PA on U.S. News & World Report List of Best Jobs
For the second year in a row PA came in at number three for best jobs in America according to a recent report from U.S. News & World Report.
Jobs are ranked based on different aspects, including growth potential, work-life balance and salary. “To calculate Best Jobs, U.S. News draws data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify jobs with the greatest hiring demand. Jobs are then scored using seven component measures: 10-year growth volume, 10-year growth percentage, median salary, employment rate, future job prospects, stress level and work-life balance. ”
“Health care occupations continue to dominate the U.S. News 2019 Best Jobs rankings, with demand in the field highest for workers to fill roles such as nurse practitioner, physician assistant and physical therapist,” said Rebecca Koenig, careers reporter at U.S. News. “That’s good news for students and career changers, because it takes less school time and tuition money to prepare for those positions than it does to become a physician or surgeon.”
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According to the report PAs are currently earning a median salary of $104,860; however, compared to reports from the NCCPA and the AAPA this number is on the low side.
A key to the ranking for PAs is the low unemployment rate and growth of the filed. The report showed an unemployment rate of 0.8% and projected growth of 37 percent between 2016 and 2026. This is compared to an estimated growth of only 16 percent for other positions in similar fields.
Once you become a PA you’ll have a good salary and you won’t stay unemployed for long. What the report does not take into account is what it takes to become a PA. Most PA’s have a master’s degree and once you’re done with PA school you can expect to have over $100,000 in student debt that you’ll be paying off.
There’s plenty of upside to the future of the PA career and there will be a lot of opportunities for PAs in the future. However, if you’re currently thinking about becoming a PA don’t be caught off guard by the cost to become one. You can do a lot to prepare yourself prior to attending PA school, so make sure you make a plan early and be willing to adjust your plan as you go.
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