Physician assistant salary in Georgia
Georgia physician assistants earn a median of $115,390 a year ($55.48 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 15% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 49th of 51 states.
Median, Georgia
$115,390
Mean $112,090
Middle half earns
$62,230 to $141,740
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Georgia
5,610
1.10x the national concentration
Where Georgia sits in the range
Georgia
Statewide
United States
National
Atlanta
Metro area
Augusta
Metro area
Chattanooga
Metro area
Athens
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Georgia physician assistants earned less than $62,230 and ten percent earned more than $172,050, a spread of $109,820. 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 | Georgia | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,230 | $99,380 | -37.4% |
| 25th | $62,230 | $120,670 | -48.4% |
| Median | $115,390 | $135,880 | -15.1% |
| 75th | $141,740 | $163,980 | -13.6% |
| 90th | $172,050 | $190,280 | -9.6% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 10 metro areas that include part of Georgia. Savannah, GA has the highest median at $125,500. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAlow precision | 3,970 | $111,810 | $62,230 to $141,740 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 350 | $117,240 | $74,200 to $160,020 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GAmoderate precision | 180 | $121,600 | $103,700 to $132,690 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 160 | $125,460 | $100,070 to $145,700 |
| Savannah, GA | 130 | $125,500 | $108,350 to $138,460 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | 120 | $122,670 | $100,980 to $135,720 |
| Columbus, GA-ALmoderate precision | 80 | $117,030 | $89,710 to $124,840 |
| Gainesville, GAmoderate precision | 70 | $111,440 | $101,410 to $136,750 |
| Rome, GA | 50 | $122,440 | $101,250 to $135,380 |
| Albany, GAmoderate precision | 30 | $122,170 | $102,710 to $137,230 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Georgia
| Occupation | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $115,390 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $129,430 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $224,630 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $93,550 | $97,550 |
The Georgia PA workforce
BLS counts 5,610 physician assistants on Georgia payrolls, or 1.15 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 6,233 physician assistants with a Georgia practice address, and 334 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 $62,230, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Georgia 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 $141,740, 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 Georgia
How much does a PA make in Georgia?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Georgia was $115,390 in May 2025, and the mean was $112,090, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $62,230 and $141,740.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Georgia?
The median hourly wage was $55.48 and the mean was $53.89. 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 Georgia?
Among Georgia metro areas with published data, Savannah, GA had the highest median at $125,500, and Gainesville, GA the lowest at $111,440.
How does Georgia rank for PA pay?
Georgia ranks 49th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 15% below 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 Georgia?
BLS estimated 5,610 physician assistants employed in Georgia in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 6,233 with a Georgia 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.