Physician Assistants
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.
Also called: Cardiology Physician Assistant · Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) · Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (Emergency Medicine PA) · Family Practice Physician Assistant · Orthopaedic Physician Assistant · Orthopedic Physician Assistant
Median pay (national)
$133,260
$95,240–$182,200 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
155,540
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+20.4%
~12,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for physician assistants shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $182,200 versus $95,240 at the bottom 10% — 1.9x. The median of $133,260 leaves roughly 37% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +20.4% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 12,000 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, Hawaii pays the most for this role (median $163,020, +22% vs the national median), while Alabama sits lowest at $101,620 — a 60% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Epic Systems as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Science
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
- Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.
- Instruct and counsel patients about prescribed therapeutic regimens, normal growth and development, family planning, emotional problems of daily living, and health maintenance.
- Perform therapeutic procedures, such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and infection management.
- Visit and observe patients on hospital rounds or house calls, updating charts, ordering therapy, and reporting back to physician.
- Provide physicians with assistance during surgery or complicated medical procedures.
- Supervise and coordinate activities of technicians and technical assistants.
Tools & technology
- Epic Systems
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- MEDITECH software
- ChartWare EMR
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
- Medical condition coding software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Patient management software
- Patient records software for personal digital assistants PDAs
- Teleconferencing software
- Teleradiology systems
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Sociology and Anthropology