Washington’s reputation for offering physician assistants high-end salaries recently attracted national attention. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor identified Washington as the fourth best paying state for physician assistants in the country. At that time, physician assistants working here earned an average annual salary of $107,390 and an average hourly wage of $51.63.
Additionally, in that same year, Olympia, Washington was among the top ten highest-paying metropolitan areas in the country. Physician assistants employed in this city received an average annual salary of $128,540 and an average hourly wage of $61.80.
Employment Outlook and Salary Expectations for Physician Assistants in Washington
In 2012, the United States Department of Labor reported that there were 2,060 physician assistants actively employed throughout Washington. However, as the population ages and a greater number of people gain access to affordable healthcare, Washington will need a larger community of physician assistants to take on primary care provider roles. As a result, the federal government expects the number of physician assistants in Washington will reach 2,530 by 2022.
This occupational employment projection suggests a 23% job growth rate, which equates to roughly 90 annual job openings statewide between 2012 and 2022. According to online job aggregation sites, local employers searching for qualified physician assistants in October 2015 included the following:
- Rebound Orthopedics & Neurosurgery
- Acxel Health
- Surgical Associates, PLLC
- Puget Sound Pain Clinic
- Community Health Center of Snohomish County
- Department of the Army
- Catholic Health Initiatives
- The Vancouver Clinic
- Peace Arch Cardiology
- Bellevue Wellness
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor found that entry-level physician assistants working in Washington were offered an average annual salary of $77,500 and an average hourly wage of $37.28. More experienced, mid-level physician assistants earned an average annual salary of $106,100 and an average hourly wage of $51.01. Meanwhile, the most experienced physician assistants were granted a considerably larger average annual salary of $147,700 and an average hourly wage of $71.00.
Physician Assistant Salaries in Washington by County
In September 2015, the Washington State Employment Security Department published physician assistant salaries for the following counties in Washington:
- Stevens, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Asotin, Garfield, Whitman, Columbia and Walla Walla Counties – $103,363
- Kittitas County, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties – $94,491
- Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties – $115,028
- Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan and Adams Counties – $107,567
- Whatcom, Clark, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties – $84,288
- Cowlitz and Wahkiakum County – $116,303
- Clallam and Jefferson Counties – $107,945
- Snohomish County – $111,084
- King County – $112,114
- Pierce County – $112,464
- Benton and Franklin County – $95,739
- Spokane County – $110,487
- Kitsap County – $107,945
Physician Assistant Salaries in Washington by Metro and Non-Metro Region
In May 2014, the United States Department of Labor released salary statistics for several major metropolitan and nonmetropolitan regions in Washington, including:
- Bellingham: $88,090
- Bremerton-Silverdale: $103,820
- Kennewick-Pasco-Richland: $93,030
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $110,520
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue: $109,760
- Spokane: $108,830
- Tacoma: $107,870
- Yakima: $98,800
- Northwestern nonmetropolitan area: $111,810
- Southwestern nonmetropolitan area: $84,790
- Central nonmetropolitan area: $104,470
- Eastern nonmetropolitan area: $104,520
The data table below shows a more thorough analysis of physician assistant salaries in the abovementioned regions (US Department of Labor, 2014):