Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Pennsylvania is $127,070/year ($61.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $133,800 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $127K get you in Pennsylvania?
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Physician assistants pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $127K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon | $138K | +8% | 90 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $136K | +7% | 3,390 |
| Reading | $130K | +2% | 190 |
| Johnstown | $130K | +2% | 80 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $130K | +2% | 560 |
| State College | $128K | +1% | 80 |
| York-Hanover | $127K | -0% | 290 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $126K | -1% | 310 |
| Pittsburgh | $125K | -1% | 2,560 |
| Williamsport | $125K | -2% | 150 |
| Gettysburg | $125K | -2% | 30 |
| Lancaster | $124K | -2% | 340 |
| Altoona | $123K | -3% | 190 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $123K | -3% | 580 |
| Chambersburg | $120K | -6% | 70 |
| Erie | $111K | -12% | 170 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,943/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $127K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Pennsylvania pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $127,070 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,050, and experienced physician assistants can clear $158,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,809/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 17.3% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $133,800 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.