Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Colorado is $134,540/year ($64.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $105K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $129,727 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $135K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About physician assistants
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What this looks like in Colorado
Physician assistants pay in Colorado 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 $1,832/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) 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, Colorado
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $105K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Colorado
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $137K | +1% | 270 |
| Pueblo | $136K | +1% | 70 |
| Colorado Springs | $135K | +0% | 440 |
| Greeley | $135K | +0% | 140 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $135K | +0% | 1,650 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $134K | -0% | N/A |
| Grand Junction | $130K | -3% | 150 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $105K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,447/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Colorado pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $130K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Colorado?
The median is $134,540 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $104,590, and experienced physician assistants can clear $174,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,066/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $129,727 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.