Median Salary for recently certified PAs in 2020
A recent report from the NCCPA showed that recently certified PAs earned a median salary of $95,000 in 2020. This was the exact amount compared to data from 2016. This is in contrast to what we had seen from PAs in general before 2020, as we saw annual increases in PA salaries. However, this changed in 2020 when there were widespread furloughs and layoffs during the early part of the pandemic.
The NCCPA is the only national certifying body for PAs. Data is collected from an online profile created when PAs log into their NCCPA accounts. In 2012, new data for PAs who have been certified for the first time for six months or less was collected. This report is made up of data from these profiles. Of the 9,915 recently certified PAs, 7,540 provided responses to at least a portion of the profile, for a response rate of 76%.
We see a difference of $15,000 – $20,000 for early-career PAs compared to the PA profession, depending on the salary survey. This is expected as early career PAs, and recent graduates tend to have lower salaries. As one gains experience, we would hope to see higher wages.
73% of recent grads experienced challenges when looking for a job, a considerable increase compared to 41.9% in 2016. Many experienced PAs were having difficulty keeping their jobs, making the job market even more competitive for recent graduates.
Although the median salary for PAs did not change from 2016, the cost to become PA increased, with median educational debt for recently certified PAs of $137,500 in 2020. This was an increase from $112,500 in 2016.
The current trend of the increased cost of education for PA students is seen here. Where we saw increases in salary for PAs for several years, 2020 showed a change. As we continue to get passed the COVID-19 pandemic, we can be hopeful that job opportunities and salaries will start to trend upward again, but only time will tell.
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If we keep calling ourselves assistants, we will be paid and treated like assistants. If we don’t advocate and realize that we are true professionals in every sense of the word, we will be treated “less then”. If we don’t look to self discipline our own members, self regulate our own profession and actually plan our own futures, as professionals, and learn to this this way in our PA programs while students, we will see our salaries rise slowly because we will have no reason, no research, and no information to stand on our own 2 feet and show our worth. I believe Covid had 10 states were executive orders were put into affect that eliminated supervision or collaboration requirements by Executive Order. Has anyone seen the research on this? Has anyone done the studies in their own state to show that PAs were well worth it and actually helped in so many ways during the crisis? When we learn to fully advocate and promote our profession we will see both our self-worth, our patient effectiveness, our increase to medical access and our worth to the people that we work with increase significantly.
I cannot believe PAs still use the term assistant.