Physician assistant salary in Tennessee
Tennessee physician assistants earn a median of $118,240 a year ($56.85 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 13% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 48th of 51 states.
Median, Tennessee
$118,240
Mean $117,300
Middle half earns
$102,690 to $132,500
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Tennessee
2,240
0.65x the national concentration
Where Tennessee sits in the range
Tennessee
Statewide
United States
National
Nashville
Metro area
Memphis
Metro area
Knoxville
Metro area
Chattanooga
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Tennessee physician assistants earned less than $93,380 and ten percent earned more than $141,670, a spread of $48,290. 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 | Tennessee | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $93,380 | $99,380 | -6.0% |
| 25th | $102,690 | $120,670 | -14.9% |
| Median | $118,240 | $135,880 | -13.0% |
| 75th | $132,500 | $163,980 | -19.2% |
| 90th | $141,670 | $190,280 | -25.5% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 9 metro areas that include part of Tennessee. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN has the highest median at $129,050. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNmoderate precision | 750 | $129,050 | $111,120 to $133,800 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 290 | $121,900 | $104,950 to $128,450 |
| Knoxville, TNmoderate precision | 240 | $107,980 | $99,990 to $125,190 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GAmoderate precision | 180 | $121,600 | $103,700 to $132,690 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VAmoderate precision | 130 | $117,490 | $100,740 to $136,810 |
| Johnson City, TN | 130 | $100,060 | $98,980 to $119,410 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 80 | $121,710 | $102,690 to $133,280 |
| Jackson, TNmoderate precision | 60 | $104,600 | $98,240 to $122,660 |
| Morristown, TNmoderate precision | 30 | $103,350 | $89,990 to $118,510 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Tennessee
| Occupation | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $118,240 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $117,590 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $211,450 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $81,500 | $97,550 |
The Tennessee PA workforce
BLS counts 2,240 physician assistants on Tennessee payrolls, or 0.68 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, less concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 3,839 physician assistants with a Tennessee practice address, and 264 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 $102,690, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Tennessee 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 $132,500, 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 Tennessee
How much does a PA make in Tennessee?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Tennessee was $118,240 in May 2025, and the mean was $117,300, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $102,690 and $132,500.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Tennessee?
The median hourly wage was $56.85 and the mean was $56.39. 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 Tennessee?
Among Tennessee metro areas with published data, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN had the highest median at $129,050, and Johnson City, TN the lowest at $100,060.
How does Tennessee rank for PA pay?
Tennessee ranks 48th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 13% 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 Tennessee?
BLS estimated 2,240 physician assistants employed in Tennessee in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 3,839 with a Tennessee 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.