Physician assistant salary in Idaho
Idaho physician assistants earn a median of $133,790 a year ($64.32 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 2% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 30th of 51 states.
Median, Idaho
$133,790
Mean $132,540
Middle half earns
$126,820 to $146,230
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Idaho
1,320
1.48x the national concentration
Where Idaho sits in the range
Idaho
Statewide
United States
National
Boise
Metro area
Idaho Falls
Metro area
Coeur d'Alene
Metro area
Pocatello
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Idaho physician assistants earned less than $100,590 and ten percent earned more than $160,120, a spread of $59,530. 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 | Idaho | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $100,590 | $99,380 | +1.2% |
| 25th | $126,820 | $120,670 | +5.1% |
| Median | $133,790 | $135,880 | -1.5% |
| 75th | $146,230 | $163,980 | -10.8% |
| 90th | $160,120 | $190,280 | -15.9% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 6 metro areas that include part of Idaho. Coeur d'Alene, ID has the highest median at $135,240. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise City, ID | 650 | $134,800 | $129,340 to $149,550 |
| Idaho Falls, IDmoderate precision | 150 | $129,800 | $110,600 to $133,460 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 110 | $135,240 | $127,490 to $153,020 |
| Pocatello, ID | 80 | $129,480 | $105,080 to $136,720 |
| Logan, UT-IDmoderate precision | 60 | $127,350 | $109,640 to $144,840 |
| Twin Falls, ID | 50 | $135,010 | $125,370 to $146,300 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Idaho
| Occupation | Idaho | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $133,790 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $132,540 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $263,130 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $92,460 | $97,550 |
The Idaho PA workforce
BLS counts 1,320 physician assistants on Idaho payrolls, or 1.54 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 1,622 physician assistants with a Idaho practice address, and 25 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 $126,820, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Idaho 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 $146,230, 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 Idaho
How much does a PA make in Idaho?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Idaho was $133,790 in May 2025, and the mean was $132,540, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $126,820 and $146,230.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Idaho?
The median hourly wage was $64.32 and the mean was $63.72. 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 Idaho?
Among Idaho metro areas with published data, Coeur d'Alene, ID had the highest median at $135,240, and Logan, UT-ID the lowest at $127,350.
How does Idaho rank for PA pay?
Idaho ranks 30th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 2% 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 Idaho?
BLS estimated 1,320 physician assistants employed in Idaho in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 1,622 with a Idaho 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.