Physician Assistant Jobs

What do physician assistant jobs pay?

For physician assistant jobs that post annual salaries, the median posted starting rate is $110,300 a year. The middle half of these postings start between $97,000 a year and $126,500 a year, and the median of the top ranges goes up to $166,900 a year.

If you look at postings that quote hourly starting rates, the median posted pay is $46.03 an hour. The middle half of these starting rates fall between $41.85 an hour and $61.55 an hour, while the median top end is $90.13 an hour.

Olive first saw 2,764 new physician assistant postings in the last 30 days, against 2,245 in the 30 days before. Olive's intake of postings across every job shifted in the week of October 19, 2026, so the two counts are not like for like, and this page doesn't read a trend from them.

Who is hiring physician assistants?

Health systems, retail clinics, and healthcare networks make up the primary employers for physician assistants. The company with the most active listings right now is CVS Health with 1,088 openings. They are followed by UnitedHealth Group with 489 active listings.

Major medical centers and networks are also hiring heavily. Cleveland Clinic has 220 open postings, followed by Advocate Health with 199 and HCA Healthcare with 159 open postings.

Requirements for physician assistant jobs

To secure one of these roles, you will need to meet high educational and credentialing standards. Postings specify a bachelor's degree or higher in 97% of the roles that list educational requirements. Employers usually look for established professionals, with a median minimum experience requirement of 2 years, while only 6% of physician assistant jobs are marked for entry-level applicants or new grads.

• Ensure you hold a board certification, which is requested in 22% of postings.
• Check if you have multi-state licenses, which are featured in 17% of active openings.
• Maintain your BLS certification, found in 17% of postings, and keep an active unrestricted license, which is specifically asked for in 11% of listings.
• Verify your nccpa certification, which is mentioned in 13% of physician assistant jobs.

Interview questions for physician assistants

During your interviews for physician assistant jobs, medical directors and hiring managers will ask you about clinical decision-making, patient interactions, and collaborating with supervising physicians. Practice responding to these specific clinical scenarios.

• A patient is presenting with vague, non-specific chest pain but insists it is just indigestion. Walk me through your differential diagnosis process.
• How do you handle a situation where a patient's family member strongly disagrees with the clinical treatment plan you have outlined?
• Describe a time when you discovered an error in a patient's medical history or chart. What steps did you take to rectify it and communicate the change?
• If you and your supervising physician disagree on a treatment plan for a patient with a complex chronic condition, how do you resolve that difference of opinion?
• A patient is demanding a specific prescription that you believe is not clinically indicated or safe. How do you manage this interaction?

Where are the jobs for physician assistants?

On a state-by-line basis, the highest concentration of active postings is in New York with 897 open positions. This is followed by Pennsylvania with 604 postings and Texas with 498 listings. You can also find significant opportunity in Ohio with 387 and North Carolina with 375 postings.

At the city level, Atlanta, GA leads the country with 132 open roles. Many positions are also concentrated in New York, NY with 107 roles and Rochester, NY with 106 roles. Rounding out the top cities are Seattle, WA with 95 openings and Cleveland, OH with 91 open postings.

If you are looking for telehealth or remote physician assistant jobs, options are limited. Remote roles account for under 1% of listings with 59 open postings, and hybrid roles make up 2% of listings with 169 active roles. Combined, they represent 3% of total opportunities.

Questions people ask

What do physician assistant jobs pay?

For positions that publish an annual starting salary, the median posted pay is $110,300 a year. For listings that post hourly wages, the median starting rate is $46.03 an hour.

Are there remote physician assistant jobs?

Remote and hybrid setups are very rare for these clinical professionals. Remote roles make up under 1% of postings with 59 active listings, while hybrid listings represent 2% of the market with 169 open roles.

Who hires physician assistants?

Major medical employers and health clinics are the main hiring entities. Currently, CVS Health has the highest volume with 1,088 open postings, followed by UnitedHealth Group with 489 jobs.

Do physician assistant jobs require certification?

Yes, professional licensing is a standard request. The most common demand is for a board certification, which is asked for in 22% of open listings, followed by multi-state licenses in 17% of postings.