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Median pay
$133,260
Median annual pay for Physician Assistant.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
High pay, strong growth, and a much shorter training path than physician make PA unusually attractive, though graduate education and clinical intensity remain significant.
High pay, strong growth, and a much shorter training path than physician make PA unusually attractive, though graduate education and clinical intensity remain significant.
The measurable baseline is $133,260 median pay, 20.4% projected employment change from 2024 to 2034, and about 12,000 annual openings. Those figures establish the national baseline; the occupation-specific evidence on this page is what makes the decision more useful than a generic profile.
The national median-pay figure in the current ChooseField dataset is $133,260. The 2024 self-employed share is 1.5%, which matters because self-employment can make outcomes less uniform across workers. A national median is a benchmark, not a personal forecast: experience, geography, employer type, specialty, credentials, and hours can move actual compensation materially.
BLS data in the ChooseField corpus put 2024 employment at 162,700 and projected 2034 employment at 195,800. That corresponds to 20.4% projected growth over the decade. BLS projects about 12,000 openings per year, including growth and replacement demand. This distinction matters when people ask whether a field is oversaturated: growth measures whether the occupation itself is getting larger, while annual openings also reflect people retiring, changing occupations, or leaving roles that must be refilled.
BLS lists the typical entry education as Master's degree. Treat this entry path like an investment: compare the time and cost required to enter with the pay, annual openings, and alternatives available at a similar training level.
Fast projected growth. The headline figure is 20.4%. BLS projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).
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.
This field is a stronger fit if the required education and licensure are acceptable and you value a labor market anchored in direct care or clinical services.
Before choosing Physician Assistant, compare it with Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse. The purpose is not to find a universal winner; it is to see how pay, training time, annual openings, work setting, and field-specific risks change when you move to an adjacent option.
High pay, strong growth, and a much shorter training path than physician make PA unusually attractive, though graduate education and clinical intensity remain significant. The measurable baseline is $133,260 median pay, 20.4% projected 2024–34 employment change, about 12,000 annual openings, and a typical entry path of Master's degree.
Compare Physician Assistant with Physician, Nurse Practitioner on pay, training time, openings, working conditions, and occupation-specific evidence rather than relying on one score.
Compare Physician Assistant with Physician, Nurse Practitioner on pay, training time, openings, working conditions, and occupation-specific evidence rather than relying on one score.
The national median in the current ChooseField dataset is $133,260. Treat that as a benchmark rather than an expected starting salary; actual compensation varies by experience, location, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.
National pay and employment projections come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other sources are linked on their cards.