Physician assistant salary in Virginia
Virginia physician assistants earn a median of $135,940 a year ($65.36 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is about the same as the national median of $135,880, and ranks 20th of 51 states.
Median, Virginia
$135,940
Mean $142,630
Middle half earns
$120,580 to $162,790
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Virginia
4,340
1.01x the national concentration
Where Virginia sits in the range
Virginia
Statewide
United States
National
Washington
Metro area
Virginia Beach
Metro area
Richmond
Metro area
Roanoke
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Virginia physician assistants earned less than $98,330 and ten percent earned more than $213,010, a spread of $114,680. 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 | Virginia | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $98,330 | $99,380 | -1.1% |
| 25th | $120,580 | $120,670 | -0.1% |
| Median | $135,940 | $135,880 | +0.0% |
| 75th | $162,790 | $163,980 | -0.7% |
| 90th | $213,010 | $190,280 | +11.9% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 11 metro areas that include part of Virginia. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has the highest median at $148,200. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,020 | $148,200 | $129,990 to $174,280 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 780 | $126,430 | $104,310 to $139,770 |
| Richmond, VA | 620 | $126,810 | $107,810 to $143,750 |
| Roanoke, VA | 360 | $135,940 | $126,720 to $152,360 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 130 | $133,540 | $127,910 to $164,880 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VAmoderate precision | 130 | $117,490 | $100,740 to $136,810 |
| Lynchburg, VAmoderate precision | 130 | $122,800 | $106,750 to $135,330 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 100 | $126,080 | $98,360 to $130,500 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VAmoderate precision | 60 | $125,050 | $113,880 to $138,080 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | 60 | $128,580 | $119,420 to $159,560 |
| Harrisonburg, VAmoderate precision | 40 | $126,400 | $102,360 to $137,680 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Virginia
| Occupation | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $135,940 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $127,810 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $252,110 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $93,600 | $97,550 |
The Virginia PA workforce
BLS counts 4,340 physician assistants on Virginia payrolls, or 1.05 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 5,322 physician assistants with a Virginia practice address, and 329 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 $120,580, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Virginia 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 $162,790, 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 Virginia
How much does a PA make in Virginia?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Virginia was $135,940 in May 2025, and the mean was $142,630, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $120,580 and $162,790.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Virginia?
The median hourly wage was $65.36 and the mean was $68.57. 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 Virginia?
Among Virginia metro areas with published data, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median at $148,200, and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA the lowest at $117,490.
How does Virginia rank for PA pay?
Virginia ranks 20th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, about the same as 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 Virginia?
BLS estimated 4,340 physician assistants employed in Virginia in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 5,322 with a Virginia 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.