Salary · CA · SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant (PA) salary in California, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for physician assistants in California, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for physician assistants in California was $165,650 a year, or $79.64 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $99,380 to $225,190. About 13,600 were employed.

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Physician Assistant pay in California vs the US

Physician Assistant wages in California and the US, May 2025
Measure	CA annual	CA hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$165,650	$79.64	$135,880
Mean (average)	$169,110	$81.30	$141,280
10th percentile	$99,380	$47.78	$99,380
25th percentile	$136,730	$65.73	$120,670
75th percentile	$206,990	$99.52	$163,980
90th percentile	$225,190	$108.27	$190,280

Employment in California: 13,600. Location quotient: 0.72 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Physician Assistant salary by metro area in California

Physician Assistant median wage by metro area, California
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
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
Redding, CA	$150,010	$72.12	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

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Physician Assistant salary in California

Median pay: $165,650 a year ($79.64 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $99,380 to $225,190 a year

Employed: 13,600

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Physician Assistant salary in California</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$165,650</strong> a year ($79.64 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $99,380 to $225,190 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 13,600</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/physician-assistant/ca" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does a PA make per hour in California?

The median hourly wage was $79.64 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $47.78 and the 90th was $108.27.

What is the average PA salary in California?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $169,110 a year and a median of $165,650 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do physician assistants in California earn more than the US median?

The California median of $165,650 is 22% higher than the US median of $135,880 (BLS, May 2025).

How does California rank for physician assistant pay?

California ranks 2 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for physician assistants (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-1071. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.