Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in New Jersey is $165,690/year ($79.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $118K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $166,791 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,067/month, or 21.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $166K get you in New Jersey?
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey 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 $2,067/month, 21.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, New Jersey offers a genuinely strong financial position for physician assistantss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $118K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in New Jersey
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $153K | -7% | 150 |
| Trenton-Princeton | $139K | -16% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 21.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $118K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,072/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in New Jersey?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $166K here vs. $136K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for physician assistants?
New Jersey pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $167K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in New Jersey?
The median is $165,690 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $117,860, and experienced physician assistants can clear $207,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,631/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 21.5% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $166,791 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.