How much does a physician assistant make? Physician Assistant salary and hourly pay
A physician assistant in the US earns a median of $135,880 a year, about $65.33 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $99,380 and the top 10% earn over $190,280. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, New Jersey, has a median of $165,690.
Physician Assistant pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a physician assistant make an hour?
The median physician assistant earns $65.33 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $47.78 for the lowest-paid 10% to $91.48 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $99,380 | $47.78 |
| Lower 25% | $120,670 | $58.02 |
| Median (typical) | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Upper 25% | $163,980 | $78.84 |
| Top 10% | $190,280 | $91.48 |
Physician Assistant salary by state
Median annual pay for physician assistants in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $104,960 | $50.46 |
| Alaska | $150,700 | $72.45 |
| Arizona | $134,650 | $64.74 |
| Arkansas | $118,430 | $56.94 |
| California | $165,650 | $79.64 |
| Colorado | $134,540 | $64.68 |
| Connecticut | $139,860 | $67.24 |
| Delaware | $139,350 | $67.00 |
| District of Columbia | $135,140 | $64.97 |
| Florida | $129,620 | $62.32 |
| Georgia | $115,390 | $55.48 |
| Hawaii | $164,050 | $78.87 |
| Idaho | $133,790 | $64.32 |
| Illinois | $131,950 | $63.44 |
| Indiana | $132,050 | $63.49 |
| Iowa | $134,770 | $64.79 |
| Kansas | $125,640 | $60.40 |
| Kentucky | $120,760 | $58.06 |
| Louisiana | $128,870 | $61.96 |
| Maine | $131,170 | $63.06 |
| Maryland | $137,560 | $66.13 |
| Massachusetts | $142,410 | $68.47 |
| Michigan | $131,510 | $63.23 |
| Minnesota | $141,190 | $67.88 |
| Mississippi | $105,920 | $50.92 |
| Missouri | $135,130 | $64.97 |
| Montana | $141,470 | $68.01 |
| Nebraska | $133,040 | $63.96 |
| Nevada | $134,660 | $64.74 |
| New Hampshire | $150,960 | $72.58 |
| New Jersey | $165,690 | $79.66 |
| New Mexico | $139,920 | $67.27 |
| New York | $160,880 | $77.35 |
| North Carolina | $129,360 | $62.19 |
| North Dakota | $133,450 | $64.16 |
| Ohio | $132,090 | $63.50 |
| Oklahoma | $136,550 | $65.65 |
| Oregon | $155,780 | $74.89 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,070 | $61.09 |
| Rhode Island | $139,930 | $67.27 |
| South Carolina | $122,490 | $58.89 |
| South Dakota | $133,200 | $64.04 |
| Tennessee | $118,240 | $56.85 |
| Texas | $134,550 | $64.69 |
| Utah | $134,740 | $64.78 |
| Vermont | $150,490 | $72.35 |
| Virginia | $135,940 | $65.36 |
| Washington | $164,360 | $79.02 |
| West Virginia | $128,610 | $61.83 |
| Wisconsin | $133,950 | $64.40 |
| Wyoming | $136,080 | $65.42 |
Highest-paying states for physician assistants
- New Jersey: $165,690 median
- California: $165,650 median
- Washington: $164,360 median
- Hawaii: $164,050 median
- New York: $160,880 median
The lowest medians are in Alabama ($104,960), Mississippi ($105,920), Georgia ($115,390), Tennessee ($118,240), Arkansas ($118,430). The most physician assistant jobs are in New York (19,140 jobs), California (13,600 jobs), Texas (10,110 jobs), Florida (9,310 jobs), Pennsylvania (9,020 jobs).
How much does a physician assistant make a month?
At the median salary of $135,880, a physician assistant earns about $11,323 a month, $5,226 every two weeks or $2,613 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced physician assistant pay
New physician assistants typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $99,380 a year and the lowest 25% under $120,670. The top 25% earn over $163,980 and the top 10% over $190,280. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Physician Assistant salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $135,880 |
| Medical assistant | $45,690 |
| Surgical tech | $64,650 |
| Radiology tech | $80,110 |
| Ultrasound tech | $96,590 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 |
Common questions
How much does a physician assistant make?
The US median is $135,880 a year ($65.33 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a physician assistant make an hour?
The median is about $65.33 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $47.78 and the top 10% about $91.48 an hour.
Which state pays physician assistants the most?
New Jersey has the highest median at $165,690, followed by California ($165,650) and Washington ($164,360).
How much does a physician assistant make a month?
At the US median of $135,880 a year, about $11,323 a month or $5,226 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level physician assistant make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $99,380 a year and the lowest 25% under $120,670, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of physician assistants make?
The top 10% earn over $190,280 a year; the top 25% earn over $163,980.
How much does a physician assistant make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $165,650 in California, $134,550 in Texas, $129,620 in Florida, $160,880 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 29-1071, “Physician Assistants”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.