Physician assistant salary in Washington
Washington physician assistants earn a median of $164,360 a year ($79.02 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 21% above the national median of $135,880, and ranks 3rd of 51 states.
Median, Washington
$164,360
Mean $164,430
Middle half earns
$138,050 to $177,930
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Washington
3,540
0.96x the national concentration
Where Washington sits in the range
Washington
Statewide
United States
National
Seattle
Metro area
Portland
Metro area
Spokane
Metro area
Yakima
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Washington physician assistants earned less than $125,580 and ten percent earned more than $218,150, a spread of $92,570. 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 | Washington | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $125,580 | $99,380 | +26.4% |
| 25th | $138,050 | $120,670 | +14.4% |
| Median | $164,360 | $135,880 | +21.0% |
| 75th | $177,930 | $163,980 | +8.5% |
| 90th | $218,150 | $190,280 | +14.6% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 10 metro areas that include part of Washington. Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA has the highest median at $168,080. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,920 | $167,290 | $156,830 to $180,720 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,110 | $163,810 | $134,690 to $173,180 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WAmoderate precision | 350 | $147,570 | $129,600 to $160,060 |
| Yakima, WAmoderate precision | 120 | $136,570 | $129,990 to $150,130 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WAmoderate precision | 120 | $154,230 | $133,730 to $169,330 |
| Bellingham, WA | 120 | $161,260 | $140,830 to $169,680 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 90 | $153,940 | $131,300 to $166,090 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WAmoderate precision | 70 | $153,810 | $131,780 to $166,440 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 60 | $168,080 | $139,030 to $176,610 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 30 | $161,980 | $137,060 to $197,960 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Washington
| Occupation | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $164,360 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $156,100 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $274,390 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $124,200 | $97,550 |
The Washington PA workforce
BLS counts 3,540 physician assistants on Washington payrolls, or 1.00 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 5,138 physician assistants with a Washington practice address, and 114 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 $138,050, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Washington 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 $177,930, 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 Washington
How much does a PA make in Washington?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Washington was $164,360 in May 2025, and the mean was $164,430, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $138,050 and $177,930.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Washington?
The median hourly wage was $79.02 and the mean was $79.05. 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 Washington?
Among Washington metro areas with published data, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA had the highest median at $168,080, and Yakima, WA the lowest at $136,570.
How does Washington rank for PA pay?
Washington ranks 3rd of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 21% 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 Washington?
BLS estimated 3,540 physician assistants employed in Washington in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 5,138 with a Washington 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.