Physician assistants are a hot topic right now, with many pre-med aspirants considering them as an alternative to medical school full-time.
This popularity of the up-and-coming field also means a rise in the job market, with the physician assistant industry predicted to grow as much as 27% by 2032. So surely, there’s a reason for the quick rise, but is the salary worth it?
Physician assistants enjoy a pretty good salary compared to other jobs in the healthcare system. While they don’t earn quite the same money as someone who graduated as an MD, their paycheque is still six figures.
According to the U.S. Department Of Labor, most medical jobs have shown a decrease in salary and spending power. On the other hand, physician assistants have seen tremendous growth, leading to better-paying jobs altogether.
But is that salary worth it after going through the process of becoming a physician assistant? Well, that’s what we’ll be breaking down today, with what kind of figures becoming a physician assistant promises and whether that is a viable option nowadays.
- What is the average salary of a physician assistant?
- Is there any career growth that guarantees more pay?
- The future of the physician assistant job market
Okay, What Is The Actual Pay?
A physician assistant earns around $123,000 annually.
But that’s the median amount. The actual pay can range anywhere from $83,000 for a starting position to a cushy $174,000+ if you have the right qualifications for the job.
This pay level depends upon many factors, including your employers and where you’re willing to work. But on average, physician assistants in the U.S. can make around $127,000 or more if they specialize.
Physician assistants enjoy a higher pay cheque than most other jobs in the medical field. For example, a registered nurse earns about $93,000, whereas a nurse’s assistant makes half that, at $43,000.
A physician assistant’s salary is only second to a general physician, who starts their career as a doctor at $195,000. And they usually have a lot more student loans to pay off. Not to mention that getting a position as a resident is harder altogether, hence the current physician shortage.
As we’ve discussed before, becoming a physician assistant is a great alternative for those who still want a medical career but can’t go through the whole medical school process. And the salary it provides isn’t too shabby either.
But what if you want more?
What If I Want To Increase My Salary As A Physician Assistant?
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can quickly excel in your career as a physician assistant and make much more than the average. However, that means doing extra work because everything from your educational background and experience to certifications can influence your pay.
You can divide some of these factors by most to least relevant:
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Factors That Impact Pay Most | Factors With Less Impact |
Higher Education | Type Of Employer |
Experience | Work Environment |
Specialization/Skillset | Employer Growth Opportunities |
Location | |
Job Market Saturation |
If you’re just starting, you’re easily looking at a salary of around $100k. However, the more experience you gain, the more advanced your skills will be, opening avenues for better-paying positions. Experience could be a deal breaker for many future employers, so getting as much exposure as possible is best.
Another thing that can add variability to your paycheque is where you work. More metropolitan areas offer better salaries to combat the higher cost of living. However, because of that, they also tend to have a more oversaturated job market. So, competitive pay for a competitive environment.
Speaking of where to work, what employers you work for also matters. Working as a physician assistant at a teaching facility or a state hospital usually guarantees lesser pay due to fewer funds to go around altogether. Private practice is typically the way to go if you want to make higher figures.
However, employers also tend to retain workers with better education. Having just the base qualifications of a physician assistant isn’t enough. To increase your chances of getting a better salary, it’s best to further your educational qualifications, too. This can be done by getting a post-graduate degree or doing a specialization, showcasing your dedication to the field.
A plus point of getting higher certifications, such as specialization or subspecialties, is that you can apply for vacancies specifically asking for expertise in said specialty, meaning more job opportunities overall. Specialized physician assistant fields tend to offer higher money anyway.
But none of that matters if you can’t negotiate your worth. Being a physician assistant is a taxing job, with grueling hours needed. So, research what the payscale looks like around your area and weigh it against the skills and experience you offer. From there, make an offer they can’t refuse
Is It Worth It In The Long Run?
Let’s be honest: It isn’t surprising that we are having a crisis with doctors and residencies in the U.S..
Being able to afford medical school is a privilege not many can access, even with student loans. It is hard to acquire exams and licenses afterward, meaning more time before earning that doctor’s salary. And with just how overworked and burnt-out doctors already in the system are, many pre-med students feel wary of the MD title.
Because of that, the healthcare system is under strain that doctors alone can’t fix. Physician assistants are becoming more popular, with a shorter study period and more job openings that ensure better employment standards.
But how does the salary look across the board? Here are the top five states offering competitive pay for physician assistants.
State | Median Pay |
Washington | $145,000+ |
California | $144,000+ |
Alaska | $144,000+ |
Connecticut | $143,000+ |
Nevada | $141,000+ |
Conclusion
A six-figure pay is no laughing matter in this economy. But between the variable cost of living across the nation, rising inflation, and a possible recession, it’s hard to see whether becoming a physician assistant is a better option than other career choices for those wishing to enter medicine.
But that would always be a personal opinion, where you need to see if it’s the right career path for your needs.
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5 thoughts on “Physician Assistant: Is It Worth The Salary?”
It remains both egregious and baffling how articles can be written about the intricacies of a profession by researchers and writers completely unaware of the title of that profession. Such blithely rude indifference is a non starter. Moreover, I make significantly more fiscal remuneration than the numbers listed here as do all the other Physician Assistants that I currently collaborate with.
We appreciate your passion for the profession and your desire to see accurate information shared. It’s important to remember that average salaries are just that – averages. Many factors can influence an individual’s earnings, such as location, experience, and specialty.
Please review some national data that supports our article.
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291071.htm
While the BLS reports the median annual wage for Physician Assistants as $127,000, it’s worth noting that many PAs earn significantly more, particularly those in high-demand specialties and high-cost-of-living areas. Additionally, PAs with advanced degrees or certifications may also command higher salaries. There is also a very regional variance for PA salaries. For example, if you work in California you can average $153,960 but if you work in a place like Williamsport, PA your average is about $105, 330.
We encourage you to explore salary data from various sources to get a more comprehensive understanding of the earning potential for Physician Assistants.
OMG !
You literally not addressing the main point of my commentary lends itself to the reality that you now still remain unaware what it is. I assure you it is not lost on a group Physician Assistants. Five times in this article the profession is incorrectly titled!
What I believe the commenter meant is that the title of the profession is Physician Assistant, not physician’s assistant, or physicians assistant. The article misspelled the profession title several times which is unfortunate.
They must have subsequently edited the article as I only see the terms physician assistant/ physician assistants in it. Some paperwork sent to me for signature from various hospitals, like privileges forms, have the term ‘Physician’s Assistant’ which I either send back for correction or manually mark out the “ ’s “ before signing, depending on the urgency of submission. Not sure how educated people fail to recognize the difference the ‘s makes.