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Physician assistant salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$165,650median pay per year in California, or $79.64 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $99,380lowest 10% earn less
  2. $136,73025th percentile
  3. $165,650median
  4. $206,99075th percentile
  5. $225,190top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $135,880[3]

The median pay for physician assistants in California was $165,650 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $29,770 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
13,600[4]
Rank by median pay
2 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+21.9%[6]

How much do physician assistants make in California?

Half of the physician assistants in California earned more than $165,650 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $79.64 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $169,110 a year[7]. California had the 2nd highest median for this job out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5].

Across the US as a whole, the median was $135,880 a year[3]. The California median was 21.9% higher[6]. For all jobs in California together, the median was $58,240[8]. Physician assistants earned $107,410 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of physician assistants in California earned less than $99,380 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $225,190[2]. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median, at $223,640[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont came in at $184,380 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim at $161,890[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for physician assistants in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$165,650[1]$135,880[3]
Median per hour$79.64[1]$65.33[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$99,380[2]$99,380[13]
Top 10% earn more than$225,190[2]$190,280[13]
Jobs13,600[4]162,150[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for physician assistants, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$161,8903,890
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,3801,830
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$165,1601,370
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$161,4701,070
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$223,6401,030
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$165,4901,020
Fresno, CA$155,440360
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070350

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for physician assistants in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$155,7802,250
Nevada$134,6601,090
Arizona$134,6503,750

Median pay for physician assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for physician assistants are projected to grow 21.1% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physician assistant make in California?
The median was $165,650 a year in May 2025, and the average was $169,110[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $99,380 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $225,190[2].
How much does a physician assistant make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $79.64[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47.78 an hour[2][17]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $108.27[2][17].
Which city in California pays physician assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage among metro areas with a published median, at $223,640[10]. Among the eight metros with the most physician assistant jobs, Bakersfield-Delano had the next highest median after San Jose, at $198,070[11].
Is California a good state for physician assistants?
On pay, California had the 2nd highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $165,650 was $29,770 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a physician assistant in California?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a master's degree. Related work experience and on-the-job training are typically not needed[16]. This is a national figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physician Assistants in California was $165,650 per year and $79.64 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physician Assistants in California: 10th percentile $99,380, 25th percentile $136,730, 75th percentile $206,990, 90th percentile $225,190. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physician Assistants in the US as a whole was $135,880 per year and $65.33 per hour, with about 162,150 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 13,600 people worked as Physician Assistants in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 2nd highest median annual wage for Physician Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physician Assistants in California ($165,650) was $29,770 (21.9%) higher than the US median ($135,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Physician Assistants in California was $169,110 per year and $81.30 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physician Assistants in California was $107,410 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Physician Assistants, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $223,640. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physician Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $99,380, 25th percentile $120,670, 75th percentile $163,980, 90th percentile $190,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Physician Assistants in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $155,780; Nevada $134,660; Arizona $134,650. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Physician Assistants is projected to grow 21.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 11,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Physician Assistants: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Physician Assistants in California: 10th percentile $47.78, 25th percentile $65.73, 75th percentile $99.52, 90th percentile $108.27. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.