Arizona's average physician assistant salary of $140,850 places it close to most neighboring states, including Colorado at $139,580, Texas at $135,850, and Nevada at $135,790. California is the significant exception at $169,110, so if you are competing for candidates with California experience or offers, plan for a larger compensation gap. For most regional hires, Arizona's pay levels are broadly in line with the surrounding market.
Physician assistant salary in Arizona (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in Arizona is $140,850 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $134,650 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Arizona employs 3,750 physician assistants, and the $6,200 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in Arizona typically earn around $106,030, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed $174,420. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in Arizona, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $134,650 |
Average Annual Salary | $140,850 |
vs. National Average | 0.3% below the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 3,750 employed physician assistants across Arizona.
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Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $106,030 |
25th Percentile | $123,990 |
75th Percentile | $156,500 |
90th Percentile | $174,420 |
Employers setting an offer for a physician assistant in Arizona should expect a meaningful spread depending on experience level, with entry-level roles clustering near $106,030 and experienced specialists reaching $174,420 or beyond. The middle 50% of the market falls between $123,990 and $156,500, which gives you a practical anchor range for most mid-career hires.
City | Average Annual Salary |
Tucson | $145,490 |
Flagstaff | $141,390 |
Phoenix | $140,520 |
Prescott | $138,590 |
Yuma | $134,980 |
Location within Arizona can shift your compensation budget by several thousand dollars, so employers should calibrate offers to the specific metro rather than relying on the statewide average alone. Tucson leads at $145,490 while Yuma sits at the lower end at $134,980, a difference of over $10,000 in average annual pay. Phoenix, as the largest labor market in the state, lands near the middle at $140,520.
How Arizona compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Arizona | $140,850 | $134,650 |
California | $169,110 | $165,650 |
Colorado | $139,580 | $134,540 |
Texas | $135,850 | $134,550 |
Nevada | $135,790 | $134,660 |
New Mexico | $134,670 | $139,920 |
Arizona sits in a cost-effective position relative to California but aligns closely with most neighboring states, which means compensation expectations for candidates moving between these markets will be broadly similar. Arizona's average of $140,850 is within $5,000 of Colorado, Texas, Nevada, and New Mexico, so regional candidates are unlikely to demand a significant premium or discount based on state alone. California is the clear outlier at $169,110, and employers competing for candidates who have California offers will need to account for that gap.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in Arizona
How does Arizona compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in Arizona?
The 90th percentile for physician assistants in Arizona is $174,420, which represents what senior specialists in the state typically reach or exceed. Setting a competitive offer for a highly experienced candidate means budgeting at or above this threshold. The spread between the 75th percentile at $156,500 and the 90th percentile at $174,420 gives you a useful range for senior-level offer anchoring.
What is the salary range for a physician assistant in Arizona?
The full documented range runs from $106,030 at the 10th percentile to $174,420 at the 90th percentile for physician assistants in Arizona. The middle of the market, where most active candidates will fall, sits between $123,990 and $156,500. Use the seniority and specialization of your specific role to determine where within that range your offer should land.
What is the average physician assistant salary in Arizona?
The average physician assistant salary in Arizona is $140,850 per year, with a median of $134,650. The $6,200 gap between those two figures reflects a segment of higher-compensated roles pulling the average above the midpoint, so the median is the more reliable benchmark for a typical hire. If you are filling a specialized or senior role, budget closer to the mean or above it.
Physician Assistant salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1071 (Physician Assistants).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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