Physician assistant salary in the Washington, DC area
$152,430 is the annual employee-wage mean for physician assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; BLS May 2025 reports the median separately at $148,200. These are wage estimates, not a promised offer or total compensation.
Washington, DC area wage snapshot
| Measure | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage | $152,430 |
| Median annual wage | $148,200 |
| Employment estimate | 3,020 |
| Wage relative standard error | 3% |
Employee wages annualized at 2,080 hours. Not total compensation, guaranteed pay or a salary range. RSE measures estimate uncertainty, not your pay spread.
View official BLS wage data for this areaWhat the Washington, DC area row can tell you
BLS covers Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV as one metropolitan area. The published mean is $152,430, which is above the median of $148,200; BLS does not say why. The employment estimate of 3,020 counts employee jobs, not open positions. The wage relative standard error is 3%, which describes how uncertain the estimate is. It is not a pay percentile.
The District of Columbia state mean for physician assistants is $146,230, so this metro mean is 4.2% above the state figure. The metro is part of the state estimate, so the two overlap.
Metro figures cover wage and salary employees only. Locum, 1099 and per diem pay can look very different, and benefits, call pay and bonuses are not included. Compare a written offer on hours, scope and benefits instead of reading these two wages as a salary range.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. How Saile salary pages work.
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How Washington, DC compares
Rank within this role group
Mean wage rank: 4 of 50; employment rank: 9 of 50. Rank = one plus metros with a larger estimate; ties share rank. This site’s group, not all US metros.
Versus highest-mean New York City ($163,570): $11,140 (6.8%) below; versus lowest-mean Birmingham ($108,080): $44,350 (41.0%) above.
Dollar gap = metro mean minus comparator mean; percent = difference divided by comparator, times 100. Absolute gaps shown.
National comparison
BLS OEWS national mean: $141,280; Washington, DC is $11,150 (7.9%) above it, using the same gap formulas.
Same-state context
This is the only metro in this role group mapped to District of Columbia; see the District of Columbia state pay page.
District of Columbia mean: $146,230; employment: 470. Metro share = 3,020 divided by 470, multiplied by 100 = 642.6%. Overlapping estimates; multi-state ratios are not resident shares.
Same metro, other roles
Family medicine physician mean in Washington, DC: $237,070; Internal medicine physician mean in Washington, DC: $227,190; Nurse practitioner mean in Washington, DC: $138,570
What to check before using this number
A $4,230 mean–median gap ($152,430 minus $148,200) describes this row, not an individual wage band.
Compare the 3.0% wage RSE with the group's 2.3% midpoint: greater uncertainty on this relative measure, not offer variability.
Use 3,020 as an employment estimate only; the group median is 945, not a hiring-demand threshold.
Mean–median = mean minus median. Group median = middle sorted value (average of middle pair); unavailable RSE excluded.
Licensing in District of Columbia: physician state licensing guidance; PA Compact guidance. Check the relevant board and facility for your role.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metro/state rows; wages, not total compensation.
Physician assistant salary questions in the Washington, DC area
What is the average physician assistant salary in the Washington, DC area?
BLS May 2025 estimates a mean annual employee wage of $152,430 and a median of $148,200 for physician assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. The mean is the average; the median is the midpoint. These are employee wages, not total compensation, a guaranteed offer or a salary range.
What is the hourly pay equivalent in the Washington, DC area?
Dividing the annual wage estimates by 2,080 hours gives about $73.28 per hour for the mean and $71.25 for the median, rounded to cents. This is an arithmetic equivalent, not a quoted locums, per-diem or telemedicine rate.
How many physician assistants work in the Washington, DC area?
BLS estimates 3,020 physician assistants employed as wage and salary employees in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. This counts employee jobs, not open positions or current vacancies.
How does the Washington, DC area pay compare with District of Columbia?
The District of Columbia state mean for physician assistants is $146,230, so this metro mean is 4.2% above the state figure. The metro is part of the state estimate, so the two overlap.
How reliable is this metro estimate?
The wage relative standard error for this row is 3%. RSE describes how uncertain the estimate is. It is not a pay percentile or a negotiating band.
Where does Washington, DC rank for physician assistant mean wages?
Washington, DC ranks 4 of 50 by mean wage and 9 of 50 by employment in this site's role group. Rank = one plus metros with larger estimates; ties share rank. This is not every US metro.
Which other District of Columbia metros can I compare with Washington, DC?
Washington, DC is the only metro in this site's role group mapped to District of Columbia. The linked state page reports a $146,230 mean; a single listed metro does not mean the state has no other labor markets.
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