Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $148,200/year ($71.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $136,113 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,246/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $148K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Physician assistants pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $148K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $139K | $133K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $126K | $129K |
| Richmond | $127K | $130K |
| Roanoke | $136K | $145K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $148K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $106K 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
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Yes — at the median salary of $148K, rent takes 26.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,504/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $148K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $148K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $148,200 a year, that works out to about $71 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $108,030, and experienced physician assistants can clear $213,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $148K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,524/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 26.3% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $136,113 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.