $ 122,230
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,860 1.05 1.10 $ 57.45 $ 119,490
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,790 0.91 0.96 $ 70.32 $ 146,270
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,690 1.21 1.27 $ 58.42 $ 121,500
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,500 0.90 0.95 $ 58.98 $ 122,680
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,490 0.92 0.97 $ 63.84 $ 132,780
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,330 0.61 0.64 $ 63.41 $ 131,890
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 2,200 1.70 1.78 $ 56.07 $ 116,620


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by area, May 2022


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 1,100 9.39 9.85 $ 57.76 $ 120,130
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 790 3.51 3.68 $ 41.36 $ 86,020
Iowa City, IA 320 3.49 3.66 $ 57.53 $ 119,660
Ann Arbor, MI 630 3.00 3.15 $ 59.11 $ 122,960
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 860 2.61 2.74 $ 56.66 $ 117,850
Corvallis, OR 90 2.56 2.69 $ 70.16 $ 145,930
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 510 2.50 2.62 $ 63.23 $ 131,510
Winston-Salem, NC 660 2.48 2.61 $ 61.03 $ 126,950
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 120 2.44 2.56 $ 65.29 $ 135,810
Danbury, CT 180 2.42 2.54 $ 67.18 $ 139,740