Physician assistant salary in Maine
Maine physician assistants earn a median of $131,170 a year ($63.06 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 3% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 38th of 51 states.
Median, Maine
$131,170
Mean $134,690
Middle half earns
$121,340 to $140,640
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Maine
1,030
1.54x the national concentration
Where Maine sits in the range
Maine
Statewide
United States
National
Portland
Metro area
Bangor
Metro area
Lewiston
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Maine physician assistants earned less than $107,630 and ten percent earned more than $169,250, a spread of $61,620. 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 | Maine | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $107,630 | $99,380 | +8.3% |
| 25th | $121,340 | $120,670 | +0.6% |
| Median | $131,170 | $135,880 | -3.5% |
| 75th | $140,640 | $163,980 | -14.2% |
| 90th | $169,250 | $190,280 | -11.1% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 3 metro areas that include part of Maine. Lewiston-Auburn, ME has the highest median at $143,710. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 490 | $131,180 | $112,510 to $140,640 |
| Bangor, ME | 110 | $130,380 | $126,060 to $139,490 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 80 | $143,710 | $127,800 to $176,190 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Maine
| Occupation | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $131,170 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $130,260 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $247,470 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $86,990 | $97,550 |
The Maine PA workforce
BLS counts 1,030 physician assistants on Maine payrolls, or 1.61 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 1,389 physician assistants with a Maine practice address, and 22 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 $121,340, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Maine 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 $140,640, 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 Maine
How much does a PA make in Maine?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Maine was $131,170 in May 2025, and the mean was $134,690, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $121,340 and $140,640.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Maine?
The median hourly wage was $63.06 and the mean was $64.75. 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 Maine?
Among Maine metro areas with published data, Lewiston-Auburn, ME had the highest median at $143,710, and Bangor, ME the lowest at $130,380.
How does Maine rank for PA pay?
Maine ranks 38th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 3% 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 Maine?
BLS estimated 1,030 physician assistants employed in Maine in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 1,389 with a Maine 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?
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