Annual PA Compensation Rebounds From 2020, Increases 4.5%

2022 AAPA Salary Report Finds Median Compensation for PAs Increased From $110,000 in 2020 to $115,000 in 2021

PA (physician associate/assistant) base compensation, without bonuses, has rebounded from a slight dip in 2020, increasing 4.5% from $110,000 in 2020 to $115,000 in 2021. The findings were released today in the 2022 American Academy of PAs (AAPA) Digital Salary Report.

While PAs surveyed reported an increase in compensation, adequate healthcare staffing continues to be a challenge with 88% of PAs reporting that their employers faced staff shortages.

AAPA President and Chair of the Board Jennifer M. Orozco, MMS, PA-C, DFAAPA, said this finding underscores the importance of supporting PAs to ensure patients have access to the care they need.

“There is an urgent healthcare workforce shortage demanding solutions that PAs must be a part of,” Orozco said. “With 91 million Americans currently lacking adequate access to primary care services, the high-quality, patient-centered, team-based care PAs are known to deliver is needed now more than ever.”

Other key findings in the report include the following:

  • 79% of PAs reported being optimistic about the current state of the PA profession.
  • 61% of PAs reported that they still use telehealth or telemedicine services.
  • 46% of PAs reported they are experiencing symptoms of burnout.
  • PAs serving in formal leadership roles had a median compensation of $129,911.
  • PAs serving in informal leadership roles had a median compensation of $117,000.

The AAPA Salary Report is the only PA salary resource that provides detailed information about base salary, base hourly wage, bonuses, and benefits. The report provides detailed breakdowns based on experience, specialty, setting, and employer. Findings are based on the 11,739 PAs who responded to the survey.

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Media Contacts:
Jenni Roberson, 703.380.2764
Josh Birch, 443.614.5896

About the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
AAPA is the national membership organization for all PAs (physician associates/physician assistants). PAs are licensed clinicians who practice medicine in every specialty and setting. Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice. PA has been named one of the best jobs overall and one of the best healthcare jobs for the fifth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report. The PA profession ranked number three this year in Best STEM jobs. Learn more about the profession at aapa.org and engage through FacebookLinkedInInstagram, and Twitter.