Is Physician Assistant a good career in 2026?
B+
74/100 · Above Average
Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
$148K
Median pay
+140%
vs US average
28%/yr
Demand growth
86/100
Future-proof
Reasons it's worth it
- ✓Pays 140% above the US average wage ($148K vs $62K).
- ✓Strong demand — growing ~28% a year.
- ✓Relatively automation-resilient (86/100 future-proof).
- ✓In-demand skills: Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, Procedures, EMR.
Things to weigh
- !Competition can be high for the best-paid positions — keep skills current.
Dig into the numbers
Common questions
Is Physician Assistant a good career in 2026?
On our data, Physician Assistant scores 74/100 (Above Average). Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor. Median pay is $148K (140% above the US average), demand is ~28%/yr, and automation risk is 14/100.
Does Physician Assistant pay well?
The median Physician Assistant earns about $148K, which is 140% above the US average wage of $62K.
Will Physician Assistant be automated by AI?
Automation risk is 14/100 (86/100 future-proof). Most of the role is hard to fully automate near-term.
Career score blends demand growth and automation risk; pay from BLS-anchored medians. A guide, not a guarantee.