How Much Do Physician Assistants Make on Average (Salary)
How much do physician assistants make? What's the average salary of a physician assistant? In both regular and emergency settings, physician assistants, or PAs, work in hospitals and medical facilities A physician assistant's responsibilities range from gathering patient information to executing medical treatments and aiding in surgical procedures.
Learn more about a PA's average salaries.
What is a physician assistant?
Medical workers who operate under the direction of a physician are known as physician assistants. A physician does many of the same tasks as a doctor, but they collaborate with them rather than working alone. Examining patients, interpreting lab findings, and helping during surgical procedures are just a few of their responsibilities.
What does a physician assistant do?
Physician assistants are responsible for a wide range of activities related to patient care. Physical exams of patients, diagnosis, and creation of a treatment plan based on the diagnosis are some of their major responsibilities.
A physician assistant's day-to-day responsibilities include the following:
- Perform physical exams on patients.
- Determine the nature of the patient's ailment.
- Patients' treatment plans should be created.
- Tests for the patient should be ordered.
- Interpret the results of a patient's laboratory testing.
- Medical treatments are performed.
- Assist in surgical procedures.
- Advise patients on the need of preventative care.
- In certain states, you can write prescriptions.
- Small wounds are sutured.
- Putting together casts or splints.
How much do physician assistants make (average salary)?
The national average compensation for a physician assistant is $104,953 per year, with salaries ranging from about $32,000 to $218,000 per year. As a medical assistant, pay is determined by years of experience, the company you work for, and your location. Larger cities, on average, will have a stronger demand for these sorts of jobs and will pay you more for them.
Physician assistants earn an average of $118,500 a year. Wages generally range from $67,910 to $164,260 per year. 57% higher than the national average.
Physician assistant earnings by seniority:
Top-level assistants earn $78.97 per hour or $164,260 per year.
Physician assistant salaries by state
Physician assistant salary by state:
- Alabama: $117,207 per year
- Alaska: $112,954 per year
- Arizona: $101,633 per year
- Arkansas: $39,753 per year
- California: $118,453 per year
- Colorado: $97,037 per year
- Connecticut: $105,059 per year
- Delaware: $106,391 per year
- Florida: $92,531 per year
- Georgia: $87,325 per year
- Hawaii: $88,993 per year
- Idaho: $18.67 per hour
- Illinois: $115,365 per year
- Indiana: $103,767 per year
- Iowa: $112,366 per year
- Kansas: $95,926 per year
- Kentucky: $101,272 per year
- Louisiana: $109,653 per year
- Maine: $133,184 per year
- Maryland: $99,645 per year
- Massachusetts: $103,502 per year
- Michigan: $96,499 per year
- Minnesota: $108,540 per year
- Mississippi: $87,582 per year
- Missouri: $99,181 per year
- Montana: $67,480 per year
- Nebraska: $78,613 per year
- Nevada: $111,087 per year
- New Hampshire: $109,508 per year
- New Jersey: $94,059 per year
- New Mexico: $113,847 per year
- New York: $108,725 per year
- North Carolina: $104,897 per year
- North Dakota: $93,063 per year
- Ohio: $32.59 per hour
- Oklahoma: $97,177 per year
- Oregon: $125,061 per year
- Pennsylvania: $96,000 per year
- Rhode Island: $99,834 per year
- South Carolina: $103,213 per year
- South Dakota: $98,488 per year
- Tennessee: $97,763 per year
- Texas: $104,670 per year
- Utah: $96,745 per year
- Vermont: $106,028 per year
- Virginia: $94,815 per year
- Washington: $112,851 per year
- West Virginia: $91,534 per year
- Wisconsin: $29.95 per hour
- Wyoming: $115,454 per year
Wages per hour
$51 per hour.
Wages per week
$2,058 per week.
Wages per month
$8,919 per month.
Required skills
You'll need a wide range of hard and soft talents to work as a physician assistant. You'll need the following abilities in addition to substantial medical knowledge and a comprehension of maths and science:
Active-listening
As a physician assistant, it's critical that you understand your patients' needs and be able to respond appropriately.
Compassion
It's critical to show compassion to a diverse group of patients who rely on you in your time of need.
Critical-thinking
It's critical that you can properly evaluate patient test data and create a treatment plan based on them as you interpret patient lab results.
Communication
It's critical that you're a good communicator because you'll be working with your supervising doctor, the surgical team, and relaying information to patients.
Confidence
When working in the medical industry, it's critical to have faith in yourself and your talents as you provide patient care.
Education requirements
To work as a medical assistant, you'll need a lot of schooling. To begin, you'll need a master's degree from a physician assistant training school that is approved. Prior to this, you'll most likely have a four-year scientific degree and some work experience in the healthcare field. You'll also need to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (NCCPA) to get your professional license. Every ten years, this license must be renewed.
Physician assistant's education is patterned around a medical school curriculum for aspiring doctors, whereas a nurse practitioner is educated in advanced nursing. In addition, physician assistants acquire a broad medical education. Nurse practitioners, on the other hand, choose a particular area of study, like as pediatrics, for their education.
How to increase your salary as a physician assistant
There are several options available to you if you want to earn more money than the average income for this position. Here are a few examples:
Ask for a higher salary
When the chance for a pay increase occurs, like with any other employment, you might try to negotiate a better compensation as a medical assistant. If you do, be sure to emphasize your talents while keeping in mind the average wage for this position. Negotiate a wage that is appropriate for your credentials and the position.
Get a specialty
Having a specialization will give you a better opportunity of obtaining a better wage. Consider going into neurology, cardiology, or dermatology as a specialty. To do so, you'll need to obtain a degree from a recognized university.
Switch employers
Switching employers, like with other industries, might enhance your chances of earning a higher pay. This is because a private clinic can charge more than a hospital in some situations.
Move locations
You might even relocate to a different state in the hopes of improving your pay. Just keep in mind that states or towns with higher-than-average wages can see an increase in their cost of living.
Further your education
A master's degree in physician assistant studies from a recognized university can also help you earn more money. Though you'll continue your study after this, a master's degree might demonstrate to people in your profession that you've completed specific requirements.
Favorite Resources
Our favorite resources are included below.
Job interview resources
- Common Interview Questions by Marquette University
- Prepare for Behavioral Interview Questions by Marquette University
- Preparing for Job Interviews by the University of Kansas
- Mock Interview Handbook by CSUCI
- Interview Guidebook by Lebanon Valley College
Resume and cover letter resources
- Writing a Resume and Cover Letter by USC
- Resume Writing Tips by the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Resume and Cover Letter Guide by Harvard University
Job search resources

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