Maryland's mean physician assistant salary of $139,740 places it below neighboring New Jersey ($162,100) and New York ($155,150) but above Virginia ($142,630) and Pennsylvania ($125,160). For employers recruiting regionally, Maryland offers a mid-range cost position that can be an advantage when competing against higher-cost markets. If candidates are weighing offers across state lines, expect compensation expectations to track closely with Virginia but diverge more sharply from New Jersey and New York.
Physician assistant salary in Maryland (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in Maryland is $139,740 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $137,560 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Maryland employs 2,950 physician assistants, and the $2,180 gap between the mean and median signals real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in Maryland typically earn around $110,190, while senior specialists commonly reach or exceed the $174,280 threshold at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in Maryland, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $137,560 |
Average Annual Salary | $139,740 |
vs. National Average | 1.1% below the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 2,950 employed physician assistants across Maryland.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles in Maryland
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $110,190 |
25th Percentile | $125,140 |
75th Percentile | $160,090 |
90th Percentile | $174,280 |
Employers setting an offer for a physician assistant in Maryland should expect to land between $125,140 and $160,090 for most mid-career candidates, with senior specialists commonly reaching $174,280 or beyond. The $64,090 spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile reflects meaningful differences in experience, specialty, and practice setting that your offer should account for.
Physician assistant salary by city in Maryland
City | Average Annual Salary |
Washington DC | $152,430 |
Salisbury | $142,480 |
Baltimore | $140,180 |
Hagerstown | $138,820 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to offer a physician assistant in Maryland, with the Washington DC metro commanding a notably higher average than other parts of the state. The Washington DC metro average of $152,430 sits $12,250 above the Baltimore average of $140,180, so employers hiring near the DC border should budget accordingly. Hagerstown comes in at $138,820, giving employers in that market a modest cost advantage relative to the state mean.
How Maryland compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Maryland | $139,740 | $137,560 |
New Jersey | $162,100 | $165,690 |
New York | $155,150 | $160,880 |
District of Columbia | $146,230 | $135,140 |
Virginia | $142,630 | $135,940 |
Pennsylvania | $125,160 | $127,070 |
Maryland sits in the middle of the regional market, making it a cost-effective alternative to New Jersey and New York for employers who can recruit across state lines. The Maryland mean of $139,740 runs $22,360 below New Jersey's $162,100 but $14,580 above Pennsylvania's $125,160, so your budget will stretch further here than in the Northeast's highest-paying markets. Virginia's mean of $142,630 is close enough to Maryland's that compensation expectations will be similar if you are competing for candidates across that border.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in Maryland
How does Maryland compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in Maryland?
Physician assistants at the 90th percentile in Maryland earn $174,280 per year. Senior specialists in high-demand practice settings or subspecialties are most likely to reach or exceed that threshold. When budgeting for a senior hire, plan for offers in the $160,090 to $174,280 range as a realistic target for experienced candidates.
What is the salary range for a physician assistant in Maryland?
The published salary range for physician assistants in Maryland runs from $110,190 at the 10th percentile to $174,280 at the 90th percentile. Most mid-career candidates will fall between the 25th percentile of $125,140 and the 75th percentile of $160,090. Use the seniority and specialization of the specific role you are filling to determine where within that range your offer should land.
What is the average physician assistant salary in Maryland?
The average physician assistant salary in Maryland is $139,740 per year, with a median of $137,560. The $2,180 gap between those two figures reflects a modest pull from higher-compensated roles at the top of the market. For most hiring decisions, the median of $137,560 is the more grounded benchmark to anchor your initial offer range.
Physician Assistant salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1071 (Physician Assistants).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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