A report released March 7 by the National Commission on Certification of PAs provides a glimpse into supply and demand of board-certified physician assistants/associates in the U.S.
The report, titled "2022 Statistical Profile of Board Certified PAs by State," reflects aggregated responses from PAs who were board-certified as of the end of 2022. As of Dec. 31, 2022, there were 168,318 board-certified PAs, including in U.S. territories and other areas, and 140,815 provided responses for at least a portion of the report. The report also provides five-year comparisons using data from 2018 and, additionally, reflects data obtained from other NCCPA data collection strategies. Read more about the methodology and data here.
As part of the report, certified PAs were asked if their principal place of employment is currently recruiting/hiring PAs. If so, they were asked to provide the length that PA positions have remained unfilled.
Here is the number of certified PAs who said their primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs, by state, and of those, how many said positions have remained unfilled for at least six months. Also included is the number of certified PAs who said they plan to retire in the next five years.
Alabama
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 24.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 22.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.1%
Alaska
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 39.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 38.1%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 12.7%
Arizona
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 34.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 24%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 7.1%
Arkansas
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 24.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.4%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.4%
California
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 37.9%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 26%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.2%
Colorado
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 32.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6%
Connecticut
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 50.2%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 25.4%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.3%
Delaware
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 42.5%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 21.9%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 8.1%
District of Columbia
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 51.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 20.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 2.9%
Florida
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 30.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.6%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.4%
Georgia
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 32.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 21.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.1%
Hawaii
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 31.9%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 34.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 7.4%
Idaho
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 31.6%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 20.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.2%
Illinois
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 39.1%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.7%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 3.6%
Indiana
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 34.5%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.7%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 3.2%
Iowa
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 29.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 14.2%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 8.8%
Kansas
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 25%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.1%
Kentucky:
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 24.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 16.2%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.8%
Louisiana
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 31.9%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 21.1%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 2.6%
Maine
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 46.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 32%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 10.9%
Maryland
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 42%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 27%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 7.2%
Massachusetts
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 44.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 22.6%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.2%
Michigan
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 32.1%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.6%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.1%
Minnesota
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 43.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.4%
Mississippi
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 20.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 10%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 2%
Missouri
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 36.6%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.2%
Montana
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 37.5%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 34.7%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 9.7%
Nebraska
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 27.6%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 19%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.4%
Nevada
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 33.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 25%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 7.3%
New Hampshire
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 40.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 31%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.7%
New Jersey
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 38.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.7%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 3.1%
New Mexico
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 42.9%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 37.2%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 12%
New York
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 47.2%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 26.4%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.3%
North Carolina
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 34.7%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 20.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.9%
North Dakota
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 34%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 22.9%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 13.4%
Ohio
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 38.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 14.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.3%
Oklahoma
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 29.5%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 20.8%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.7%
Oregon
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 39.1%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 28.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.7%
Pennsylvania
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 37.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 21.7%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.5%
Rhode Island
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 38.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 21.2%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.1%
South Carolina
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 29.2%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.3%
South Dakota
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 30.5%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 9.7%
Tennessee
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 26.3%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 17.6%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.3%
Texas
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 31.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 18.1%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.5%
Utah
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 28.6%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 12.1%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.8%
Vermont
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 38.7%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 25%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 11.9%
Virginia
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 39.1%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 23.9%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 5.3%
Washington
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 44.6%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 26.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 8.1%
West Virginia
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 32.4%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 22.5%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 4.4%
Wisconsin
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 42.9%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 23.3%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 6.8%
Wyoming
Primary place of employment is recruiting/hiring PAs: 23.8%
Percentage of employers with positions that have remained unfilled for at least six months: 25.9%
Plan to retire in the next five years: 13.9%