Physician assistant salary in Minnesota
Minnesota physician assistants earn a median of $141,190 a year ($67.88 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 4% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 12th of 51 states.
Median, Minnesota
$141,190
Mean $147,630
Middle half earns
$131,720 to $163,690
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Minnesota
3,660
1.19x the national concentration
Where Minnesota sits in the range
Minnesota
Statewide
United States
National
Minneapolis
Metro area
Rochester
Metro area
Sioux Falls
Metro area
Fargo
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Minnesota physician assistants earned less than $112,390 and ten percent earned more than $183,320, a spread of $70,930. 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 | Minnesota | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $112,390 | $99,380 | +13.1% |
| 25th | $131,720 | $120,670 | +9.2% |
| Median | $141,190 | $135,880 | +3.9% |
| 75th | $163,690 | $163,980 | -0.2% |
| 90th | $183,320 | $190,280 | -3.7% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 8 metro areas that include part of Minnesota. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI has the highest median at $145,030. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,340 | $145,030 | $130,870 to $160,580 |
| Rochester, MN | 480 | $137,340 | $132,450 to $175,500 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 290 | $135,790 | $110,150 to $139,120 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 240 | $136,610 | $111,920 to $156,550 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 200 | $135,860 | $130,070 to $161,400 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 170 | $132,650 | $114,140 to $141,950 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 70 | $133,450 | $104,220 to $156,680 |
| Mankato, MN | 70 | $142,020 | $138,080 to $157,530 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Minnesota
| Occupation | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $141,190 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $133,260 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $266,190 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $101,510 | $97,550 |
The Minnesota PA workforce
BLS counts 3,660 physician assistants on Minnesota payrolls, or 1.24 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 4,526 physician assistants with a Minnesota practice address, and 113 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 $131,720, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Minnesota 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 $163,690, 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 Minnesota
How much does a PA make in Minnesota?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Minnesota was $141,190 in May 2025, and the mean was $147,630, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $131,720 and $163,690.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Minnesota?
The median hourly wage was $67.88 and the mean was $70.98. 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 Minnesota?
Among Minnesota metro areas with published data, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI had the highest median at $145,030, and St. Cloud, MN the lowest at $132,650.
How does Minnesota rank for PA pay?
Minnesota ranks 12th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 4% 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 Minnesota?
BLS estimated 3,660 physician assistants employed in Minnesota in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 4,526 with a Minnesota 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.