Six things to know about physician assistant pay:
1. The median annual salary for physician assistants is $121,530, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2. Critical care is the highest-earning specialty, at $139,000 per year, according to a Medscape physician assistant compensation report.
3. Physician assistants working in the operating room and in surgery earn the highest when compared to other workplace settings, at $139,000, according to Medscape.
4. The physician assistant field is projected to grow 31 percent between 2020 and 2030, with 40,100 jobs added during that time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
5. The five cities with the highest physician assistant salary are Salinas, Calif.; Leominster, Mass.; Waterbury, Conn.; Danbury, Conn.; and New Bern, N.C., according to U.S. News & World Report.
6. In 2021, physician assistant compensation increased by about 4.5 percent, according to an American Academy of PAs salary report.