Physician Assistants: Career Profile
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.
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What Do Physician Assistants Perform?
The core tasks performed by physician assistants include:
- Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
- Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.
- Instruct and counsel patients about prescribed therapeutic regimens, normal growth and development, family planning, emotional problems of daily living, and health maintenance.
- Perform therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and infection management.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top physician assistants combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Advanced Practice Provider (AAP)
- Anesthetic Assistant
- Cardiology Physician Assistant
- Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C)
- Certified Physician's Assistant (PA-C)
- Doctor Assistant
- Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (Emergency Medicine PA)
- Family Medicine PA (Family Medicine Physician Assistant)
How Many Physician Assistants Are There?
There are roughly 2,442,559 physician assistants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Physician Assistants Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,320 |
| Hourly median | $37.17 |
| 10th percentile | $46,802 |
| 25th percentile | $62,061 |
| 75th percentile | $92,578 |
| 90th percentile | $107,837 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Physician Assistants Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $163,020 |
| California | $161,080 |
| Washington | $156,990 |
| New York | $152,650 |
| Oregon | $149,130 |
| Rhode Island | $141,600 |
| New Jersey | $140,490 |
| New Mexico | $139,990 |
| Minnesota | $139,300 |
| Missouri | $139,200 |
| Delaware | $138,720 |
| Vermont | $138,610 |
| Connecticut | $138,440 |
| Massachusetts | $138,090 |
| New Hampshire | $137,330 |
| Alaska | $136,350 |
| Virginia | $135,490 |
| Arizona | $135,240 |
| Utah | $134,390 |
| Maryland | $134,100 |
| Nevada | $133,450 |
| Iowa | $133,400 |
| Wyoming | $133,330 |
| Montana | $132,980 |
| Wisconsin | $132,820 |
| Texas | $132,810 |
| Indiana | $132,200 |
| Michigan | $131,980 |
| Colorado | $131,910 |
| Maine | $131,250 |
| District of Columbia | $131,070 |
| Oklahoma | $130,750 |
| Louisiana | $129,610 |
| Idaho | $129,000 |
| North Carolina | $128,540 |
| Nebraska | $128,240 |
| South Dakota | $128,130 |
| Florida | $127,200 |
| Ohio | $126,760 |
| North Dakota | $126,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,880 |
| Kansas | $124,440 |
| Illinois | $122,990 |
| West Virginia | $122,970 |
| South Carolina | $119,190 |
| Tennessee | $113,990 |
| Kentucky | $110,300 |
| Georgia | $109,990 |
| Mississippi | $104,570 |
| Arkansas | $103,550 |
| Alabama | $101,620 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for physician assistants shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $157,044 | 13.6% | 0.84 |
| Middle Atlantic | $143,124 | 21.7% | 1.62 |
| New England | $137,767 | 7.1% | 1.57 |
| Plains States | $134,318 | 6.5% | 1.04 |
| Southwest | $133,406 | 10.3% | 0.84 |
| Rocky Mountains | $132,190 | 4.5% | 1.14 |
| Great Lakes | $129,056 | 12.3% | 0.92 |
| Southeast | $123,075 | 24.1% | 1.10 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $215,600 | |
| Napa, CA | CA | $183,930 | |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $180,540 | 130 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $178,520 | 200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $167,090 | 1,980 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $166,730 | 1,160 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $163,940 | 330 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $163,700 | 170 |
Top Industries Employing Physician Assistants
The bulk of physician assistants work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 143,290 | $132,820 |
| Educational Services | 3,820 | $127,900 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,140 | $157,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 450 | $127,870 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 380 | $117,220 |
| Finance and Insurance | 40 | $134,840 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of physician assistants reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Telephone Conversations
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level physician assistants positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Primary-Long)
- Registered Nurses (Supplemental)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Practitioners (Primary-Short)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for physician assistants often complete programs in:
21 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1071.00 (Physician Assistants).
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