Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Florida is $129,620/year ($62.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $182K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $131,487 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,658/month, or 19.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $130K get you in Florida?
About physician assistants
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What this looks like in Florida
Physician assistants pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,658/month, 20% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) 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, Florida
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $182K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $143K | +10% | 520 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $132K | +2% | 2,190 |
| Jacksonville | $132K | +2% | 1,100 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $132K | +2% | 120 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $132K | +2% | 40 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $132K | +2% | 380 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $131K | +1% | 100 |
| Gainesville | $129K | -0% | 240 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $128K | -1% | 1,420 |
| Punta Gorda | $128K | -1% | 60 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $127K | -2% | 1,200 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $127K | -2% | 280 |
| Port St. Lucie | $126K | -3% | 150 |
| Ocala | $126K | -3% | 110 |
| Tallahassee | $125K | -3% | 180 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $125K | -3% | 120 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $124K | -4% | 170 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $124K | -4% | 80 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $122K | -6% | 240 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $120K | -8% | 190 |
| Homosassa Springs | $116K | -11% | 50 |
| Sebring | $106K | -18% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
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Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 20% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,912/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Florida pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Florida?
The median is $129,620 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,530, and experienced physician assistants can clear $181,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,279/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 20% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $131,487 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.