The median annual base salary for full-time U.S. physician assistants climbed from $106,000 in 2018 to $110,000 to 2019, according to a salary report released Aug. 3 by the American Academy of PAs.
The report — based on a survey of 13,682 physician assistants between Feb. 1 and March 1 — also measured total compensation, which includes base salary, hourly wages, or some form of productivity pay.
Across the PA profession, median compensation rose to $111,000 in 2019 from a median of $107,500 the year prior, according to the report. Median compensation in 2019 was $109,500 among physician assistants in pediatric subspecialties and $105,000 among physician assistants in primary care.
"In the midst of COVID-19, many PAs are facing challenges such as furloughs and significant changes within their workplaces," AAPA President and Chair of the Board Beth Smolko said in a statement. "The increase in PA base salary and compensation in 2019 underscores how valuable PAs are in today's healthcare workforce — which has become even more evident during this time of increased need for access to healthcare providers."