There has never been a better time than now to pursue a physician assistant career in Maine. According to the United States Department of Labor, physician assistants were among Maine’s top 20 highest-paying, fastest-growing growing occupations. In 2014, Maine held the highest concentration of physician assistant jobs nationwide. Physician assistants working here earned an average annual salary of $100,110 and an average hourly wage of $48.13 that year.
The state’s southwest nonmetropolitan region was specifically recognized as a high employment area in 2014, with the third highest concentration of physician assistant jobs among all other nonmetropolitan areas in the country. Physician assistants employed in this district received an average annual salary of $102,390 and an average hourly wage of $49.23.
Job Outlook Factors that Contribute to Higher Salaries
In 2012, the United States Department of Labor released employment statistics indicating that 920 physician assistants worked in Maine. By 2022, this number is expected to reach 1,120, which translates to a 22% employment growth rate during this projection timeline. As a result of this occupational expansion, aspiring physician assistants can anticipate roughly 40 annual job openings through 2022.
According to the Maine Association of Physician Assistants and other job aggregation sites, the following employers posted online job advertisements looking to hire physician assistants throughout the state in September 2015:
- Pen Bay Medical Center
- Department of Veteran Affairs
- InterMed, P.A.
- Maine Medical Partners
- Locum Tenens Primary Care
- York Hospital
- Southern Maine Health Care
- Chest Medicine Associates
- U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group
- St. Mary’s Health System
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that entry-level physician assistants working in Maine earned an average annual salary of $78,500 and an average hourly wage of $37.72. Physician assistants just entering the field typically receive much lower salaries due to lack of experience.
For example, in that same year, mid-level physician assistants in Maine that had established a reputation for skilled longevity over the course of several years were offered an average annual salary of $99,800 and an average hourly wage of $47.96. Meanwhile, the most experienced physician assistants in the state were also the highest paid, taking home an average annual salary of $125,400 and an average hourly wage of $60.27.
Regional Variations for Physician Assistant Salaries in Maine
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor found that physician assistant salaries were partially determined by regional placement of employment. For instance, physician assistants practicing in the city of Bangor collected an average annual salary of $110,640, making this locale the highest paying area in the state that year. Yet, physician assistants employed in other major metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas earned slightly different average salaries:
- Lewiston-Auburn: $99,170
- Portland-South Portland-Biddeford: $97,600
- Northeast nonmetropolitan area: $99,830
The following statistical table offers a broader scope of physician assistant salaries, wages, and employment data in major regional areas of Maine (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014):