Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Portland-South Portland, ME is $131,180/year ($63.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $128,785 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,130/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $131K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Physician assistants pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $131K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $2,130/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physician assistants in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $130K | $135K |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $144K | $152K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $139K | $132K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $53K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
Yes — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,461/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $131K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Portland-South Portland pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $131,180 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,680, and experienced physician assistants can clear $160,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,712/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 27.6% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $128,785 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.