Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Virginia is $135,940/year ($65.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $213K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $143,412 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $136K get you in Virginia?
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What this looks like in Virginia
Physician assistants pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 20.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (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, Virginia
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $213K or more, a $115K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | $136K | +0% | 360 |
| Charlottesville | $134K | -2% | 130 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $129K | -5% | 60 |
| Richmond | $127K | -7% | 620 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $126K | -7% | 780 |
| Harrisonburg | $126K | -7% | 40 |
| Winchester | $126K | -7% | 100 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $125K | -8% | 60 |
| Lynchburg | $123K | -10% | 130 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 20.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $98K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,900/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Virginia pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Virginia?
The median is $135,940 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,330, and experienced physician assistants can clear $213,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,031/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 20.5% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $143,412 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.