Physician assistants in New Jersey earn a median of $165,690 per year and a mean of $162,100. The median is the more useful figure for most hiring decisions because it is less affected by a small number of very high earners at the top of the market. When budgeting a new hire, start with the median and adjust up or down based on the candidate's experience and specialty.
Physician assistant salary in New Jersey (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in New Jersey is $162,100 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $165,690 gives you a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. New Jersey employs 4,790 physician assistants, and the $3,590 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in New Jersey typically earn around $117,860, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed the $207,000 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in New Jersey, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $165,690 |
Average Annual Salary | $162,100 |
vs. National Average | 14.7% above the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 4,790 employed physician assistants across New Jersey.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles in New Jersey
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $117,860 |
25th Percentile | $134,710 |
75th Percentile | $192,370 |
90th Percentile | $207,000 |
When setting an offer for a physician assistant in New Jersey, expect that mid-career candidates will anchor expectations closer to the $165,690 median, while experienced specialists will push toward $192,370 or beyond. The full range from $117,860 at the 10th percentile to $207,000 at the 90th percentile means your offer strategy needs to reflect the candidate's experience level and specialty area clearly.
Physician assistant salary by city in New Jersey
City | Average Annual Salary |
Newark | $163,570 |
Trenton | $148,970 |
Atlantic City | $142,570 |
Camden | $139,080 |
Location within New Jersey can meaningfully shift your compensation budget, so employers should calibrate offers to the metro area where the role sits. The Newark metro averages $163,570 per year, while Camden comes in at $139,080, a difference of more than $24,000 that will affect both your offer and your candidate pool. If you are hiring across multiple locations, build location-based pay bands rather than applying a single statewide figure.
How New Jersey compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
New Jersey | $162,100 | $165,690 |
New York | $155,150 | $160,880 |
Connecticut | $146,930 | $139,860 |
Massachusetts | $146,480 | $142,410 |
Maryland | $139,740 | $137,560 |
Pennsylvania | $125,160 | $127,070 |
Employers hiring physician assistants in New Jersey should expect to pay more than in any of the neighboring states shown here, so compensation budgets built on regional benchmarks from Pennsylvania or Maryland will fall short. New Jersey's average of $162,100 sits above New York's $155,150 and well above Pennsylvania's $125,160, meaning candidates with multi-state options will likely use New Jersey figures as their reference point. Budget accordingly and be prepared to justify your offer relative to what candidates can earn across state lines.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in New Jersey
How much does a PA make a year in NJ?
How does New Jersey compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
New Jersey pays physician assistants more than any of the comparison states in this dataset, with a mean of $162,100 against New York's $155,150 and Pennsylvania's $125,160. That premium reflects both the cost of living and the competitive labor market in the region. If you are recruiting candidates who are also considering roles in neighboring states, expect New Jersey's figures to set the floor for their salary expectations.
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in New Jersey?
Physician assistants at the 90th percentile in New Jersey earn $207,000 per year, and those at the 75th percentile reach $192,370. If you are competing for senior or highly specialized candidates, plan for offers in the upper portion of that range. The gap between the 75th and 90th percentile is roughly $14,630, so the step up to top-tier talent carries a real budget impact.
What is the average physician assistant salary in New Jersey?
The average physician assistant salary in New Jersey is $162,100 per year, which sits 14.7% above the national mean of $141,280. Keep in mind that the median of $165,690 is slightly higher than the mean, which tells you the distribution is not heavily skewed by outliers at the very top. Use the median as your primary anchor when setting a competitive offer for most candidates.
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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