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Occupational Employment Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

29-1071 Physician Assistants

Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants. Excludes "Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics" (29-2041), "Medical Assistants" (31-9092), "Registered Nurses" (29-1141), "Nurse Anesthetists" (29-1151), "Nurse Midwives" (29-1161), and "Nurse Practitioners" (29-1171).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
104,050 1.6 % $49.08 $102,090 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $31.55 $41.41 $48.79 $58.37 $68.37
Annual Wage (2) $65,620 $86,130 $101,480 $121,420 $142,210

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 59,680 2.37 $48.83 $101,560
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 23,460 0.43 $49.79 $103,570
Outpatient Care Centers 8,060 0.97 $51.80 $107,740
Employment Services 2,900 0.08 $51.48 $107,070
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,770 0.09 $47.09 $97,940

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 59,680 2.37 $48.83 $101,560
Outpatient Care Centers 8,060 0.97 $51.80 $107,740
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 23,460 0.43 $49.79 $103,570
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 770 0.30 $49.68 $103,330
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,330 0.16 $44.98 $93,570

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 150 0.01 $59.00 $122,720
Individual and Family Services 60 (7) $54.68 $113,730
Outpatient Care Centers 8,060 0.97 $51.80 $107,740
Employment Services 2,900 0.08 $51.48 $107,070
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 23,460 0.43 $49.79 $103,570

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 12,080 1.33 1.79 $51.46 $107,030
California 10,090 0.63 0.85 $53.30 $110,860
Texas 6,650 0.57 0.76 $46.84 $97,420
Pennsylvania 5,550 0.96 1.30 $44.65 $92,860
Florida 5,290 0.64 0.87 $49.61 $103,200




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maine 800 1.35 1.82 $50.25 $104,520
New York 12,080 1.33 1.79 $51.46 $107,030
Alaska 430 1.33 1.79 $54.26 $112,860
South Dakota 520 1.25 1.69 $47.69 $99,190
Connecticut 1,900 1.14 1.54 $56.09 $116,670




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 540 0.42 0.57 $61.72 $128,370
Connecticut 1,900 1.14 1.54 $56.09 $116,670
North Dakota 250 0.58 0.78 $55.20 $114,810
Vermont 320 1.04 1.40 $54.98 $114,350
Washington 2,330 0.76 1.02 $54.76 $113,900





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 6,550 0.99 1.34 $52.53 $109,270
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division 2,600 2.02 2.72 $52.65 $109,510
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,300 0.90 1.22 $49.61 $103,190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,910 0.45 0.61 $47.20 $98,180
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,780 0.92 1.24 $43.81 $91,130
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,750 0.60 0.80 $48.21 $100,270
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 1,630 0.45 0.61 $44.01 $91,540
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 1,630 1.15 1.55 $47.45 $98,700
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 1,580 1.18 1.59 $44.52 $92,590
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,550 0.64 0.86 $46.23 $96,160