Certified physician assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Certified physician assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates certified physician assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our certified physician assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about certified physician assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 124,224 certified physician assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 65.5% of all certified physician assistants are women, while 34.5% are men.
- The average certified physician assistant age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of certified physician assistants is White (67.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.9%), Asian (11.2%) and Black or African American (5.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 12% of all certified physician assistants are LGBT.
- Certified physician assistants are 86% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Certified physician assistant demographics by:
Certified physician assistant gender statistics
65.5% of certified physician assistants are women and 34.5% of certified physician assistants are men.
- Female, 65.5%
- Male, 34.5%
Certified physician assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 65.5% |
| Male | 34.5% |
Certified physician assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$104,700
Female income
$93,778
Certified physician assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in certified physician assistant positions over time. Currently, 65.5% of certified physician assistants are female.
Certified physician assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 36.88% | 63.12% |
| 2011 | 38.65% | 61.35% |
| 2012 | 37.52% | 62.48% |
| 2013 | 35.14% | 64.86% |
| 2014 | 37.35% | 62.65% |
| 2015 | 37.22% | 62.78% |
| 2016 | 38.34% | 61.66% |
| 2017 | 35.34% | 64.66% |
| 2018 | 36.99% | 63.01% |
| 2019 | 37.70% | 62.30% |
| 2020 | 39.53% | 60.47% |
| 2021 | 34.50% | 65.50% |
Certified physician assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared certified physician assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Certified Physician Assistant | 34% | 66% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Certified physician assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among certified physician assistants is White, which makes up 67.3% of all certified physician assistants. Comparatively, 11.9% of certified physician assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 11.2% of certified physician assistants are Asian.
- White, 67.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.9%
- Asian, 11.2%
- Black or African American, 5.4%
- Unknown, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Certified physician assistant race
| Certified physician assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.9% |
| Asian | 11.2% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% |
| Unknown | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Certified physician assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how certified physician assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Certified physician assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.77% | 6.95% | 8.72% | 11.51% |
| 2011 | 69.51% | 7.16% | 8.83% | 11.41% |
| 2012 | 68.27% | 7.87% | 8.49% | 12.40% |
| 2013 | 68.73% | 8.19% | 10.50% | 10.03% |
| 2014 | 74.14% | 5.47% | 8.75% | 9.00% |
| 2015 | 70.46% | 6.77% | 9.54% | 11.09% |
| 2016 | 74.14% | 5.70% | 7.80% | 9.80% |
| 2017 | 75.70% | 4.31% | 8.30% | 8.88% |
| 2018 | 70.89% | 5.30% | 10.82% | 10.64% |
| 2019 | 70.47% | 5.63% | 10.76% | 10.00% |
| 2020 | 67.65% | 5.36% | 11.43% | 11.36% |
| 2021 | 67.30% | 5.45% | 11.18% | 11.94% |
Certified physician assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown certified physician assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american certified physician assistants have the lowest average salary at $99,804.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $111,803 |
| White | $104,316 |
| Black or African American | $99,804 |
| Asian | $104,552 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $103,384 |
Average certified physician assistant age
See how the average age of certified physician assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Certified physician assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 33 | |
| White | 40 | 35 |
| Black or African American | 54.5 | 41 |
| Asian | 44.5 | 36 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 35 |
Certified physician assistant age breakdown
The average age of certified physician assistants is 30-40 years years old, representing 45% of the certified physician assistant population.
Certified physician assistant age breakdown
| Certified Physician Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 38% |
| 30-40 years | 45% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Certified physician assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for certified physician assistants is bachelor's degree, with 44% of certified physician assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 43% and master's degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Master's, 43%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Certified physician assistants by degree level
| Certified physician assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 44% |
| Master's | 43% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Certified physician assistant jobs you might like
Certified physician assistant wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $149,651 |
| Doctorate Degree | $143,360 |
Certified physician assistant employment statistics
Most certified physician assistants work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where certified physician assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where certified physician assistants work.
Certified physician assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Certified physician assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the certified physician assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most certified physician assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Certified physician assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 86% |
| Government | 5% |
Certified physician assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for certified physician assistants are health care, education and professional.
Certified physician assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 75% |
| Education | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Certified physician assistant turnover and employment statistics
Certified physician assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for certified physician assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certified physician assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Certified physician assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.48% |
| 2011 | 2.26% |
| 2012 | 2.66% |
| 2013 | 1.69% |
| 2014 | 1.63% |
| 2015 | 0.53% |
| 2016 | 1.09% |
| 2017 | 0.53% |
| 2018 | 0.53% |
| 2019 | 0.33% |
| 2020 | 1.10% |
| 2021 | 1.65% |
Average certified physician assistant tenure
The average certified physician assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,784 certified physician assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Certified physician assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 20% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Certified physician assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of certified physician assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Speech Language Pathologist | 5.69% | 25,617 |
| Pediatrician, Active Practice | 9.88% | 7,999 |
| Certified Physician Assistant | 11.62% | - |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Emergency Medicine Physician | 13.05% | 64,109 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Similar certified physician assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Speech Language Pathologist | 5.69% | 25,617 |
| Pediatrician, Active Practice | 9.88% | 7,999 |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Emergency Medicine Physician | 13.05% | 64,109 |
| Optometrist | 17.57% | 20,993 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Foreign languages spoken by certified physician assistants
The most common foreign language among certified physician assistants is Spanish at 59.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.1% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 59.7%
- French, 8.1%
- Chinese, 3.2%
- Cantonese, 3.2%
- Russian, 3.2%
- Other, 22.6%
Certified physician assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.7% |
| French | 8.1% |
| Chinese | 3.2% |
| Cantonese | 3.2% |
| Russian | 3.2% |
| Other | 22.6% |
