Physician Assistant or NP Salary in the United States

How much does a Physician Assistant or NP make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Physician Assistant or NP in the United States is $117,425 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $56.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $131,730
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $111,141 to $124,913
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,420
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered Talent
View as table View as graph 25% $111,141 10% $105,420 90% $131,730 75% $124,913 $117,425 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Physician Assistant or NP Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $124,913 $10,409 $2,402 $60
Average $117,425 $9,785 $2,258 $56
25th Percentile $111,141 $9,262 $2,137 $53
Check out Physician Assistant or NP Job Openings in the United States
Neurosurgery Physician Assistant

The MetroHealth System - Cleveland, OH

Physician Assistant

ChenMed - Valleyview, OH

Physician Assistant

ChenMed - Del Fair, OH

Physician Assistant

ChenMed - East Cleveland, OH

Search More Physician Assistant or NP Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Physician Assistant or NP Salaries

A Physician Assistant or NP'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 or NP Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Physician Assistant or NP'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): $114,337
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $114,807
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $117,095
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $120,178
  • Expert (over 8 years): $120,729
Levels Salary
Entry Level Physician Assistant or NP$114,337
Intermediate Level Physician Assistant or NP$114,807
Senior Level Physician Assistant or NP$117,095
Specialist Level Physician Assistant or NP$120,178
Expert Level Physician Assistant or NP$120,729
$114,337 0 yr
$114,807 < 2 yrs
$117,095 2-4 yrs
$120,178 5-8 yrs
$120,729 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Physician Assistant or NP 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 or NPs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $130,013.
  • California: $129,520.
  • Massachusetts: $127,794.

Top Paying Cities for Physician Assistant or NPs

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: $148,108
  • San Francisco: $146,487
  • Oakland: $143,399

What Skills Can Increase a Physician Assistant or NP's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Collaboration (Mentioned in 6.47% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
  • CPR (Mentioned in 3.13% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
  • Long Term Care (Mentioned in 2.1% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 6.47%
CPR 3.13%
Long Term Care 2.1%
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 or NP's salary.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight
$123,296
5%
Innovation
$122,122
4%
Commitment
$122,122
4%
Acute Care
$120,948
3%
Care Management
$120,948
3%
Clinical Care
$120,948
3%
Get Latest Data

Physician Assistant or NP Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Physician Assistant or NP roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Physician Assistant or NP positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Physician Assistant or NP as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Physician Assistant or NP

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$140,910$68.020%

How Education impacts a Physician Assistant or NP's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Physician Assistant or NP with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $122,768 and $128,175).

Physician Assistant or NP Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Physician Assistant or NP
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.8%
Associates 0.9%
Bachelors 3.2%
Masters 91.2%
Doctorate 3.7%
view as graph

Physician Assistant or NP Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Physician Assistant or NP'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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Physician Assistant or NP

Salaries for a Physician Assistant or NP can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $232,225 in 2023 to around $227,016 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Physician Assistant or NP salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Physician Assistant or NP Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$232,225
2024
$237,741
2025
$227,016
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $232,225
2024 $237,741
2025 $227,016
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Physician Assistant or NP

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

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Physician Assistant or NP

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

Find Your Next Physician Assistant or NP Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Physician Assistant or NP job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst