Illinois physician assistants earn a mean of $131,880, which places the state below all five regional peers in this comparison. Indiana leads the group at $144,260, and even Michigan, the closest competitor, comes in slightly above Illinois at $132,140. If you are recruiting candidates who are weighing offers across state lines, be aware that neighboring markets generally offer higher average pay, though median salaries across the region are closely grouped.
Physician assistant salary in Illinois (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in Illinois is $131,880 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $131,950 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Illinois employs 3,790 physician assistants, and the $70 gap between the mean and median signals real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in Illinois typically earn around $105,160, while senior specialists commonly reach or exceed the $162,330 level. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in Illinois, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $131,950 |
Average Annual Salary | $131,880 |
vs. National Average | 6.7% below the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 3,790 employed physician assistants across Illinois.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles in Illinois
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $105,160 |
25th Percentile | $122,780 |
75th Percentile | $145,600 |
90th Percentile | $162,330 |
Employers setting offers for physician assistants in Illinois should expect a meaningful spread depending on experience level. Entry-level candidates typically fall near $105,160, while the most experienced specialists commonly reach $162,330 or beyond, giving you a practical range to work with when structuring compensation tiers.
Physician assistant salary by city in Illinois
City | Average Annual Salary |
Champaign | $138,360 |
Chicago | $134,170 |
Peoria | $132,850 |
Springfield | $131,750 |
Rockford | $128,200 |
Location-based compensation decisions for physician assistants in Illinois carry real budget implications, since average pay varies by roughly $10,000 across the state's major markets. Champaign leads at $138,360, while Rockford sits at the lower end at $128,200. Employers hiring in the Chicago metro should budget around $134,170 on average, which falls between those two poles.
How Illinois compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Illinois | $131,880 | $131,950 |
Indiana | $144,260 | $132,050 |
Wisconsin | $136,750 | $133,950 |
Ohio | $136,560 | $132,090 |
Texas | $135,850 | $134,550 |
Michigan | $132,140 | $131,510 |
Illinois sits at the lower end of the regional market for physician assistant compensation, which means employers here face less upward pressure on base salaries than peers in Indiana or Wisconsin. Indiana's average of $144,260 runs $12,380 above Illinois, though the median figures across all five comparison states cluster tightly between $131,510 and $134,550. Employers in Illinois can use that median alignment to their advantage when structuring competitive offers without necessarily matching the higher averages seen in neighboring states.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in Illinois
How does Illinois compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in Illinois?
The 90th percentile for physician assistants in Illinois is $162,330, meaning the highest-compensated segment of the workforce earns at or above that level. If you are competing for senior or specialized talent, plan to anchor your offer closer to that threshold to remain credible in the market. The 75th percentile sits at $145,600, which is a useful benchmark for experienced mid-career candidates who are not yet at the top of the pay scale.
What is the average physician assistant salary in Illinois?
The average physician assistant salary in Illinois is $131,880 per year, with a median of $131,950. The close alignment between the mean and median tells you the distribution is relatively balanced, without extreme outliers pulling the average far from the midpoint. For budgeting purposes, either figure gives you a reliable anchor for a mid-level hire in this state.
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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