Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $133,830/year ($64.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $189K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $145,943 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 16.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $134K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physician assistants
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Physician assistants pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $134K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 16.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physician assistants in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $135K | $147K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $137K | $154K |
| Cedar Rapids | $130K | $146K |
| Sioux City | $131K | $151K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $134K. Top earners bring in $189K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physician Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $166K | +22% | 4,790 |
| California | $166K | +22% | 13,600 |
| Washington | $164K | +21% | 3,540 |
| Hawaii | $164K | +21% | 530 |
| New York | $161K | +18% | 19,140 |
| Oregon | $156K | +15% | 2,250 |
| New Hampshire | $151K | +11% | 1,060 |
| Alaska | $151K | +11% | 700 |
| Vermont | $150K | +11% | 410 |
| Massachusetts | $142K | +5% | 4,470 |
| Montana | $141K | +4% | 600 |
| Minnesota | $141K | +4% | 3,660 |
| Rhode Island | $140K | +3% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $140K | +3% | 700 |
| Connecticut | $140K | +3% | 3,570 |
| Delaware | $139K | +3% | 860 |
| Maryland | $138K | +1% | 2,950 |
| Oklahoma | $137K | +0% | 1,770 |
| Wyoming | $136K | +0% | 330 |
| Virginia | $136K | +0% | 4,340 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | -1% | 470 |
| Missouri | $135K | -1% | 2,300 |
| Iowa | $135K | -1% | 1,200 |
| Utah | $135K | -1% | 1,610 |
| Nevada | $135K | -1% | 1,090 |
| Arizona | $135K | -1% | 3,750 |
| Texas | $135K | -1% | 10,110 |
| Colorado | $135K | -1% | 3,270 |
| Wisconsin | $134K | -1% | 3,580 |
| Idaho | $134K | -2% | 1,320 |
| North Dakota | $133K | -2% | 510 |
| South Dakota | $133K | -2% | 680 |
| Nebraska | $133K | -2% | 1,330 |
| Ohio | $132K | -3% | 4,900 |
| Indiana | $132K | -3% | 2,110 |
| Illinois | $132K | -3% | 3,790 |
| Michigan | $132K | -3% | 6,310 |
| Maine | $131K | -3% | 1,030 |
| Florida | $130K | -5% | 9,310 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -5% | 7,490 |
| Louisiana | $129K | -5% | 1,360 |
| West Virginia | $129K | -5% | 1,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $127K | -6% | 9,020 |
| Kansas | $126K | -8% | 890 |
| South Carolina | $122K | -10% | 2,250 |
| Kentucky | $121K | -11% | 1,360 |
| Arkansas | $118K | -13% | 850 |
| Tennessee | $118K | -13% | 2,240 |
| Georgia | $115K | -15% | 5,610 |
| Mississippi | $106K | -22% | 320 |
| Alabama | $105K | -23% | 930 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $134K, rent takes 16.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,999/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $134K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $134K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $133,830 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,990, and experienced physician assistants can clear $188,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $134K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,919/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 16.6% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $145,943 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.