Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Modesto, CA is $165,730/year ($79.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $224K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.11), that's roughly $159,187 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,758/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $166K get you in Modesto?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Modesto’s Regional Price Parity (104.11). 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 Modesto
Modesto sits well above the national pay line for physician assistants, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,758/month, 18.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 104.11) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Modesto offers a genuinely strong financial position for physician assistantss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physician assistants in metros near Modesto, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $162K | $143K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $184K | $159K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $165K | $148K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $161K | $151K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Modesto, CA
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $224K or more, a $132K 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 Modesto numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Modesto?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 18.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,758/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Modesto?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,552/month. At HUD’s $1,758/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Modesto?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $166K here vs. $136K nationally.
How does Modesto compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Modesto pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.11), the purchasing-power equivalent is $159K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Modesto, CA?
The median is $165,730 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $92,540, and experienced physician assistants can clear $224,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in Modesto?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,373/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,758/month, which eats 18.8% 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 Modesto?
Modesto has a Regional Price Parity of 104.11 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physician assistants salary is worth about $159,187 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.