Physician assistant salary in Massachusetts
Massachusetts physician assistants earn a median of $142,410 a year ($68.47 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 5% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 10th of 51 states.
Median, Massachusetts
$142,410
Mean $146,480
Middle half earns
$128,020 to $169,980
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Massachusetts
4,470
1.18x the national concentration
Where Massachusetts sits in the range
Massachusetts
Statewide
United States
National
Boston
Metro area
Providence
Metro area
Worcester
Metro area
Springfield
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Massachusetts physician assistants earned less than $65,220 and ten percent earned more than $204,140, a spread of $138,920. 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 | Massachusetts | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $65,220 | $99,380 | -34.4% |
| 25th | $128,020 | $120,670 | +6.1% |
| Median | $142,410 | $135,880 | +4.8% |
| 75th | $169,980 | $163,980 | +3.7% |
| 90th | $204,140 | $190,280 | +7.3% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 7 metro areas that include part of Massachusetts. Barnstable Town, MA has the highest median at $162,330. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,550 | $142,410 | $128,020 to $172,610 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 950 | $139,930 | $129,370 to $165,770 |
| Worcester, MA | 470 | $152,860 | $126,250 to $166,650 |
| Springfield, MA | 320 | $161,770 | $139,400 to $161,770 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 100 | $162,330 | $139,630 to $175,430 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 100 | $137,620 | $128,560 to $163,250 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 60 | $134,860 | $123,550 to $165,490 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Massachusetts
| Occupation | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $142,410 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $142,440 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $295,550 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $104,550 | $97,550 |
The Massachusetts PA workforce
BLS counts 4,470 physician assistants on Massachusetts payrolls, or 1.23 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 5,928 physician assistants with a Massachusetts practice address, and 284 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 $128,020, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Massachusetts 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 $169,980, 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 Massachusetts
How much does a PA make in Massachusetts?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Massachusetts was $142,410 in May 2025, and the mean was $146,480, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $128,020 and $169,980.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Massachusetts?
The median hourly wage was $68.47 and the mean was $70.43. 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 Massachusetts?
Among Massachusetts metro areas with published data, Barnstable Town, MA had the highest median at $162,330, and Amherst Town-Northampton, MA the lowest at $134,860.
How does Massachusetts rank for PA pay?
Massachusetts ranks 10th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 5% 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 Massachusetts?
BLS estimated 4,470 physician assistants employed in Massachusetts in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 5,928 with a Massachusetts 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.