Physician assistants at the 90th percentile in New York earn $201,410 per year. When you are competing for senior talent in this market, plan for offers that approach or exceed this threshold, particularly for candidates with specialized clinical experience or leadership responsibilities. The statewide mean of $155,150 sits below this level, so the $201,410 figure represents a realistic ceiling only for the most experienced segment of the candidate pool.
Physician assistant salary in New York (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in New York is $155,150 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $160,880 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. New York employs 19,140 physician assistants, and the $5,730 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in New York typically earn around $106,440, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed the $201,410 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in New York, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $160,880 |
Average Annual Salary | $155,150 |
vs. National Average | 9.8% above the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 19,140 employed physician assistants across New York.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles in New York
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $106,440 |
25th Percentile | $134,480 |
75th Percentile | $174,710 |
90th Percentile | $201,410 |
Employers setting an offer for a physician assistant in New York should expect a wide range depending on experience level. Entry-level candidates typically fall near $106,440, while experienced specialists in senior roles typically reach $201,410 or beyond, giving you a spread of nearly $95,000 to work with when structuring compensation.
Physician assistant salary by city in New York
City | Average Annual Salary |
New York City | $163,570 |
Albany | $140,600 |
Syracuse | $135,060 |
Rochester | $132,760 |
Buffalo | $127,510 |
Where you hire within New York will have a meaningful impact on your compensation budget for this role. Employers in the New York City metro should plan for an average of $163,570, compared to $127,510 in the Buffalo metro, a difference that reflects both cost of living and local market demand. If you are hiring outside the city, upstate markets offer a lower average anchor point, though you should still account for candidate-level variation within each market.
Employers hiring physician assistants in New York operate in a mid-to-high cost market relative to comparable states, which means compensation expectations from candidates will generally be elevated. California leads at $169,110 mean and New Jersey follows at $162,100, both above New York's $155,150, so candidates with experience in those markets may arrive with higher salary expectations. Pennsylvania and Texas sit notably lower at $125,160 and $135,850 respectively, so candidates relocating from those states may represent a different budget scenario.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in New York
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in New York?
How does New York compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
New York's mean physician assistant salary of $155,150 places it above Massachusetts ($146,480), Texas ($135,850), and Pennsylvania ($125,160), but below California ($169,110) and New Jersey ($162,100). For employers in New York, this means your compensation offers are broadly competitive with most of the country, though candidates from California or New Jersey may expect higher pay. Benchmarking against neighboring New Jersey is especially relevant if you are hiring in the New York City metro area, where candidate pools often cross state lines.
What is the average physician assistant salary in New York?
The average physician assistant salary in New York is $155,150 per year, which sits 9.8% above the national mean of $141,280. The median of $160,880 is slightly higher than the mean, which tells you that the distribution of salaries in New York is fairly concentrated around the middle of the range. Use the median as your primary anchor when setting a market-rate offer, and adjust up or down based on the candidate's experience level and the specific metro area where the role is based.
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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