May 2022 data published earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put the number of physician assistants (PA) employed in the U.S. at just under 141,000.  As of that time, the five-state Great Lakes region was home to a bit more than 15,600 physician assistants according to the BLS.  BLS data revealed the region to be a relatively weak one for physician assistant pay, as the PA median annual wage level, which is the midpoint on the wage scale that divides the top and bottom half of earners, was below the national average in every Great Lakes state, except Illinois.  A closer examination of BLS data from May 2022 revealed the following about physician assistant pay in the Great Lakes region:

Physician Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State	# Employed	Mean Annual Wage	Median Annual Wage
IL	2,580	$124,810	$126,460
IN	1,560	$122,850	$119,610
MI	5,370	$116,870	$115,520
OH	3,280	$117,200	$114,250
WI	2,830	$121,630	$123,030
U.S.	140,910	$125,270	$126,010

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on September 2, 2023