Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Missouri is $135,130/year ($64.96/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $151,883 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $135K get you in Missouri?
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What this looks like in Missouri
Physician assistants pay in Missouri 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 $1,097/month, 13.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Missouri
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin | $150K | +11% | 70 |
| Cape Girardeau | $141K | +4% | 40 |
| St. Joseph | $138K | +2% | 50 |
| St. Louis | $136K | +1% | 1,260 |
| Jefferson City | $135K | +0% | 40 |
| Kansas City | $133K | -1% | 540 |
| Columbia | $132K | -2% | 140 |
| Springfield | $129K | -4% | 300 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 13.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,961/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Missouri pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $152K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Missouri?
The median is $135,130 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,690, and experienced physician assistants can clear $169,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,120/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 13.5% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $151,883 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.