Salary AI Book a Demo

Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Salary in the United States

How much does a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner in the United States is $126,790 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $142,009
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $116,527 to $134,756
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,183
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Salaries

A Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner'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 Nurse Practitioner Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner'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): $124,367
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $124,652
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $128,128
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $131,630
  • Expert (over 8 years): $131,880
Levels Salary
Entry Level Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner$124,367
Intermediate Level Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner$124,652
Senior Level Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner$128,128
Specialist Level Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner$131,630
Expert Level Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner$131,880
View as Graph

How Do Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner 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 Nurse Practitioners. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $140,382.
  • California: $139,849.
  • Massachusetts: $137,986.

Top Paying Cities for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioners

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: $159,920
  • San Francisco: $158,169
  • Oakland: $154,836

What Skills Can Increase a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 6.34% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Basic Life Support (Mentioned in 2.74% Job Postings): BLS is a level of medical care which is used for patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can be given full medical care by advanced life support providers. It can be provided by trained medical personnel.
  • Front Office (Mentioned in 2.32% Job Postings): The front office represents the customer-facing division of a firm. For example, customer service, sales, and industry experts who provide advisory services are considered part of a firm's front office operations.
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 6.34%
Basic Life Support 2.74%
Front Office 2.32%
See More Skills

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 Nurse Practitioner's salary.

  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • EHR: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Effective Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation $139,469
10%
EHR $136,933
8%
Effective Communication $131,862
4%
Get Latest Data

Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner 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, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$152,148$73.020%

How Education impacts a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioners enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Nurse Practitioner with a Bachelor's Degree is between $117,101 and $122,828).

Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.0%
High School 2.6%
Associates 2.2%
Bachelors 22.8%
Masters 70.5%
Doctorate 1.9%
View as Graph

Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner'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 September 01, 2026
$116,527
Average $126,790/year
$134,756
$9,711
Average $10,566/month
$11,230
$2,241
Average $2,438/week
$2,591
$56
Average $61/hour
$65
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $134,756 $11,230 $2,591 $65
Average $126,790 $10,566 $2,438 $61
25th Percentile $116,527 $9,711 $2,241 $56

Most common benefits for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner

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

Common company salaries for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner

Here are companies hiring for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner Job

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

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Physician Assistant Or Nurse Practitioner roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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.

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