Physician assistant salary in Ohio
Ohio physician assistants earn a median of $132,090 a year ($63.51 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 3% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 34th of 51 states.
Median, Ohio
$132,090
Mean $136,560
Middle half earns
$109,780 to $150,000
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Ohio
4,900
0.85x the national concentration
Where Ohio sits in the range
Ohio
Statewide
United States
National
Columbus
Metro area
Cincinnati
Metro area
Cleveland
Metro area
Dayton
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Ohio physician assistants earned less than $96,460 and ten percent earned more than $210,350, a spread of $113,890. 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 | Ohio | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $96,460 | $99,380 | -2.9% |
| 25th | $109,780 | $120,670 | -9.0% |
| Median | $132,090 | $135,880 | -2.8% |
| 75th | $150,000 | $163,980 | -8.5% |
| 90th | $210,350 | $190,280 | +10.5% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 14 metro areas that include part of Ohio. Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH has the highest median at $138,400. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OHmoderate precision | 1,140 | $137,550 | $119,930 to $212,220 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 920 | $128,520 | $98,640 to $145,710 |
| Cleveland, OHmoderate precision | 750 | $135,860 | $117,370 to $148,300 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 510 | $138,400 | $116,390 to $143,320 |
| Akron, OH | 400 | $130,980 | $110,380 to $137,150 |
| Toledo, OH | 280 | $131,730 | $120,330 to $134,140 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 210 | $125,690 | $109,490 to $137,180 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OHmoderate precision | 150 | $124,610 | $110,000 to $132,520 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 130 | $126,290 | $103,600 to $136,910 |
| Lima, OHmoderate precision | 110 | $125,100 | $109,210 to $131,730 |
| Mansfield, OHlow precision | 60 | $120,290 | $97,640 to $134,680 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 50 | $126,770 | $110,370 to $140,600 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 50 | $119,070 | $102,130 to $135,700 |
| Springfield, OHmoderate precision | 50 | $117,830 | $108,920 to $124,910 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Ohio
| Occupation | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $132,090 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $124,870 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $231,810 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $82,510 | $97,550 |
The Ohio PA workforce
BLS counts 4,900 physician assistants on Ohio payrolls, or 0.88 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 6,349 physician assistants with a Ohio practice address, and 398 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 $109,780, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Ohio 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 $150,000, 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 Ohio
How much does a PA make in Ohio?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Ohio was $132,090 in May 2025, and the mean was $136,560, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $109,780 and $150,000.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Ohio?
The median hourly wage was $63.51 and the mean was $65.66. 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 Ohio?
Among Ohio metro areas with published data, Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH had the highest median at $138,400, and Springfield, OH the lowest at $117,830.
How does Ohio rank for PA pay?
Ohio ranks 34th 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 Ohio?
BLS estimated 4,900 physician assistants employed in Ohio in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 6,349 with a Ohio 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.