Physician Assistant Pay in the Far West U.S.

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 more than 125,000 as of May 2020.  Over 17,400 of those employed as PAs lived in the Far West U.S. according to BLS data.  The six-state Far West region 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, four Far West states ranked among the ten best states nationally for PA annual mean wages.  A closer look at BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about physician assistant pay in the Far West U.S.:

Physician Assistant Pay in the Far West U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AK	430	$150,430	1st
CA	11,490	$135,180	4th
HI	300	$115,710	22nd
NV	880	$134,710	5th
OR	1,550	$119,050	14th
WA	2,780	$129,910	7th
U.S.	125,280	$116,080	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 24, 2021