Physical Therapist vs Physician Assistant Salary (2025)
Physician Assistant earns $33,601 more than Physical Therapist nationally. The median Physician Assistant salary is $138,339 compared to $104,738 for Physical Therapist, based on BLS data across 70 metro areas.
Comparing Physical Therapist, Physician Assistant: side-by-side wage and employment data across the same metropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS. The comparison view normalizes percentile distributions so the wage differences are apples-to-apples within each metro. Role comparisons are most useful when the worker has flexibility between the occupations — usually adjacent specialties within the same field (e.g., software-engineering versus data-engineering) or related disciplines with overlapping skill sets.
Median wage differences across roles understate the spread for senior workers and overstate it for entry-level. The per-percentile comparison gives a fuller picture — particularly the p75 and p90 columns, which capture experienced-worker pay.
Physical Therapist
Physician Assistant
Salary Comparison by City
| City | Physical Therapist | Physician Assistant | Difference | Higher Earner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | $97,750 | $105,440 | -$7,690 | Physician Assistant |
| Atlanta, GA | $103,440 | $111,810 | -$8,370 | Physician Assistant |
| Little Rock, AR | $99,940 | $109,110 | -$9,170 | Physician Assistant |
| Knoxville, TN | $96,110 | $107,980 | -$11,870 | Physician Assistant |
| Lexington, KY | $94,710 | $112,230 | -$17,520 | Physician Assistant |
| Las Vegas, NV | $116,480 | $134,660 | -$18,180 | Physician Assistant |
| Greensboro, NC | $99,320 | $120,540 | -$21,220 | Physician Assistant |
| Memphis, TN | $100,000 | $121,900 | -$21,900 | Physician Assistant |
| Chicago, IL | $105,720 | $127,940 | -$22,220 | Physician Assistant |
| Greenville, SC | $101,020 | $123,310 | -$22,290 | Physician Assistant |
| New Orleans, LA | $100,530 | $124,580 | -$24,050 | Physician Assistant |
| Richmond, VA | $102,700 | $126,810 | -$24,110 | Physician Assistant |
| Wichita, KS | $97,400 | $121,640 | -$24,240 | Physician Assistant |
| Raleigh, NC | $99,900 | $124,300 | -$24,400 | Physician Assistant |
| Tampa, FL | $102,430 | $127,820 | -$25,390 | Physician Assistant |
| Cincinnati, OH | $102,890 | $128,520 | -$25,630 | Physician Assistant |
| Nashville, TN | $103,380 | $129,050 | -$25,670 | Physician Assistant |
| Orlando, FL | $101,530 | $127,200 | -$25,670 | Physician Assistant |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $103,840 | $130,240 | -$26,400 | Physician Assistant |
| Dallas, TX | $107,780 | $134,900 | -$27,120 | Physician Assistant |
| Tucson, AZ | $102,420 | $129,880 | -$27,460 | Physician Assistant |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $97,750 | $125,230 | -$27,480 | Physician Assistant |
| Reno, NV | $106,840 | $134,550 | -$27,710 | Physician Assistant |
| Indianapolis, IN | $103,770 | $131,950 | -$28,180 | Physician Assistant |
| Louisville, KY | $102,260 | $130,830 | -$28,570 | Physician Assistant |
| Detroit, MI | $102,970 | $131,830 | -$28,860 | Physician Assistant |
| Houston, TX | $107,700 | $137,240 | -$29,540 | Physician Assistant |
| Philadelphia, PA | $105,790 | $135,640 | -$29,850 | Physician Assistant |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,430 | $161,470 | -$30,040 | Physician Assistant |
| Buffalo, NY | $95,800 | $126,360 | -$30,560 | Physician Assistant |
| Austin, TX | $103,630 | $134,550 | -$30,920 | Physician Assistant |
| Madison, WI | $102,810 | $133,950 | -$31,140 | Physician Assistant |
| Phoenix, AZ | $103,220 | $134,650 | -$31,430 | Physician Assistant |
| Miami, FL | $100,870 | $132,360 | -$31,490 | Physician Assistant |
| Fresno, CA | $123,820 | $155,440 | -$31,620 | Physician Assistant |
| Milwaukee, WI | $103,030 | $135,040 | -$32,010 | Physician Assistant |
| Charlotte, NC | $101,060 | $133,140 | -$32,080 | Physician Assistant |
| Kansas City, MO | $101,270 | $133,350 | -$32,080 | Physician Assistant |
| Denver, CO | $102,340 | $134,540 | -$32,200 | Physician Assistant |
| Jacksonville, FL | $100,150 | $132,350 | -$32,200 | Physician Assistant |
| Columbus, OH | $105,130 | $137,550 | -$32,420 | Physician Assistant |
| Baltimore, MD | $105,810 | $138,790 | -$32,980 | Physician Assistant |
| Hartford, CT | $105,230 | $138,680 | -$33,450 | Physician Assistant |
| Tulsa, OK | $100,840 | $134,380 | -$33,540 | Physician Assistant |
| San Antonio, TX | $106,010 | $140,160 | -$34,150 | Physician Assistant |
| Omaha, NE | $99,630 | $134,130 | -$34,500 | Physician Assistant |
| Boise, ID | $100,120 | $134,800 | -$34,680 | Physician Assistant |
| St. Louis, MO | $100,600 | $136,120 | -$35,520 | Physician Assistant |
| Des Moines, IA | $97,790 | $133,830 | -$36,040 | Physician Assistant |
| Albuquerque, NM | $103,510 | $139,920 | -$36,410 | Physician Assistant |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $97,900 | $135,200 | -$37,300 | Physician Assistant |
| Boston, MA | $103,550 | $142,410 | -$38,860 | Physician Assistant |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $99,730 | $138,920 | -$39,190 | Physician Assistant |
| Providence, RI | $100,290 | $139,930 | -$39,640 | Physician Assistant |
| Anchorage, AK | $112,590 | $152,710 | -$40,120 | Physician Assistant |
| Bridgeport, CT | $105,160 | $145,400 | -$40,240 | Physician Assistant |
| San Francisco, CA | $141,980 | $184,380 | -$42,400 | Physician Assistant |
| Minneapolis, MN | $102,450 | $145,030 | -$42,580 | Physician Assistant |
| Albany, NY | $94,020 | $137,850 | -$43,830 | Physician Assistant |
| Washington, DC | $102,980 | $148,200 | -$45,220 | Physician Assistant |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $120,110 | $165,490 | -$45,380 | Physician Assistant |
| Rochester, NY | $83,070 | $130,430 | -$47,360 | Physician Assistant |
| Spokane, WA | $99,690 | $147,570 | -$47,880 | Physician Assistant |
| San Diego, CA | $113,850 | $165,160 | -$51,310 | Physician Assistant |
| Los Angeles, CA | $108,170 | $161,890 | -$53,720 | Physician Assistant |
| Portland, OR | $106,250 | $163,810 | -$57,560 | Physician Assistant |
| New York, NY | $107,650 | $167,650 | -$60,000 | Physician Assistant |
| Seattle, WA | $107,290 | $167,290 | -$60,000 | Physician Assistant |
| Bakersfield, CA | $125,490 | $198,070 | -$72,580 | Physician Assistant |
| San Jose, CA | $139,000 | $223,640 | -$84,640 | Physician Assistant |
Frequently Asked Questions
Physician Assistant earns more on average, with a national median of $138,339 compared to $104,738 for Physical Therapist, a difference of $33,601 per year.
The largest salary gap is in Birmingham, AL, where Physical Therapist earns $97,750 vs $105,440 for Physician Assistant.
Physical Therapist has approximately 163,910 positions tracked, while Physician Assistant has 101,270 positions. Physical Therapist has more jobs available nationally.
More Salary Comparisons
Comparison based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.