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Physician Assistant - Surgical Salary in the United States

How much does a Physician Assistant - Surgical make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Physician Assistant - Surgical in the United States is $120,003 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $58.

However, a Physician Assistant - Surgical's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $135,069
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $110,992 to $127,889
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $102,788
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Physician Assistant - Surgical Salaries

A Physician Assistant - Surgical's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Physician Assistant - Surgical Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Physician Assistant - Surgical's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $117,044
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $117,717
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $120,592
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $122,946
  • Expert (over 8 years): $123,534
Levels Salary
Entry Level Physician Assistant - Surgical$117,044
Intermediate Level Physician Assistant - Surgical$117,717
Senior Level Physician Assistant - Surgical$120,592
Specialist Level Physician Assistant - Surgical$122,946
Expert Level Physician Assistant - Surgical$123,534
View as Graph

How Do Physician Assistant - Surgicals Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Physician Assistant - Surgicals. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $132,867.
  • California: $132,363.
  • Massachusetts: $130,599.

Top Paying Cities for Physician Assistant - Surgical

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $151,360
  • San Francisco: $149,703
  • Oakland: $146,548

What Skills Can Increase a Physician Assistant - Surgical's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Collaboration (Mentioned in 4.12% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 3.45% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
  • Medical Services (Mentioned in 2.8% Job Postings): A service that provides medical treatment to people within an area or country: In poorer countries without a reliable health service, 90% of care for people with Aids-related illnesses is carried out in the home. health services.
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 4.12%
Acute Care 3.45%
Medical Services 2.8%
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What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Physician Assistant - Surgical's salary.

  • Wound Care: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Team Building: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Diagnostic Tests: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Wound Care $133,203
11%
Team Building $133,203
11%
Diagnostic Tests $130,803
9%
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Physician Assistant - Surgical Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Physician Assistant - Surgical salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $127,290. While startup companies pay approximate $108,469.

Physician Assistant - Surgical Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $108,469
Growth Stage 51~500 $114,504
Established 501~5000 $123,127
Enterprise 5000+ $127,290

Physician Assistant - Surgical Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Physician Assistant - Surgical roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely, Physician Assistant - Surgical positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Physician Assistant - Surgical as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Physician Assistant - Surgical

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$156,004$75.030%

How Education impacts an Physician Assistant - Surgical's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Physician Assistant - Surgical enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Physician Assistant - Surgical with a Bachelor's Degree is between $125,465 and $133,530.

Physician Assistant - Surgical Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Physician Assistant - Surgical
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 7.1%
High School 7.1%
Associates 3.6%
Bachelors 19.1%
Masters 66.4%
Doctorate 3.8%
View as Graph

Physician Assistant - Surgical Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Physician Assistant - Surgical's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$110,992
Average $120,003/year
$127,889
$9,249
Average $10,000/month
$10,657
$2,134
Average $2,308/week
$2,459
$53
Average $58/hour
$61
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $127,889 $10,657 $2,459 $61
Average $120,003 $10,000 $2,308 $58
25th Percentile $110,992 $9,249 $2,134 $53

Most common benefits for Physician Assistant - Surgical

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Physician Assistant - Surgical

Here are companies hiring for Physician Assistant - Surgical and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Physician Assistant - Surgical

1. Where can a Physician Assistant - Surgical earn the most?

A Physician Assistant - Surgical's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Physician Assistant - Surgical earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Physician Assistant - Surgical is $151,360.

2. What is the highest pay for Physician Assistant - Surgical?

The highest pay for Physician Assistant - Surgical is $135,069.

3. What is the lowest pay for Physician Assistant - Surgical?

The lowest pay for Physician Assistant - Surgical is $102,788.

4. What are the responsibilities of Physician Assistant - Surgical?

Provides care to patients in a surgical unit under the supervision of a physician. Responsible for providing preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative assistance and/or care. Orders and interprets diagnostic tests and laboratory work. Writes progress notes, conducts patient education, writes prescriptions, and provides advice about various health issues. Requires a master's degree in health sciences for physician assistants. Requires Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C). Requires State License to practice. Typically reports to a physician. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Physician Assistant - Surgical?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Physician Assistant - Surgical roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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