Physician assistant salary in Alaska
Alaska physician assistants earn a median of $150,700 a year ($72.45 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 11% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 8th of 51 states.
Median, Alaska
$150,700
Mean $148,080
Middle half earns
$126,530 to $169,930
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Alaska
700
2.07x the national concentration
Where Alaska sits in the range
Alaska
Statewide
United States
National
Anchorage
Metro area
Fairbanks
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Alaska physician assistants earned less than $106,060 and ten percent earned more than $201,270, a spread of $95,210. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Alaska | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $106,060 | $99,380 | +6.7% |
| 25th | $126,530 | $120,670 | +4.9% |
| Median | $150,700 | $135,880 | +10.9% |
| 75th | $169,930 | $163,980 | +3.6% |
| 90th | $201,270 | $190,280 | +5.8% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 2 metro areas that include part of Alaska. Fairbanks-College, AK has the highest median at $164,910. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | 460 | $152,710 | $114,090 to $171,770 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | 70 | $164,910 | $138,460 to $200,620 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Alaska
| Occupation | Alaska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $150,700 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $155,170 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $341,210 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $109,480 | $97,550 |
The Alaska PA workforce
BLS counts 700 physician assistants on Alaska payrolls, or 2.15 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, more concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 785 physician assistants with a Alaska practice address, and 16 new PA NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $126,530, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Alaska physician assistants earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $169,930, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about PA pay in Alaska
How much does a PA make in Alaska?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Alaska was $150,700 in May 2025, and the mean was $148,080, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $126,530 and $169,930.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Alaska?
The median hourly wage was $72.45 and the mean was $71.19. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do PAs earn the most in Alaska?
Among Alaska metro areas with published data, Fairbanks-College, AK had the highest median at $164,910, and Anchorage, AK the lowest at $152,710.
How does Alaska rank for PA pay?
Alaska ranks 8th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 11% above the national median of $135,880. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many physician assistants work in Alaska?
BLS estimated 700 physician assistants employed in Alaska in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 785 with a Alaska practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1071, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.