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Top 15 cities for physician assistants
Full ranking
| # | Metro area | Price-adjusted median | Median salary | Price parity | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $202,530 | $223,640 | 110.4 | 1,030 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $196,331 | $198,070 | 100.9 | 350 |
| 3 | Springfield, MA | $168,403 | $161,770 | 96.1 | 320 |
| 4 | Visalia, CA | $166,802 | $166,510 | 99.8 | 100 |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $165,488 | $179,520 | 108.5 | 150 |
| 6 | Barnstable, MA | $165,052 | $162,330 | 98.4 | 100 |
| 7 | Chico, CA | $162,831 | $164,780 | 101.2 | 130 |
| 8 | Burlington, VT | $162,022 | $163,560 | 100.9 | 200 |
| 9 | Greenville, NC | $161,704 | $142,950 | 88.4 | 190 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa, CA | $160,274 | $172,750 | 107.8 | 140 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $159,480 | $184,380 | 115.6 | 1,830 |
| 12 | Modesto, CA | $159,190 | $165,730 | 104.1 | 210 |
| 13 | Binghamton, NY | $157,350 | $146,120 | 92.9 | 200 |
| 14 | Las Cruces, NM | $156,686 | $141,350 | 90.2 | 100 |
| 15 | Bellingham, WA | $156,057 | $161,260 | 103.3 | 120 |
| 16 | Riverside, CA | $155,474 | $165,490 | 106.4 | 1,020 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $155,386 | $163,810 | 105.4 | 1,110 |
| 18 | Atlantic City, NJ | $155,052 | $153,280 | 98.9 | 150 |
| 19 | Lafayette, LA | $154,285 | $134,550 | 87.2 | 100 |
| 20 | Davenport, IA | $154,268 | $137,420 | 89.1 | 110 |
| 21 | Stockton, CA | $154,260 | $162,110 | 105.1 | 150 |
| 22 | Kennewick, WA | $154,108 | $154,230 | 100.1 | 120 |
| 23 | Killeen, TX | $153,843 | $140,200 | 91.1 | 350 |
| 24 | Oklahoma City, OK | $153,659 | $138,920 | 90.4 | 1,020 |
| 25 | McAllen, TX | $153,525 | $131,870 | 85.9 | 400 |
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Highest raw pay for physician assistants, before cost of living
More rankings
Sources and how to read this page
- Ranking: median annual wage of Physician Assistants (BLS OEWS May 2025; the average where BLS publishes no median) divided by the BEA price parity x 100. Only metros where BLS counts at least 100 of these jobs with a reliable estimate.
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
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