HealthcareBLS OES

Physician Assistant Salary in Baltimore

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$159,363/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $132,848 – $191,170

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100

Key insights for Physician Assistants in Baltimore

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊPhysician Assistants in Baltimore earn about 7% more than the national median for the role ($159K vs $148K).
  • β€ΊCost of living in Baltimore runs about 10% above the US average, so $159K is worth roughly $145K at national prices.
  • β€ΊAfter a simplified take-home estimate, $159K nets about $112K/yr β€” roughly $75K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Physician Assistant reaches about $204K β€” a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Physician Assistants in Baltimore typically earn $133K–$191K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $159K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $225K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Physician Assistant Salary Analysis β€” Baltimore

Physician Assistants in Baltimore earn a median salary of $159K, which is 31% above the national median of $122K. Strong regional demand for physician assistants contributes to above-average wages here.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Baltimore.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Baltimore's cost of living is 10% above the US average. Your $159K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $145K in a city with average US living costs.

$159K
Nominal salary
+10%
CoL vs US avg
$145K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Baltimore

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$112,736

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$132,848

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$159,363

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$191,170

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$225,276

Staff / principal / lead

+7%
vs US avg
+28%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 20, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$159K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’25%
Take-home$119K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$119K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$62K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
74/100
Above Average
Job demand growth+28%
Automation riskLow

Are You Being Underpaid?

Enter your current salary to see your exact market percentile in Baltimore

Am I Underpaid?

Enter your current salary to see where you stand

$

Your salary is never stored or transmitted. Calculation runs locally in your browser.

Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $159K a good salary for Physician Assistant in Baltimore?

Based on BLS data for 159,363 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $113KΒ·Median: $159KΒ·Top 10%: $225K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $159K for Physician Assistants in Baltimore

+7%
MD market level
MD pays 7% above the global baseline for this profession.
+10%
Baltimore metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+7%
High demand for Physician Assistants
28% projected job growth creates upward wage pressure.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Physician Assistant Salary by Experience Level in Baltimore

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$111,554$9,296$54
Junior22 yrs$137,052$11,421$66
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$151,926$12,661$73
Senior66 yrs$168,287$14,024$81
Staff1010 yrs$203,985$16,999$98
Principal1414 yrs$234,582$19,549$113
Distinguished1818 yrs$242,232$20,186$116

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Physician Assistant

Estimated premium above the Baltimore median based on market demand

Clinical Assessment+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Diagnosis+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Procedures+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
EMR+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr
Pharmacology+4% β‰ˆ +$6K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$32K/yr
Highest single skill
Clinical Assessment +4%
Clinical Assessment+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Diagnosis+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Procedures+4% Β· +$6K/yr
EMR+4% Β· +$6K/yr
Pharmacology+4% Β· +$6K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Physician Assistant Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

B+74/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+28%/yr
AI Displacement Risk14% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+3.7%/yr
Above Average: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
BLS Official 10-yr OutlookMuch faster than average
+28%
Growth 2022–2032
+41K
New jobs projected
$171K
In 2 yrs
$191K
In 5 yrs
$229K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Physician Assistant

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$203K–$218K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$159,363
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$11,953
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base β€” RSUs/options
$3,984
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$35,060
Total Comp (mid)
$210,360

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Physician Assistants

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Learning Budget
$1,000–$3,000 / year
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Physician Assistant Salaries by City

How Baltimore, MD stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Baltimore, MD (current)$159,363$191,170++7%
New York, NY$212,314$254,690++43%
San Francisco, CA$244,401$293,181++65%
Seattle, WA$212,450$254,853++43%
Austin, TX$163,529$196,168++10%
Boston, MA$206,533$247,755++39%
Chicago, IL$168,550$202,191++14%
Los Angeles, CA$202,806$243,284++37%
Denver, CO$164,178$196,946++11%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Physician Assistant?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Physician Assistant salary in Baltimore, MD?

The median Physician Assistant salary in Baltimore, MD is $159K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $191K+ per year.

What is a good Physician Assistant salary in Baltimore, MD?

The 75th percentile ($191K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($159K) is above-average for this role in Baltimore, MD.

How much does a Physician Assistant earn per hour in Baltimore, MD?

Based on the median annual salary of $159K, a Physician Assistant in Baltimore, MD earns approximately $77/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$92/hr.

Is Baltimore, MD a good market for Physician Assistants?

Baltimore, MD pays 7% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Physician Assistants is growing 28% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Physician Assistant salary in Baltimore, MD?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($191K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Baltimore figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Baltimore, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Physician Assistant salary really means in Baltimore

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking β€” on the $159,363 median.

Estimated take-home

$119,386/yr

β‰ˆ $9,949/month net

Gross median
$159,363
Income tax
βˆ’$27,786
Social / FICA
βˆ’$12,191
Effective rate
25%

Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate β€” not tax advice.

Rent affordability

13%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,294/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$3,080/mo), roughly $6,869/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living estimate for Baltimore; rent β‰ˆ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$148,328–$159,363

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Physician Assistants in Baltimore earn the local median of $159,363. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($148,328) and the local rate β€” employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Physician Assistant markets β†’
βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology

Physician Assistant Salary Trend (2019–2024)

BLS OES historical national medians

6-yr CAGR
+4.8%/yr
Physician Assistant median salary trend, 2019–2024Physician Assistant median salary trend, 2019–2024: median rose from $112K in 2019 to $142K in 2024 (+26%).$108K$117K$127K$137K$146K$112K2019$115K2020$122K2021$129K2022$135K2023$142K2024
2019 median
$112K
2024 median
$142K

Source: BLS OEWS 2019–2024. City-level data uses national trend Γ— metro premium.

Inflation note: In 2019 dollars, today's median is ~$135K β€” 18% of nominal salary is inflation (2019–2024 CPI avg 3.4%/yr).

Education Premium β€” Physician Assistant

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$88K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$131K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$159K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$191K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$188K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$367K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Baltimore benchmarks
$159K
Market median
$191K
P75 target
$225K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

$
Physician Assistant in Baltimore β€” Distribution
P10
$113K
P25
$133K
P50
$159K
P75
$191K
P90
$225K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jun 20, 2026

Full methodology β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’