### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Physician Assistants Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			physician assistants imagePhysician assistants practice medicine on a team with physicians and surgeons and other healthcare workers.							
						Quick Facts:     Physician Assistants2023     Median Pay
            						$130,020     per year
										$62.51     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Master's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    148,000Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    27% (Much faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    39,300What Physician Assistants Do
                                                
                        
                        
Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Physician assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings. Most work full time.
            
                                                How to Become a Physician Assistant
                                                
                        
To enter the occupation, physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited program. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for physician assistants was $130,020 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of physician assistants is projected to grow							 27 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 12,200 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for physician assistants.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of physician assistants with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about physician assistants by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Physician Assistants Do 
            

			Physician assistantsPhysician assistants examine patients and assess their health.			
Physician assistants, also known as *PAs*, examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
Duties
Physician assistants typically do the following:
Obtain and review patients’ medical histories
Examine patients
Order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as x rays or blood tests
Diagnose a patient’s injury or illness
Provide treatment, such as setting broken bones, stitching wounds, and immunizing patients
Educate and counsel patients and their families on a variety of issues, such as treatment and self-care for asthma
Prescribe medication
Assess and record a patient’s progress
Research the latest treatments to ensure quality of patient carePhysician assistants are on teams with physiciansor surgeons and other healthcare workers. The amount of collaboration and the extent to which they must be supervised by physicians or surgeons differ by state.
Physician assistants work in a variety of healthcare specialties, including primary care and family medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. The work of physician assistants depends, in large part, on their specialty or the type of medical practice in which they work. For example, a physician assistant working in surgery may close incisions and provide care before, during, and after an operation. A physician assistant working in pediatrics may examine a child and give routine vaccinations.
In some areas, especially rural and medically underserved communities, physician assistants may be the primary care providers at clinics where a physician is present only 1 or 2 days per week. In these locations, physician assistants collaborate with the physician as needed and as required by law.
Some physician assistants make house calls or visit nursing homes to treat patients.
Physician assistants differ from nurse practitioners in their training and the level of care they provide; for example, nurse practitioners cannot provide surgical care, whereas physician assistants can. They also differ from medical assistants, who do routine clinical and clerical tasks but do not practice medicine.
 Work Environment
			Physician assistantsMany physician assistants work in primary care specialties, such as general internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Physician assistants held about 148,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of physician assistants were as follows:
        Offices of physicians
                52%Hospitals; state, local, and private
                24Outpatient care centers
                9Educational services; state, local, and private
                4Government
                2Working with patients can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Physician assistants spend much of their time standing or walking to make rounds and evaluate patients. Physician assistants who work in operating rooms often stand for extended periods.
Work Schedules
Most physician assistants work full time. Work schedules vary and may include nights, weekends, or holidays. Physician assistants also may be on call, meaning that they must be ready to respond to a work request with little notice.
 How to Become a Physician Assistant

			Physician assistantsPhysician assistants must be able to communicate medical issues in a way that patients understand.			
Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited educational program. Applicants to these programs typically have a bachelor's degree and experience caring directly for patients. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
Education
Applicants to physician assistant education programs typically have a bachelor’s degree and some experience with patient care. Although programs vary, most require applicants to have taken undergraduate coursework with a focus in science. Bachelor's degrees are often in healthcare or a related field, such as biology. Programs also may require that applicants have experience as a medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, or another occupation that involves patient care.
Physician assistant education programs usually take at least 2 years of postbaccalaureate study. A list of accredited physician assistant programs is available from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).
Physician assistant education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology. The programs also include supervised clinical training in several specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
All states and the District of Columbia require physician assistants to be licensed. To become licensed, candidates must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). A physician assistant who passes the exam may use the credential “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C).”
To maintain their PA-C certification, physician assistants must complete continuing education and pass a recertification exam within a specified number of years.
In most states, laws require physician assistants to hold an agreement with a supervising physician. Although the physician does not need to be onsite at all times, collaboration between physicians and physician assistants is required for practice.
Physician assistant positions may require basic life support (BLS) certification.
Advancement
Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate programs are available in specialties such as emergency medicine and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and have their PA-C. Additional certification in specialty areas is offered by the NCCPA.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Physician assistants must explain complex medical issues in a way that patients can understand.
***Compassion.*** Physician assistants deal with patients who are sick or injured and who may be in extreme pain or distress. They must be sympathetic toward and understanding of patients and their families.
***Detail oriented.*** Physician assistants should be observant and have a strong ability to focus when evaluating and treating patients.
***Emotional stability.*** Physician assistants, particularly those working in surgery or emergency medicine, should work well under pressure. They must remain calm in stressful situations in order to provide quality care.
***Interpersonal skills***. Physician assistants must work well as part of a team of other healthcare professionals to ensure proper patient care.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Physician assistants need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments. They must be diligent when investigating complicated medical issues so they can determine the best course of treatment for each patient.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Physician AssistantsMedian annual wages, May 2023Physician assistants$130,020  Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners$98,760  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for physician assistants was $130,020 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $86,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $170,790.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for physician assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Outpatient care centers
                $141,050Hospitals; state, local, and private
                134,120Offices of physicians
                126,280Government
                122,010Educational services; state, local, and private
                115,160Most physician assistants work full time. Work schedules vary and may include nights, weekends, or holidays. Physician assistants also may be on call, meaning that they must be ready to respond to a work request with little notice.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Physician AssistantsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Physician assistants27%  Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners9%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of physician assistants is projected to grow				 27 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 12,200 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
The growing population will continue to increase demand for healthcare services. A rise in the number of older people, who are more likely than young people to require medical care, and of patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, will also increase healthcare demand. These increases, in turn, drive the need for healthcare providers such as physician assistants (PAs), who often provide preventive care and treat the sick.
PAs, who can provide many of the same services as physicians, are expected to continue to expand their role in providing healthcare services for a number of reasons. They can be trained more quickly than physicians, and team-based healthcare provision models will continue to evolve and become more common. Furthermore, states continue to expand allowable procedures and autonomy, and insurance companies are extending coverage to physician assistant services.
			

                        Employment projections data for     physician assistants, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Physician assistants**
			29-1071
			148,000
			187,300
			27
			39,300
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Physician assistants **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of physician assistants. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**EMTs and Paramedics**
            Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $44,780**Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners**
            Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.
            Master's degree
            $129,480**Occupational Therapists**
            Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.
            Master's degree
            $96,370**Physical Therapists**
            Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $99,710**Physicians and Surgeons**
            Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            This wage is equal to or greater than $239,200 per year.**Registered Nurses**
            Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.
            Bachelor's degree
            $86,070**Speech-Language Pathologists**
            Speech-language pathologists assess and treat people who have communication disorders.
            Master's degree
            $89,290
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about physician assistants, visit
American Academy of PAs
For a list of accredited physician assistant programs, visit
Physician Assistant Education Association
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA)
Association of Postgraduate Physician Assistant Programs
For information about certification requirements, visit
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Anesthesiologist AssistantsPhysician Assistants
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Physician Assistants, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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