Physician assistant pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical physician assistant pay ranges from $105,440 in Birmingham, AL to $223,640 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Antonio, TX.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Physician Assistants, SOC 29-1071).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $223,640 | $135,200 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $167,290 | $113,100 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $140,160 | $113,100 |
| 4 | Oklahoma City, OK | $138,920 | $111,200 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $184,380 | $107,600 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $137,240 | $106,600 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $165,490 | $106,400 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $134,550 | $105,200 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $135,860 | $104,100 |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | $161,470 | $103,900 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $137,550 | $103,500 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $133,350 | $103,500 |
| 13 | Nashville, TN | $129,050 | $103,300 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $134,660 | $103,100 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $163,810 | $102,600 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $121,900 | $102,600 |
| 17 | St. Louis, MO | $136,120 | $102,500 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $132,350 | $102,200 |
| 19 | San Diego, CA | $165,160 | $101,000 |
| 20 | Milwaukee, WI | $135,040 | $100,900 |
| 21 | Dallas, TX | $134,900 | $100,400 |
| 22 | Louisville, KY | $130,830 | $100,300 |
| 23 | Charlotte, NC | $133,140 | $100,200 |
| 24 | Providence, RI | $139,930 | $100,100 |
| 25 | Indianapolis, IN | $131,950 | $99,200 |
| 26 | Cincinnati, OH | $128,520 | $98,600 |
| 27 | New York, NY | $167,650 | $98,500 |
| 28 | Grand Rapids, MI | $131,930 | $98,500 |
| 29 | Los Angeles, CA | $161,890 | $97,800 |
| 30 | Tampa, FL | $127,820 | $97,800 |
| 31 | Hartford, CT | $138,680 | $97,300 |
| 32 | Minneapolis, MN | $145,030 | $97,200 |
| 33 | Phoenix, AZ | $134,650 | $96,900 |
| 34 | Orlando, FL | $127,200 | $96,900 |
| 35 | Buffalo, NY | $126,360 | $95,200 |
| 36 | Washington, DC | $148,200 | $94,500 |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $125,230 | $94,200 |
| 38 | Boston, MA | $142,410 | $93,900 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $130,240 | $93,600 |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC | $124,300 | $93,500 |
| 41 | Richmond, VA | $126,810 | $93,400 |
| 42 | Virginia Beach, VA | $126,430 | $93,200 |
| 43 | Detroit, MI | $131,830 | $92,600 |
| 44 | Denver, CO | $134,540 | $92,600 |
| 45 | Philadelphia, PA | $135,640 | $92,300 |
| 46 | Baltimore, MD | $138,790 | $91,300 |
| 47 | Chicago, IL | $127,940 | $89,300 |
| 48 | Miami, FL | $132,360 | $89,100 |
| 49 | Birmingham, AL | $105,440 | $84,000 |
| 50 | Atlanta, GA | $111,810 | $82,200 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays physician assistants the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical physician assistant pay among the 50 largest US metros: $223,640 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $105,440. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does physician assistant pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical physician assistant pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Antonio, TX. It goes the least far in Atlanta, GA, where it's worth about $82,200 in typical-US-city dollars.