Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in California is $165,650/year ($79.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $225K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $156,067 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $166K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for physician assistants, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $136K. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $225K or more, a $126K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $224K | +35% | 1,030 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $198K | +20% | 350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $184K | +11% | 1,830 |
| Yuba City | $183K | +11% | 40 |
| Vallejo | $180K | +8% | 150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $173K | +4% | 140 |
| Napa | $172K | +4% | 50 |
| Salinas | $170K | +3% | 130 |
| Visalia | $167K | +1% | 100 |
| Modesto | $166K | +0% | 210 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $165K | -0% | 1,020 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $165K | -0% | 1,370 |
| Chico | $165K | -1% | 130 |
| Merced | $164K | -1% | 50 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $163K | -2% | 100 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $162K | -2% | 150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $162K | -2% | 3,890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $161K | -3% | 1,070 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $161K | -3% | 40 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $159K | -4% | 120 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $158K | -4% | 210 |
| El Centro | $157K | -5% | 40 |
| Fresno | $155K | -6% | 360 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $155K | -7% | 210 |
| Redding | $150K | -9% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,963/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $166K here vs. $136K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for physician assistants?
California pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $156K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in California?
The median is $165,650 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,380, and experienced physician assistants can clear $225,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,369/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 26.4% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physician assistants salary is worth about $156,067 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.