Texas physician assistants earn a mean of $135,850, which sits 3.8% below the national mean of $141,280. California ($169,110) and New York ($155,150) pay considerably more, while Florida ($134,470), Illinois ($131,880), and Georgia ($112,090) pay less. If you are competing for candidates who have offers from California or New York, expect to address that gap directly in your offer or benefits package.
Physician assistant salary in Texas (2026)
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The average physician assistant salary in Texas is $135,850 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $134,550 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Texas employs 10,110 physician assistants, and the $1,300 gap between the mean and median signals real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior physician assistants in Texas typically earn around $102,650, while senior specialists commonly reach or exceed the 90th percentile threshold of $169,000. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a physician assistant hire in Texas, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $134,550 |
Average Annual Salary | $135,850 |
vs. National Average | 3.8% below the national mean of $141,280 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 10,110 employed physician assistants across Texas.
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Physician assistant salary percentiles in Texas
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $102,650 |
25th Percentile | $122,720 |
75th Percentile | $156,000 |
90th Percentile | $169,000 |
Employers hiring entry-level physician assistants in Texas should expect offers starting around $102,650, while experienced candidates in specialized roles will typically expect compensation approaching or exceeding $169,000. The $66,350 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how much seniority and specialization move the needle on compensation for this role in Texas.
Physician assistant salary by city in Texas
City | Average Annual Salary |
San Antonio | $144,100 |
Austin | $141,290 |
Dallas | $136,770 |
Houston | $135,660 |
El Paso | $116,160 |
Where you hire within Texas can meaningfully shift your compensation budget for a physician assistant role. San Antonio leads the state at $144,100, while El Paso comes in at $116,160, a difference of nearly $28,000 in average annual pay. Employers with flexibility on location should factor this gap into their budgeting and offer strategy.
How Texas compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Texas | $135,850 | $134,550 |
California | $169,110 | $165,650 |
New York | $155,150 | $160,880 |
Florida | $134,470 | $129,620 |
Illinois | $131,880 | $131,950 |
Georgia | $112,090 | $115,390 |
Texas sits in a cost-effective middle tier for physician assistant compensation, making it a more budget-friendly market than California or New York without requiring the lower pay expectations of Georgia. Texas employers pay a mean of $135,850 compared to California's $169,110 and New York's $155,150, but they pay more than Georgia's $112,090. Florida and Illinois track closely to Texas, so employers competing for candidates across those states will find compensation expectations largely aligned.
Frequently asked questions about physician assistant salary in Texas
How does Texas compare to other states for physician assistant salary?
What do the top-earning physician assistants make in Texas?
The 90th percentile for physician assistants in Texas is $169,000 per year. Candidates at this level typically bring specialized clinical experience or work in high-demand practice settings. When budgeting for a senior hire, plan for offers in the $156,000 to $169,000 range as a realistic target for experienced candidates.
What is the salary range for a physician assistant in Texas?
The salary range for physician assistants in Texas runs from $102,650 at the 10th percentile to $169,000 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $122,720 at the 25th percentile and $156,000 at the 75th percentile. Use the 25th-to-75th percentile band as your core budgeting range and adjust up or down based on the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
What is the average physician assistant salary in Texas?
The average physician assistant salary in Texas is $135,850 per year, with a median of $134,550. The close alignment between the mean and median tells you the market is relatively stable without extreme outliers distorting the picture. For most hiring decisions, anchoring your initial offer to the $134,550 median and adjusting for experience will put you in a competitive position.
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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