Physician assistant salary in Arizona
Arizona physician assistants earn a median of $134,650 a year ($64.73 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is about the same as the national median of $135,880, and ranks 26th of 51 states.
Median, Arizona
$134,650
Mean $140,850
Middle half earns
$123,990 to $156,500
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Arizona
3,750
1.11x the national concentration
Where Arizona sits in the range
Arizona
Statewide
United States
National
Phoenix
Metro area
Tucson
Metro area
Prescott Valley
Metro area
Flagstaff
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Arizona physician assistants earned less than $106,030 and ten percent earned more than $174,420, a spread of $68,390. 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 | Arizona | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $106,030 | $99,380 | +6.7% |
| 25th | $123,990 | $120,670 | +2.8% |
| Median | $134,650 | $135,880 | -0.9% |
| 75th | $156,500 | $163,980 | -4.6% |
| 90th | $174,420 | $190,280 | -8.3% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 6 metro areas that include part of Arizona. Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ has the highest median at $135,630. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZmoderate precision | 3,050 | $134,650 | $124,120 to $153,600 |
| Tucson, AZmoderate precision | 290 | $129,880 | $120,880 to $162,140 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZmoderate precision | 120 | $135,630 | $123,640 to $153,950 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 70 | $135,600 | $132,720 to $159,440 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZmoderate precision | 50 | $129,460 | $122,110 to $141,350 |
| Yuma, AZlow precision | 30 | $133,290 | $111,610 to $151,800 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Arizona
| Occupation | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $134,650 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $134,420 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $248,660 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $99,500 | $97,550 |
The Arizona PA workforce
BLS counts 3,750 physician assistants on Arizona payrolls, or 1.16 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 4,918 physician assistants with a Arizona practice address, and 289 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 $123,990, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Arizona 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 $156,500, 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 Arizona
How much does a PA make in Arizona?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Arizona was $134,650 in May 2025, and the mean was $140,850, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $123,990 and $156,500.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Arizona?
The median hourly wage was $64.73 and the mean was $67.72. 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 Arizona?
Among Arizona metro areas with published data, Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ had the highest median at $135,630, and Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ the lowest at $129,460.
How does Arizona rank for PA pay?
Arizona ranks 26th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, about the same as 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 Arizona?
BLS estimated 3,750 physician assistants employed in Arizona in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 4,918 with a Arizona 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.