Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Arizona is $134,650/year ($64.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $106K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $139,664 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,437/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $135K get you in Arizona?
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What this looks like in Arizona
Physician assistants pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,437/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $106K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Arizona
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $136K | +1% | 120 |
| Flagstaff | $136K | +1% | 70 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $135K | +0% | 3,050 |
| Yuma | $133K | -1% | 30 |
| Tucson | $130K | -4% | 290 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $129K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $106K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,362/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Arizona pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Arizona?
The median is $134,650 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $106,030, and experienced physician assistants can clear $174,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,285/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 17.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physician assistants salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physician assistants salary is worth about $139,664 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physician assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.