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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

29-1071 Physician Assistants

Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants. Excludes "Registered Nurses" (29-1141), "Nurse Anesthetists" (29-1151), "Nurse Midwives" (29-1161), "Nurse Practitioners" (29-1171), "Emergency Medical Technicians" (29-2042), "Paramedics" (29-2043), "Surgical Assistants" (29-9093), and "Medical Assistants" (31-9092).


National estimates for Physician Assistants
Industry profile for Physician Assistants
Geographic profile for Physician Assistants

National estimates for Physician Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
125,280 1.7 % $ 55.81 $ 116,080 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physician Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 36.88 $ 46.02 $ 55.48 $ 65.01 $ 78.11
Annual Wage (2) $ 76,700 $ 95,730 $ 115,390 $ 135,220 $ 162,470


Industry profile for Physician Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Physician Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Physician Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 67,870 2.62 $ 55.34 $ 115,120
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 30,860 0.55 $ 56.40 $ 117,320
Outpatient Care Centers 10,190 1.06 $ 61.93 $ 128,820
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 4,930 0.16 $ 51.93 $ 108,010
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 2,070 0.23 $ 53.43 $ 111,140

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 67,870 2.62 $ 55.34 $ 115,120
Outpatient Care Centers 10,190 1.06 $ 61.93 $ 128,820
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,630 0.61 $ 55.10 $ 114,600
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 30,860 0.55 $ 56.40 $ 117,320
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 2,070 0.23 $ 53.43 $ 111,140

Top paying industries for Physician Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Personal Care Services 120 0.02 $ 69.35 $ 144,260
Outpatient Care Centers 10,190 1.06 $ 61.93 $ 128,820
Scientific Research and Development Services 420 0.06 $ 59.81 $ 124,400
Employment Services 1,540 0.05 $ 57.89 $ 120,400
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 110 0.02 $ 57.68 $ 119,970


Geographic profile for Physician Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Physician Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Physician Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 13,760 1.58 1.76 $ 60.76 $ 126,370
California 11,490 0.70 0.78 $ 64.99 $ 135,180
Texas 8,990 0.74 0.82 $ 53.94 $ 112,200
Florida 7,310 0.87 0.96 $ 52.32 $ 108,820
Pennsylvania 7,300 1.32 1.47 $ 51.69 $ 107,520




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 13,760 1.58 1.76 $ 60.76 $ 126,370
Connecticut 2,310 1.50 1.66 $ 70.24 $ 146,110
Maine 830 1.44 1.60 $ 56.34 $ 117,180
Alaska 430 1.44 1.60 $ 72.32 $ 150,430
North Carolina 6,140 1.43 1.59 $ 54.09 $ 112,510




Top paying states for Physician Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 430 1.44 1.60 $ 72.32 $ 150,430
Connecticut 2,310 1.50 1.66 $ 70.24 $ 146,110
Rhode Island 220 0.49 0.54 $ 65.29 $ 135,800
California 11,490 0.70 0.78 $ 64.99 $ 135,180
Nevada 880 0.70 0.78 $ 64.77 $ 134,710





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Physician Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 11,440 1.30 1.44 $ 63.16 $ 131,370
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,880 0.67 0.74 $ 62.71 $ 130,450
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,430 0.96 1.06 $ 51.23 $ 106,570
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,240 1.20 1.33 $ 56.42 $ 117,360
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,990 1.14 1.26 $ 56.32 $ 117,140
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,850 1.09 1.22 $ 55.49 $ 115,410
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,370 0.54 0.60 $ 53.15 $ 110,550
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,080 0.83 0.92 $ 49.19 $ 102,320
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,030 0.68 0.76 $ 64.03 $ 133,190
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,020 0.67 0.74 $ 56.79 $ 118,120




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physician Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 180 4.78 5.30 $ 51.43 $ 106,970
Muncie, IN 200 4.53 5.03 $ 28.54 $ 59,370
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 840 3.77 4.18 $ 35.28 $ 73,380
Fayetteville, NC 340 2.77 3.08 $ 55.46 $ 115,350
Ann Arbor, MI 560 2.70 3.00 $ 52.47 $ 109,140
Iowa City, IA 230 2.68 2.98 $ 55.93 $ 116,340
Rome, GA 100 2.68 2.97 $ 45.31 $ 94,250
Asheville, NC 470 2.55 2.83 $ 51.69 $ 107,520
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 750 2.42 2.69 $ 52.60 $ 109,420
Beckley, WV 100 2.40 2.67 $ 68.71 $ 142,910