Physician assistants at the 90th percentile earn $190,280 annually. If you are competing for senior or highly specialized talent, expect offers in the $163,980 to $190,280 range, which covers the top quarter of earners nationally.
Physician assistant salary in the US (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in the US is $141,280. The median of $135,880 is the better anchor for most hiring decisions, since it reflects what a typical physician assistant earns without being pulled upward by the highest-paid outliers. California, Washington, and New York all pay well above the national median, so your offer strategy will depend heavily on where your role is located.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Average annual salary | $141,280 |
Median annual salary | $135,880 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 162,150 employed physician assistants across the US.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th percentile | $99,380 |
25th percentile | $120,670 |
75th percentile | $163,980 |
90th percentile | $190,280 |
If you want to attract experienced physician assistants rather than entry-level candidates, plan to offer at or above $163,980, since that is where the top quarter of earners begins. The full range runs from $99,380 at the 10th percentile to $190,280 at the 90th, giving you a clear picture of how much compensation varies by experience and market.
How physician assistant salaries compare across states
State | Average annual salary | Median annual salary |
California | $169,110 | $165,650 |
Washington | $164,430 | $164,360 |
New York | $155,150 | $160,880 |
Massachusetts | $146,480 | $142,410 |
Virginia | $142,630 | $135,940 |
Colorado | $139,580 | $134,540 |
Texas | $135,850 | $134,550 |
Florida | $134,470 | $129,620 |
Illinois | $131,880 | $131,950 |
Georgia | $112,090 | $115,390 |
Hiring in California, Washington, or New York requires a meaningfully higher budget than hiring in Georgia or Illinois, so use state-level figures rather than the national average when building your offer. California leads at $169,110 average and $165,650 median, while Georgia sits at $112,090 average and $115,390 median, a gap large enough to affect headcount planning if you have location flexibility.
Frequently asked questions about Physician Assistant salary in the US
What do the top-earning physician assistants make nationally?
What is the average physician assistant salary in the US?
The average physician assistant salary in the US is $141,280 per year, with a median of $135,880. The median is the more reliable figure for offer-setting, since it is less affected by high earners at the top of the range and better reflects what a typical candidate expects.
More salary data
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071).
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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