Expected Salary For Entry Level Physician Assistant
A physician assistant have clinical skill sets similar to a doctor but does not hold the “Dr” title. Duties such as clinical assessment, diagnosing conditions and providing patient checkups are just some tasks that a physician assistant perform. They are also able to prescribe medicine to patients in 48 states, some prescriptions must be made under the care of a doctor, but they work independently the majority of the time.
You have to be very committed to become a physician assistant. They must complete an accredited program as well as meet a number of educational requirements. Currently, there are about 142 accredited programs in the United States; however, majority of them are offered as masters programs. Better job opportunities and higher wages should be expected for those who complete a master’s degree. In order to locate a program in your local area, it is best to contact the Accredited Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
Applying and obtaining a state license is mandatory after you have completed a program. It is compulsory to attain a license in all states as tedious as it may sound. The license is issued by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) in which you will need to take a test.
Referenced from PayScale.com, the average salary for an entrance level physician assistant is between $64000 to $77000.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the median annual physician assistant salary is between $56000 and $115000. A physician assistant with a limited amount of experience, such as those coming in at entry level will earn less than $56000, those who earn more than $115000 are in the top 10 percent of earners, and they would have had many years experience.
It is recommended that you apply for a position in an industry that hires many physician assistants for those who are just starting out in the field. Working at physician offices can be highly attractive as they are known to employ many assistants and offer a competitive annual mean salary of $85000. You can expect a salary of approximately $84500 at surgical and general medical hospitals.
Even though as an entry level physician assistant with limited clinical experience, you can still earn a higher than average salary by applying for a position in a high paying industry. Your salary will be on the higher end of the scale whether your starting salary is higher or lower on the line. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who are employed within the employment services industry are some of the highest earning assistants with a salary of $105,000. Other good industries include the mental health and substance abuse and outpatient care centers which offers a great salary of $103500 and $87000, respectively.
Some states pay higher than others, as an entry level employee you may want to consider relocating to one of the top paying states if you want to earn a higher income. In Maine, entry level physician assistants can expect the highest salary of around $86000. Other states with higher annual salaries include Alaska at $81000, and West Virginia at $77500.
To learn more about how you can earn a great physician assistant salary as an entry level assistant, please visit: Physician Assistant Salary

