Which specialty has the most PAs?

Asked by: Lulu Tillman  |  Last update: November 4, 2025
Score: 5/5 (70 votes)

What Are the Most Popular PA Specialties?
  • Surgical subspecialties: 18.6%
  • Family medicine/general practice: 17.1%
  • Emergency medicine: 11.2%
  • Internal medicine subspecialties: 9.9%
  • Internal medicine general practice: 4.1%

What is the hardest PA specialty?

Emergency Medicine

Emergency Medicine (EM) remains one of the most dynamic and challenging specialties for PAs. This field involves providing care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries requiring immediate attention.

What is the highest paid specialty for PAs?

Physician assistant salary and overall compensation for the cardiovascular/cardiothoracic specialty varies based on location and competitive pay. The AAPA reported that the median compensation package for PAs in this specialty is $152,500, making it the highest paid PA specialty.

What degree do most PAs have?

PAs enter the field with a master's degree from an accredited PA program. In addition, most have previous experience working with patients and a strong desire to advance their healthcare career.

Which PA specialty has the most autonomy?

Family Medicine / General Practice

Family medicine and general practice PAs often work with a high degree of autonomy and provide many of the same services as physicians. These could include taking patient histories, ordering tests, making diagnoses, and providing treatment plans.

Top 10 Specialties for Physician Assistants | The Posh PA

29 related questions found

Which PA specialty is least stressful?

PAs in these specialties reported the fewest symptoms of burnout in an NCCPA survey:
  • Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation.
  • Dermatology.
  • Plastic Surgery.
  • Otolaryngology.
  • Occupational Medicine.
  • Orthopedic Surgery.

What specialty has the most PAs?

Family medicine continues to be the largest specialty for PAs (17.7%).

Are PAs happier than doctors?

PAs tend to report high job satisfaction and job stability, although burnout isn't as well-studied for PAs. For MDs, job satisfaction varies by specialty, with family physicians generally reporting the highest satisfaction.

Do PAs make 6 figures?

Best-Paying States for Physician Assistants

The states and districts that pay Physician Assistants the highest mean salary are Nevada ($154,800), California ($153,960), Washington ($152,800), Connecticut ($149,300), and Alaska ($148,480). How Much Do Physician Assistants Make in Your City?

Are PAs higher than nurses?

Because PAs require more education and training, they tend to have more job opportunities and salaries tend to be higher for them. On average, registered nurses enjoy a median annual salary of $75,330, compared to $115,390 for physician assistants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Can you make 300k as a PA?

The best Physician Assistant jobs can pay up to $400,000 per year. Physician Assistants, or PAs, work in hospitals and medical practices in routine and emergency situations. The duties of a Physician Assistant vary from obtaining patient histories to performing medical procedures and assisting in surgical operations.

How much do PAs make an hour?

Based on a May 2021 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, California employs the most physician assistants. The mean hourly wage for PAs in California was $65.83 or $136,920 annually in 2021.

What state pays PAs the most?

Alaska is the state where the highest-paid physician assistants are employed while Kentucky is the state where PAs earn the lowest salaries. Physician assistants based in the Blue Grass State earn 89 percent less than physician assistants who practice in the Last Frontier State.

What is the highest paid PA specialty?

What Is the Highest-Paying PA Specialty? The highest-paying PA specialty is cardiovascular/thoracic surgery. The median salary for this specialty is $152,500.

What is the hardest physician to be?

Neurosurgery is known to be particularly challenging because of the intricate nature of the nervous system and the significant risks involved in surgical procedures.

Can PAs deliver babies?

PAs can legally perform normal vaginal deliveries and are often preferred for OBGYN positions. However, some on-the-job training and experience may be needed.”

Can PAs make $200,000?

Full Time Family NP/PA needed in Monterey County California, Up to 200K Earning Potential. Primary Care Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) • Job Duration: Full Time/Permanent • Setting: Outpatient Clinic • Schedule: 4 x 10-hour shifts per week with 3 days off ...

How much do celebrity PAs make?

How much does a Celebrity Personal Assistant make? As of Jan 20, 2025, the average hourly pay for a Celebrity Personal Assistant in the United States is $23.17 an hour.

Is 100K a good salary in PA?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $104,372 and as low as $25,193, the majority of 100K A Year salaries currently range between $67,032 (25th percentile) to $89,976 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $91,325 annually in Pennsylvania.

Why are PAs respected?

Trusted, rigorously educated and trained healthcare professionals, PAs are dedicated to expanding access to care and transforming health and wellness through patient-centered, team-based medical practice.

What can MDs do that PAs cannot?

The key differences between the role of a PA vs. an MD come to light when a complex issue arises. MDs have knowledge about complicated conditions that many PAs may not possess. PAs also cannot perform surgeries like MDs can, although PAs often assist in surgeries when needed.

What are the disadvantages of being a physician assistant?

Cons of being a Physician Assistant
  • Long work hours. PAs may be required to see patients in the evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. ...
  • Limited opportunities for advancement. There's not much chance of a higher paying job or different duties without additional education.
  • Same work, less pay? ...
  • Physically demanding.

Which physician is most in demand?

Psychologists, dermatologists, neurologists, cardiologists, and family medicine are among the most in-demand physician specialties, according to BLS statistics. Rounding out the top 10 most in-demand doctors are pathologists, ophthalmologist surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, and orthopedic surgeons.

What is the lowest paid physician assistant?

The lowest paying PA specialties are as follows:
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology- average salary $96,244.
  • Public Health- average salary $95,323.
  • Pediatrics- average salary $92,194.
  • Adolescent Medicine- average salary $90,588.

What do most PA's major in?

To meet those requirements, many future PAs major in science — biology, biomedical science, chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology are typical undergraduate degrees.