Physician assistant compensation is rising in 2026, but emergency medicine, gastroenterology and hematology and oncology specialists are outpacing the field with pay jumps of 6% to nearly 10% in a single year.
The areas, industries and specialties where physician assistants work are a deciding factor in how much they earn.
Here are eight stats on physician assistant’s compensation in 2026:
- The average annual salary for physician assistants surpassed $141,000, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Physician assistant annual median pay reached $135,000, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- California has the highest annual average wage for physician assistants, while New Jersey has the highest annual median wage for the profession.
- The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., metropolitan area is the highest-paying city for physician assistants.
- Arkansas saw the largest year-over-year increase in the average annual salary for physician assistants.
- The federal executive branch is the top-paying industry for physician assistants.
- Physician assistants in emergency medicine had the highest pay jump from 2025 to 2026, increasing 9.5%, according to MGMA compensation benchmarks.
- Gastroenterology PAs, as well as hematology and oncology PAs also had pay jumps of more than 6%.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.