Physician Assistants · Illinois

Physician Assistants Salary in Illinois

Physician Assistants in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $131,950 —2.9% below the national median of $135,880. That ranks IL #36 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$131,950
Median hourly
$63.44
Entry level (P10)
$105,160
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$162,330
90th percentile
Employment
3,790
0.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-2.9%
U.S. $135,880

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$105,160
$122,780
$131,950
$145,600
$105,160$131,950$162,330
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $131,950.

Employment is only 0.60× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Highest-paying states for physician assistants

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1New Jersey$165,690$79.664,7901.07
2California$165,650$79.6413,6000.72
3Washington$164,360$79.023,5400.96
4Hawaii$164,050$78.875300.81
5New York$160,880$77.3519,1401.90
6Oregon$155,780$74.892,2501.09
7New Hampshire$150,960$72.581,0601.49
8Alaska$150,700$72.457002.07
9Vermont$150,490$72.354101.30
10Massachusetts$142,410$68.474,4701.18

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$95,990$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,000$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$46,650$45,750
Physicians, All Other$132,540$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$71,950$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,680$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do physician assistants make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for physician assistants in Illinois is $131,950, or $63.44 per hour. That is 2.9% below the national median of $135,880.

What is the entry-level physician assistants salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $105,160 per year ($50.56/hour). The 25th percentile is $122,780.

How many people work as physician assistants in Illinois?

About 3,790 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for physician assistants?

Illinois ranks #36 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.60x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Illinois.

Which state pays physician assistants the most?

New Jersey has the highest median wage at $165,690 per year, followed by California ($165,650) and Washington ($164,360).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes