PAs Tied for 7^th on List of Fastest-Growing Professions

PA Profession Expected to grow 31% by 2028

November 15, 2019

According to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), part of the U.S. Department of Labor, the PA profession is tied for seventh on the list of fastest-growing occupations in the country.

The BLS projects that PA employment will grow 31% between 2018 and 2028, much faster than average for all occupations. On the list of fastest growing occupations, PAs are tied with statisticians and come in above some other healthcare professions including nurse practitioners (28%), physical therapist assistants (27%), physical therapist aides (23%), and medical assistants (23%).

[Check out the 2019 AAPA Salary Report]

Previously, the BLS projected 37% growth in employment for PAs between 2016 and 2026. While the 6% change indicates that growth of the profession is slowing, the new projection of 31% is still significant growth when compared to other occupations. The full list of fastest growing professions from the BLS is below.

1. Solar photovoltaic installers – 63%

2. Wind turbine service technicians – 57%

3. Home health aides – 37%

4. Personal care aides – 36%

5. Occupational therapy assistants – 33%

6. Information security analysts – 32%

7. Physician assistants – 31%

Statisticians – 31%

8. Nurse practitioners – 28%

9. Speech-language pathologists – 27%

Physical therapist assistants – 27%

Genetic counselors – 27%

10. Mathematicians – 26%

Operations research analysts – 26%

Software developers, applications – 26%

11. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists – 24%

12. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary – 23%

Phlebotomists – 23%

Physical therapist aides – 23%

Medical assistants – 23%

Overall, the BLS expects the employment of all healthcare occupations to grow 14% between 2018 and 2028, adding 1.9 million new jobs. Altogether, healthcare professions are expected to add more jobs than any other occupational groups, according to the BLS.

[Inside Intel on PA Salaries]

As of May 2018, the median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (i.e. RNs, physicians, dental hygienists) was $66,440, according to the BLS. AAPA’s 2019 Salary Report found that the median base salary for PAs in 2018 was $106,000.

Additional Resources
2019 AAPA Salary Report
AAPA 2019 Salary Report Shows Compensation Remains In Step with Growth of PA Workforce
Inside Intel on PA Salaries
What’s Different About 2019’s Salary Report?