Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Rhode Island is $139,930/year ($67.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $200K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $137,496 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,544/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $140K get you in Rhode Island?
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Physician assistants pay in Rhode Island tracks closely to the national median, $140K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,544/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $200K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $140K | +0% | 950 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,926/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Rhode Island?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $140K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Rhode Island pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $137K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Rhode Island?
The median is $139,930 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,760, and experienced physician assistants can clear $200,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,413/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $137,496 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.