Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Maryland is $137,560/year ($66.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $110K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $139,287 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,795/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $138K get you in Maryland?
About physician assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maryland
Physician assistants pay in Maryland tracks closely to the national median, $138K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,795/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) 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, Maryland
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $110K. Mid-career wages sit at $138K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Maryland
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury | $143K | +4% | 90 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $139K | +1% | 1,660 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $137K | -0% | 120 |
| Lexington Park | $137K | -1% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
Yes — at the median salary of $138K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $110K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,611/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Maryland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $138K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Maryland pays $138K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Maryland?
The median is $137,560 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $110,190, and experienced physician assistants can clear $174,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $138K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $139,287 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.