5% increase in PA salary per BLS report
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) showed a median PA salary of $121,530 in 2021. A 5% increase from last year’s report when median PA salary was $115,390.
The BLS is a U.S. agency that is part of the Department of Labor. The BLS “measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.” The BLS conducts surveys from employers to gather data on employment and wages. The information in the report is from May 2021 and was last modified as of March 31, 2022.
The industry that you work in can make a difference in your PA salary. Outpatient care centers had the highest mean wage of $129,910. College, University, and Professional schools had the lowest mean salary of $100,850.
Not only can industry impact your salary, but the geographic location can also affect it. California had the highest number of PAs employed, with 14,600 PAs in the state, and they earned a mean wage of $136,920. However, this was not the highest paying state for PAs, which went to Rhode Island. The three hundred PAs working in Rhode Island had the highest mean wage of $146,880. Alaska, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New Hampshire were the following states with the highest salaries.
Looking at metropolitan areas, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, had the highest annual mean wage of $167,240. For non-metropolitan areas, Alaska had the highest salaries for PAs at $151,120.
It can be tempting to look at salaries and think that’s the best place for a PA to work, but there is a lot to consider when looking at locations. One thing to keep in mind is the cost of living in the area. Salaries should be higher in areas with a high cost of living. Another thing to look at is the desirability of living in a location. Employers can incentivize PAs to move to an undesirable location by offering a higher salary. A third point to consider is the specialties in which the PA is working. Certain locations tend to use PAs in specific areas; for example, a state might use PAs more in primary care compared to a different place that uses PAs in surgical specialties.
These reports can give you a general idea of what PAs are making, but they are hard to apply to a specific position. It’s essential to remember that half of PAs will make more than this number, and half will make less. Employers often offer a wide range of additional benefits that can offset wages.
An offer for a job with a $130,000 base salary might sound great as it is much above the mean wage, but if there is no bonus, it makes the offer less desirable. Considering a job with a lower salary but an opportunity to earn a bonus, you will likely make much more than the $130,000.
The BLS report is only one salary survey for PAs. Consider it alongside other information from the NCCPA and the AAPA. You might not be able to determine the exact salary you should be earning, but one thing is for sure: PA salaries have steadily increased over the years, and looking at these trends can help determine if your salary is keeping up.
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