The average salary for a physician assistant in California is around $165,650 per year.
Avg Salary
Physician assistants earn an average yearly salary of $165,650.
Wages typically start from $99,380 and go up to $225,190.
107% above national average Updated in 2025
Physician assistant earnings by seniority
Top-level physician assistant earnings begin at:
$108.27 per hour
$225,190 per year
Senior-level physician assistant earnings begin at:
$99.52 per hour
$206,990 per year
Mid-level physician assistant earnings begin at:
$79.64 per hour
$165,650 per year
Junior-level physician assistant earnings begin at:
$65.73 per hour
$136,730 per year
Starting level physician assistant earnings begin at:
$47.78 per hour
$99,380 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Physician assistant salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Guam | $90,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,150 |
| New Jersey | $165,690 |
| California | $165,650 |
| Washington | $164,360 |
| Hawaii | $164,050 |
| New York | $160,880 |
| Oregon | $155,780 |
| New Hampshire | $150,960 |
| Alaska | $150,700 |
| Vermont | $150,490 |
| Massachusetts | $142,410 |
| Montana | $141,470 |
| Minnesota | $141,190 |
| Rhode Island | $139,930 |
| New Mexico | $139,920 |
| Connecticut | $139,860 |
| Delaware | $139,350 |
| Maryland | $137,560 |
| Oklahoma | $136,550 |
| Wyoming | $136,080 |
| Virginia | $135,940 |
| District of Columbia | $135,140 |
| Missouri | $135,130 |
| Iowa | $134,770 |
| Utah | $134,740 |
| Nevada | $134,660 |
| Arizona | $134,650 |
| Texas | $134,550 |
| Colorado | $134,540 |
| Wisconsin | $133,950 |
| Idaho | $133,790 |
| North Dakota | $133,450 |
| South Dakota | $133,200 |
| Nebraska | $133,040 |
| Ohio | $132,090 |
| Indiana | $132,050 |
| Illinois | $131,950 |
| Michigan | $131,510 |
| Maine | $131,170 |
| Florida | $129,620 |
| North Carolina | $129,360 |
| Louisiana | $128,870 |
| West Virginia | $128,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $127,070 |
| Kansas | $125,640 |
| South Carolina | $122,490 |
| Kentucky | $120,760 |
| Arkansas | $118,430 |
| Tennessee | $118,240 |
| Georgia | $115,390 |
| Mississippi | $105,920 |
| Alabama | $104,960 |
How do physician assistant salaries compare to similar careers?
Physician assistants earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than certified nurse midwives but more than nuclear medicine technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Certified nurse midwife salary | $204K |
| Nurse practitioner salary | $169K |
| Dentist salary | $166K |
| Veterinarian salary | $164K |
| Anesthesiologist assistant salary | $166K |
| Physician assistant salary | $166K |
| Pharmacist salary | $165K |
| Radiation therapist salary | $166K |
| Nuclear medicine technologist salary | $162K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)