How much do medical and surgical physician assistants make in Silicon Valley, CA?
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (http://www.aapa.org/) has this information buried in its web site. The mean income for all PA’s is in the mid $80,000 range. You’re corretc in thinking that it will be higher in your area. PA’s, like physicians, specialize. The majority of PA’s work in group practices and earn a salary. I became a PA in 1971 and became one of the first Surgical PA’s. It wasn’t until the mid-80’s that PA’s were able to independently bill and when that happneed, income soared. I worked trauma and critical care, so the hospital did all of the paperwork. My income went from the $30,000 range in the early ’70’s to close to $90,000 in the mid-80’s. Now, somebody working in my old job is earning about $125,000. (I left clinical medicine to run my own business–and earn a lot more). It’s a great career. Just keep in mind that a lot of PA’s decide to go on to become physicians. I did.
