Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put the number of physician assistants (PAs) employed in the U.S. at nearly 141,000 as of May 2022. Over 22,000 of those employed as PAs lived in the Far West U.S. according to BLS data. The six-state Far West region is ranked as one of the best regions of the country for physician assistant pay. The annual mean wage for PAs was above the national average in every state in the region except Hawaii. Moreover, the median annual wage, which is the mid-point on the wage scale between the top and bottom half of wage earners, was better than the national average in every Far Western state, except Hawaii. A closer look at BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about physician assistant pay in the Far West U.S.:
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Physician Assistant Pay in the Far West U.S. |
| State | # Employed | Mean Annual Wage | Median Annual Wage |
| AK | 430 | $144,460 | $136,400 |
| CA | 15,540 | $144,520 | $142,520 |
| HI | 270 | $106,960 | $121,740 |
| NV | 1,260 | $141,360 | $142,240 |
| OR | 1,580 | $136,600 | $132,660 |
| WA | 3,040 | $145,390 | $139,030 |
| U.S. | 140,910 | $125,270 | $126,010 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on August 26, 2023
