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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
132,940 1.6 % $ 57.43 $ 119,460 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 37.47 $ 48.02 $ 58.43 $ 63.34 $ 79.14
Annual Wage (2) $ 77,940 $ 99,880 $ 121,530 $ 131,740 $ 164,620

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 70,000 2.60 $ 56.43 $ 117,370
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 30,020 0.54 $ 59.07 $ 122,870
Outpatient Care Centers 13,450 1.36 $ 62.46 $ 129,910
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 4,130 0.14 $ 48.49 $ 100,850
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,610 0.17 $ 54.80 $ 113,980

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 70,000 2.60 $ 56.43 $ 117,370
Outpatient Care Centers 13,450 1.36 $ 62.46 $ 129,910
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,520 0.56 $ 58.62 $ 121,920
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 30,020 0.54 $ 59.07 $ 122,870
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 770 0.25 $ 54.83 $ 114,040

Top paying industries for Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 270 0.03 $ 64.34 $ 133,830
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 40 (7) $ 64.21 $ 133,550
Outpatient Care Centers 13,450 1.36 $ 62.46 $ 129,910
Management of Companies and Enterprises 330 0.01 $ 62.16 $ 129,280
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 870 0.02 $ 59.74 $ 124,270

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 2021


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 14,600 0.88 0.94 $ 65.83 $ 136,920
New York 13,670 1.58 1.67 $ 63.37 $ 131,810
Texas 8,900 0.73 0.77 $ 55.81 $ 116,070
Pennsylvania 7,340 1.31 1.39 $ 52.66 $ 109,530
Florida 7,210 0.84 0.89 $ 50.39 $ 104,810


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by state, May 2021


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 2,670 1.69 1.80 $ 68.17 $ 141,790
Maryland 4,120 1.62 1.71 $ 47.85 $ 99,530
New York 13,670 1.58 1.67 $ 63.37 $ 131,810
Alaska 440 1.48 1.57 $ 70.11 $ 145,830
North Carolina 5,860 1.33 1.41 $ 55.82 $ 116,110


Map of annual mean wages of physician assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 300 0.65 0.69 $ 70.62 $ 146,880
Alaska 440 1.48 1.57 $ 70.11 $ 145,830
Connecticut 2,670 1.69 1.80 $ 68.17 $ 141,790
New Jersey 3,710 0.96 1.02 $ 67.34 $ 140,080
New Hampshire 800 1.26 1.34 $ 66.02 $ 137,330



Map of employment of physician assistants by area, May 2021


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 12,550 1.45 1.53 $ 66.58 $ 138,490
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,320 0.93 0.99 $ 62.12 $ 129,210
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,630 1.24 1.31 $ 54.48 $ 113,320
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 3,510 1.36 1.44 $ 56.51 $ 117,540
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,840 1.07 1.13 $ 58.97 $ 122,670
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,830 0.79 0.84 $ 50.73 $ 105,510
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,510 0.97 1.03 $ 63.27 $ 131,600
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,380 1.12 1.19 $ 58.14 $ 120,930
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 2,140 1.71 1.81 $ 49.16 $ 102,260
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,930 0.79 0.83 $ 55.49 $ 115,420


Map of location quotient of physician assistants by area, May 2021


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 750 6.50 6.89 $ 59.29 $ 123,320
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 840 3.75 3.97 $ 37.43 $ 77,860
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 710 3.65 3.87 $ 59.34 $ 123,420
Ann Arbor, MI 600 2.99 3.16 $ 55.14 $ 114,700
Iowa City, IA 220 2.51 2.66 $ 58.56 $ 121,800
Midland, MI 90 2.48 2.63 $ 52.55 $ 109,300
Gainesville, GA 220 2.47 2.62 $ 58.14 $ 120,930
Bend-Redmond, OR 190 2.30 2.44 $ 59.16 $ 123,050
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 710 2.28 2.41 $ 53.51 $ 111,300
Muskegon, MI 130 2.28 2.41 $ 52.78 $ 109,780