29
Physician Assistants is a notable career in the 29 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Physician Assistants against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 29-1071 |
| title | Physician Assistants |
| onet code | 29-1071.00 |
| description | Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants. |
| job zone | 5 |
| major group | 29 |
| tot emp | 155,540 |
| a mean | 136,900 |
| a median | 133,260 |
| a pct10 | 95,240 |
| a pct25 | 113,770 |
| a pct75 | 160,160 |
| a pct90 | 182,200 |
| h mean | 65 |
| h median | 64 |
The day-to-day work of a physician assistants typically centers on make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Active Listening. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 4.00 out of 5 — critical for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working physician assistants, the most common entry qualification is a Master's Degree (81.1%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Hawaii at $163,020 and lowest in Alabama at $101,620 — a 1.6× spread. The top five states (Hawaii, California, Washington, New York, Oregon) average $156,574. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $163,020 | $143,000 | $67,030 | $172,020 | 440 |
| California | $161,080 | $161,980 | $94,870 | $219,300 | 13,570 |
| Washington | $156,990 | $156,060 | $121,740 | $201,950 | 3,310 |
| New York | $152,650 | $151,280 | $103,210 | $204,870 | 19,390 |
| Oregon | $149,130 | $152,160 | $101,920 | $206,480 | 1,930 |
| Rhode Island | $141,600 | $148,290 | $110,240 | $187,830 | 600 |
| New Jersey | $140,490 | $149,160 | $107,070 | $198,730 | 2,370 |
| New Mexico | $139,990 | $144,080 | $95,640 | $223,250 | 640 |
| Minnesota | $139,300 | $144,940 | $116,450 | $169,690 | 3,790 |
| Missouri | $139,200 | $136,810 | $98,440 | $168,000 | 1,650 |
| Delaware | $138,720 | $140,450 | $103,530 | $175,560 | 690 |
| Vermont | $138,610 | $141,000 | $106,500 | $172,390 | 410 |
| Connecticut | $138,440 | $144,060 | $100,000 | $177,780 | 3,700 |
| Massachusetts | $138,090 | $137,400 | $63,860 | $192,200 | 4,310 |
| New Hampshire | $137,330 | $141,810 | $110,690 | $174,920 | 1,060 |
| Alaska | $136,350 | $139,590 | $69,970 | $185,300 | 670 |
| Virginia | $135,490 | $138,840 | $95,250 | $186,600 | 3,530 |
| Arizona | $135,240 | $143,160 | $108,750 | $183,470 | 3,540 |
| Utah | $134,390 | $128,370 | $95,290 | $164,900 | 1,670 |
| Maryland | $134,100 | $134,580 | $105,870 | $170,560 | 2,920 |
| Nevada | $133,450 | $139,960 | $50,450 | $196,480 | 1,190 |
| Iowa | $133,400 | $135,450 | $108,400 | $172,510 | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $133,330 | $134,790 | $101,140 | $171,130 | 410 |
| Montana | $132,980 | $132,220 | $102,130 | $159,660 | 610 |
| Wisconsin | $132,820 | $133,390 | $107,170 | $163,370 | 3,040 |
| Texas | $132,810 | $137,050 | $102,490 | $172,790 | 10,030 |
| Indiana | $132,200 | $144,210 | $104,990 | $202,790 | 2,150 |
| Michigan | $131,980 | $129,290 | $104,540 | $158,620 | 5,490 |
| Colorado | $131,910 | $138,570 | $99,960 | $178,060 | 3,180 |
| Maine | $131,250 | $131,360 | $105,250 | $169,080 | 930 |
| District of Columbia | $131,070 | $144,260 | $81,860 | $206,270 | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $130,750 | $127,670 | $51,990 | $167,510 | 1,780 |
| Louisiana | $129,610 | $124,380 | $65,000 | $162,650 | 1,770 |
| Idaho | $129,000 | $129,210 | $100,120 | $154,050 | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $128,540 | $127,820 | $99,460 | $161,480 | 8,520 |
| Nebraska | $128,240 | $129,120 | $101,870 | $163,410 | 1,250 |
| South Dakota | $128,130 | $128,300 | $102,720 | $154,050 | 650 |
| Florida | $127,200 | $127,920 | $83,990 | $175,080 | 10,570 |
| Ohio | $126,760 | $128,250 | $98,280 | $168,600 | 4,530 |
| North Dakota | $126,180 | $118,300 | $74,300 | $149,970 | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,880 | $122,850 | $97,350 | $154,640 | 7,760 |
| Kansas | $124,440 | $125,990 | $98,800 | $166,400 | 1,010 |
| Illinois | $122,990 | $124,560 | $102,420 | $156,340 | 3,930 |
| West Virginia | $122,970 | $121,130 | $65,380 | $158,200 | 960 |
| South Carolina | $119,190 | $116,880 | $67,750 | $149,510 | 2,050 |
| Tennessee | $113,990 | $114,510 | $91,830 | $136,970 | 2,380 |
| Kentucky | $110,300 | $110,150 | $53,040 | $148,030 | 1,250 |
| Georgia | $109,990 | $108,270 | $59,990 | $157,130 | 4,400 |
| Mississippi | $104,570 | $98,270 | $39,250 | $160,950 | 370 |
| Arkansas | $103,550 | $93,880 | $32,970 | $153,410 | 970 |
| Alabama | $101,620 | $105,970 | $57,470 | $152,510 | 770 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for physician assistants. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Advanced Practice Provider (AAP) or Anesthetic Assistant frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Physician Assistants compares to others in the 29 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Physician Assistants
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.