Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $223,640/year ($107.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $287K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.42), so that salary is closer to $202,536 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $3,483/month, or 27% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $224K get you in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara’s Regional Price Parity (110.42). 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara sits well above the national pay line for physician assistants, local pay runs about 65% higher than the U.S. median of $136K. Rent runs $3,483/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physician assistants in metros near San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 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, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $224K. Top earners bring in $287K or more, a $187K 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Yes — at the median salary of $224K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,014/month. At HUD’s $3,483/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Local pay is 65% above the national median — $224K here vs. $136K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare to the national average for physician assistants?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays $224K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +65%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $203K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median is $223,640 a year, that works out to about $108 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,240, and experienced physician assistants can clear $287,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $224K enough to live in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,375/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,483/month, which eats 28.1% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has a Regional Price Parity of 110.42 (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 $202,536 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.