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The national median salary for Physician Assistants is $135,886 per year ($65.33/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $120,682 and $163,987 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $190,278 per year. There are approximately 162,150 physician assistants employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+20.4%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
12K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
163K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
28% from new growth72% from people leaving the role
Mixed: openings come from both new growth and people exiting the role.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
87K
$132,000
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
41K
$141,090
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
15K
$153,500
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
4K
$134,770
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
4K
$164,760
Wage range across top 5 industries: $132,000 to $164,760 (25% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$47.78
$99,382
P25
$58.02
$120,682
P50MEDIAN
$65.33
$135,886
P75
$78.84
$163,987
P90
$91.48
$190,278
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average physician assistants salary?
The national median salary for Physician Assistants is $135,886 per year ($65.33/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $120,682 and $163,987 annually.
How much do top-earning physician assistants make?
The 90th percentile salary for Physician Assistants is $190,278 per year ($91.48/hr). The 75th percentile is $163,987 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for physician assistants?
Entry-level Physician Assistants (10th percentile) earn approximately $99,382 per year ($47.78/hr). The 25th percentile is $120,682 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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