facebook tracking Physician Assistant salary in California (2025): how much physician assistants make, by city

How much do physician assistants make in California?

What physician assistants earn in California and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#2 of 50 states
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See also Physician Assistant pay nationally All healthcare pay in California
Median pay in California
$165,650

a year, or $79.64 an hour. That is 22% more than the national median of $135,880.

The middle half of physician assistants in California earn $136,730 to $206,990.

Pay range in California
Bottom 10% earn under
$99,380
25th percentile
$136,730
Median
$165,650
75th percentile
$206,990
Top 10% earn over
$225,190
Rank among states
#2 of 50

California pays physician assistants more than 48 of the other 49 states. Highest: New Jersey ($165,690).

Jobs in California
13,600

0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.72× the U.S. concentration.

Physician Assistant pay in California cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $161,890 $77.83 3,890
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $184,380 $88.65 1,830
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $165,160 $79.41 1,370
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $161,470 $77.63 1,070
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $223,640 $107.52 1,030
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $165,490 $79.56 1,020
Fresno, CA $155,440 $74.73 360
Bakersfield-Delano, CA $198,070 $95.23 350
Modesto, CA $165,730 $79.68 210
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $154,760 $74.41 210
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $158,360 $76.14 210
Stockton-Lodi, CA $162,110 $77.94 150
Vallejo, CA $179,520 $86.31 150
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $172,750 $83.05 140
Chico, CA $164,780 $79.22 130
Salinas, CA $170,180 $81.82 130
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $159,030 $76.46 120
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $162,790 $78.27 100
Visalia, CA $166,510 $80.05 100
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $167,600 $80.58 100
Redding, CA $150,010 $72.12 70
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $162,860 $78.30 70
Merced, CA $164,080 $78.88 50
Napa, CA $172,170 $82.78 50
El Centro, CA $156,730 $75.35 40
Hanford-Corcoran, CA $161,470 $77.63 40
Yuba City, CA $183,460 $88.20 40
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $174,670 $83.97 40
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States with similar physician assistant pay

New Jersey $165,690 median a year Washington $164,360 median a year · −1% vs California Hawaii $164,050 median a year · −1% vs California New York $160,880 median a year · −3% vs California Oregon $155,780 median a year · −6% vs California New Hampshire $150,960 median a year · −9% vs California

Other healthcare salaries in California

Home Health and Personal Care Aides $34,320 median a year · 970,150 jobs Registered Nurses $140,270 median a year · 338,940 jobs Medical Assistants $49,660 median a year · 117,060 jobs Nursing Assistants $47,630 median a year · 110,060 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $79,750 median a year · 82,850 jobs Dental Assistants $50,110 median a year · 56,220 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $55,110 median a year · 39,860 jobs Pharmacists $164,610 median a year · 34,030 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $76,010 median a year · 29,210 jobs Physical Therapists $124,190 median a year · 26,580 jobs Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other $60,390 median a year · 26,540 jobs Physicians, All Other $281,590 median a year · 25,530 jobs
All healthcare salaries in California

Questions about physician assistant pay in California

How much does a physician assistant make in California?

Physician Assistants in California earned a median of $165,650 a year ($79.64 an hour) in May 2025, 22% more than the national median of $135,880. The middle half earned $136,730 to $206,990.

Where in California do physician assistants earn the most?

Among areas in California, pay was highest in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $223,640.

How does California rank for physician assistant pay?

California ranks #2 of 50 states for physician assistants pay. New Jersey pays the most, at $165,690 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many physician assistants work in California?

About 13,600 people worked as physician assistants in California in May 2025, or 0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.