How Much Can You Make As A Physician Assistant?
January 10, 2012How much do physician assistants make? Before you start the education process toward becoming a physician assistant, you have to question what the earning potential is for the field. Do not write your physician assistant job off as a simple way to get into the health field, because there is so much more to be gained in this industry. It is also a job in the healthcare field that guarantees people working as physician assistants a superior salary over other types of jobs in the healthcare field. Why is this? There are a few different reasons physician assistants tend to earn more. Perhaps the most notable reason for the higher earnings is the fact that a physician assistant does a lot of the tasks traditionally reserved for doctors. Because of this, they are continually in great demand across many different healthcare facilities. Most healthcare workers cannot do half of the tasks a physician assistant will do every single day.
While the pay can be lucrative, it does vary from one location of employment to another. There are many factors that can come into play when determining salaries for a specific position. The good news is you won’t have to go to school an extra year to determine the factors contributing to pay scales. Below you will find a complete analysis that will help you understand the expected pay for physician assistants. While it is important to go over the expected earnings for a physician assistant, remember that the rewards of this job stretch far beyond the pay.
The average salary for a physician assistant position today is somewhere between fifty and eighty thousand dollars a year, but keep reading to understand all of the factors that could push you toward the lower or higher end of that range. Some physician assistants will naturally make more than others. Indeed.com has come up with this salary range and it tends to be spot on with what physician assistants are experiencing in the job market today. So just how much do physician assistants make?Read on to find out.
Specialized Creditials - The more specialized your knowledge and work experience, the more you can expect to earn in your salary. An example would be the physician assistant who earns substantially more because they are heavily specialized in oncology. There are some specialized fields that have such an extreme demand for talented physician assistants that the assistants get to ask for enormous salaries simply because the industry needs their services and is fighting for their contract.
Geography - Those physician assistants who work in areas that are rural are not going to be earning as much money as those physician assistants who are employed in urban areas that have a higher cost of living. Students are always reminded to choose between different locations according to the salary they expect to make once employed. All of this is generalized, since some big cities do have lower paying positions and some small towns do occasionally offer very high paying positions.
As is plain to see, there is a lot to think about when students think about how much they will pull in as physician assistants. It is easier to understand pay in this field if you think of it as a fluctuation that goes up or down according to the qualifications and experiences of the job candidate. You still must stop to consider the fact that most people would consider the lower end of the pay spectrum for this field to be a great salary. Students are often attracted to the field because of the higher “low” starting pay.
Back to the original question of what a physician assistant can make in today’s market. One of the best resources for this type of knowledge is the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on May 2008 figures, a physician assistant can earn an average yearly salary of $81,230. The average percentage of presently working physician assistants earns in the range of $68,210 to $97,070. To get a better idea of the salary spread now being offered, note that those working in the lowest ten percent of the market earn roughly $50,000 a year, while those in the highest ten percent earn over $100,000 a year.
Following is an interesting look at the average salaries for physician assistants working in different types of medical facilities:
Hospitals: $84,550
Academic Institutions: $74,200
Government Settings: $78,200
Private Clinics and Offices: $80,440
Outpatient Clinics and Centers: $84,390
How much do physician assistants make? Their earnings are also based upon the hours worked by the physician assistant. The American Academy of Physician Assistants in their 2008 Census Report found that physician assistants employed full-time make $85,710 on a yearly basis. Physician assistants who work at an entry-level position make around $74,470.
There are some expenses of the trade which can also be paid on behalf of a physician assistant, including the following: state license fees, liability insurance premiums, credential fees, DEA registration fees.
$85,700 is the average yearly salary for a physician assistant in a full time position with a medical clinic. First-year graduates made an average, yearly income of $74,470. These figures come from a publication from 2008 put out by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Just remember all of the factors that can determine your exact pay, from where you live to what you are specialized in and how many years of experience you possess. Employers of physician assistants frequently pay for their credentialing fees, registration fees with the DEA, professional liability insurance and state licensing fees.
The allowed time off for illness and vacation should also be considered. Retirement packages should also be kept in mind, though most physician assistants choose to work until the age of 65 to maximize government retirement benefits.
How much do physician assistants make? This analysis breaks it all down into understandable numbers, so keep it close at hand. Generally, physician assistants can expect to make between $50,000 and $80,000 per year, though this range is not set in stone. Based on factors like experience, geography and specialization, physician assistants can make a little bit more or a little bit less than the money in this range.
Hopefully you have a clear idea of How much do physician assistants make and realize how lucrative this career can be. For more information, please visit: Physician Assistant Salary

















