1Pay
$135,880
Very high national median pay
2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.
Healthcare · Career brief
Physician Assistant
Is it a good career to pursue?
The 30-second read
Physician Assistant at a glance
Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.
2Demand
21.1%
Very fast projected growth
Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.
3Openings
11,500
Above the middle on opening volume
Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.
4Route in
Master's degree
Long formal preparation is part of the path
Master's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.
5The work
People-centered
Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters
Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
6The catch
Know this first
What could make this a poor fit
Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.
ChooseField take
The strongest national signals are pay and growth; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a master's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.
National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.
Compare Physician Assistant with another field
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Market and path
Pay, outlook, and the route in
National median pay (2025)
$135,880
A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.
2025–2035 outlook
21.1%employment growth11,500openings per year
Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.
Typical entry route
Master's degree
BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.
2025 employment
168,900
Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.
Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Physician assistants (29-1071).
Actual responsibilities
What you would be trusted to own
Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.
- Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- 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.
Decision-changing realities
What could make this a poor fit
- Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.
- The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.
Work profile
What the work emphasizes
O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.
- Assisting and Caring for Others5.0
- Getting Information4.9
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.8
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.8
- Documenting/Recording Information4.8
Interest profile
Career interests
O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.
Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.
- Social5.9
- Investigative4.9
- Conventional4.5
- Realistic4.0
- Enterprising2.0
- Artistic1.2
Preparation
What the training must make you competent at
Subject matter
Medicine and Dentistry
Biology
Psychology
Therapy and Counseling
Software and tools named in job postings
Epic Systems
Before choosing the major or training
Run a cheaper test first
- Try an approved first-aid, CPR, patient-care, or health-science workshop. Use supervised training or simulation only.
- Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.
The fuller career guide
How the evidence fits together
The tradeoff that matters most
PA combines strong healthcare demand with a shorter training path than physician, but it is still a graduate-level licensed clinical profession. The right comparison is not 'doctor without medical school'; it is a distinct role with different training, scope, and economics.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this career
Is PA a good career?
Consider this field if its core work interests you: provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Try an introductory project, class, or permitted observation before committing to training. Compare the actual cost and required experience with entry-level work available where you plan to live.
PA vs doctor
Consider Physician Assistant if you want to provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Consider Physician if you would rather diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Compare a sample task and the qualification requirements for each before choosing between them.
PA vs nurse practitioner
Consider Physician Assistant if you want to provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Consider Nurse Practitioner if you would rather diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. Compare a sample task and the qualification requirements for each before choosing between them.
Physician assistant salary
The national median annual wage in May 2025 was $135,880. This is a benchmark rather than an expected starting salary; actual compensation varies by experience, location, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.
Adjacent options
Compare before committing
The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, Nurse Midwives.
Physician
- Median pay
- $271,090
- Growth
- 3.6%
Medical degree and residency
Compare side by side →Nurse Practitioner
- Median pay
- $132,300
- Growth
- 41%
Master's degree
Compare side by side →Registered Nurse
- Median pay
- $97,550
- Growth
- 5.6%
Multiple nursing pathways + licensure
Compare side by side →Nurse Midwives
- Median pay
- $134,040
- Growth
- 11.5%
Master's degree
Compare side by side →Sources
- BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections and worker characteristics: pay, employment, openings, education, experience, and training for occupation 29-1071.
- O*NET 29-1071.00 occupation summary: tasks, knowledge, work context, and technologies.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2025–35.