Physician Assistants salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Median pay for physician assistants in Pittsburgh, PA: $104,030/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $97,010 – $131,280 · about 2,170 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($125,700) by −$21,670 (-17%).
What it's really worth in Pittsburgh
With Pittsburgh's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $104,030 has the buying power of about $109,845 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $71,283 · median home $231,356 · median rent $1,527/mo.
How Pittsburgh ranks for this job
On raw pay, Pittsburgh, PA is 171st of the 180 metros we hold physician assistants wages for. Once Pittsburgh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 173rd.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Pittsburgh sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Pittsburgh
A median home in Pittsburgh, PA costs $231,356 — about 2.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,527/mo works out at 18% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where physician assistants earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Pittsburgh.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $208,000 | +100% | 2.4× |
| Vallejo, CA | $174,670 | +68% | 1.6× |
| Modesto, CA | $171,600 | +65% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $171,470 | +65% | 2.1× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Pittsburgh | Rent vs Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | $133,020 | +28% | 1.3× |
| Allentown, PA | $123,500 | +19% | 1.2× |
| Reading, PA | $122,060 | +17% | 1× |
| York, PA | $120,730 | +16% | 0.9× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physician assistants around Pittsburgh
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- UPMC · Healthcare
- Highmark Health · Healthcare
- University of Pittsburgh · Education
Other jobs in Pittsburgh
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.