Physician assistant salary in Oregon
Oregon physician assistants earn a median of $155,780 a year ($74.89 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 15% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 6th of 51 states.
Median, Oregon
$155,780
Mean $155,300
Middle half earns
$134,390 to $169,550
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Oregon
2,250
1.09x the national concentration
Where Oregon sits in the range
Oregon
Statewide
United States
National
Portland
Metro area
Eugene
Metro area
Bend
Metro area
Medford
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Oregon physician assistants earned less than $123,100 and ten percent earned more than $198,490, a spread of $75,390. 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 | Oregon | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $123,100 | $99,380 | +23.9% |
| 25th | $134,390 | $120,670 | +11.4% |
| Median | $155,780 | $135,880 | +14.6% |
| 75th | $169,550 | $163,980 | +3.4% |
| 90th | $198,490 | $190,280 | +4.3% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 8 metro areas that include part of Oregon. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA has the highest median at $163,810. 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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,110 | $163,810 | $134,690 to $173,180 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 240 | $145,030 | $134,650 to $172,040 |
| Bend, OR | 220 | $148,610 | $135,760 to $162,240 |
| Medford, OR | 210 | $155,110 | $130,950 to $174,340 |
| Salem, OR | 190 | $144,190 | $129,960 to $168,300 |
| Corvallis, OR | 80 | $146,710 | $138,730 to $167,680 |
| Grants Pass, ORlow precision | 30 | $152,350 | $128,070 to $168,750 |
| Albany, ORmoderate precision | 30 | $142,220 | $130,400 to $166,030 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Oregon
| Occupation | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $155,780 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $155,680 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $272,330 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $129,010 | $97,550 |
The Oregon PA workforce
BLS counts 2,250 physician assistants on Oregon payrolls, or 1.14 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 2,957 physician assistants with a Oregon practice address, and 57 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 $134,390, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Oregon 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 $169,550, 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 Oregon
How much does a PA make in Oregon?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Oregon was $155,780 in May 2025, and the mean was $155,300, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $134,390 and $169,550.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Oregon?
The median hourly wage was $74.89 and the mean was $74.66. 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 Oregon?
Among Oregon metro areas with published data, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA had the highest median at $163,810, and Albany, OR the lowest at $142,220.
How does Oregon rank for PA pay?
Oregon ranks 6th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 15% 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 Oregon?
BLS estimated 2,250 physician assistants employed in Oregon in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 2,957 with a Oregon 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.