Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA is $117,490/year ($56.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $135,905 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 13.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $117K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for physician assistants in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,044/month, 13.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kingsport-Bristol can be a reasonable trade-off for physician assistantss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physician assistants in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $129K | $134K |
| Memphis | $122K | $132K |
| Knoxville | $108K | $117K |
| Chattanooga | $122K | $133K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $41K 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 Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 13.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,757/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $117K here vs. $136K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $117,490 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,950, and experienced physician assistants can clear $136,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,587/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 13.8% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $135,905 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.