Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for family practice physician assistants in the United States
Family practice physician assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected family practice physician assistant job growth rate is 28% from 2018-2028.
About 38,400 new jobs for family practice physician assistants are projected over the next decade.
Family practice physician assistant salaries have increased 14% for family practice physician assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 105,370 family practice physician assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 64,140 active family practice physician assistant job openings in the US.
The average family practice physician assistant salary is $125,500.
Are family practice physician assistant jobs in demand?
Family practice physician assistant job and salary trends over time
Family practice physician assistant jobs over time
Family practice physician assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 105,370 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 99,298 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 95,185 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 90,920 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 86,569 | 0.03% |
Average family practice physician assistant salary over time
Family practice physician assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $125,500 | $60.34 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $122,096 | $58.70 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $118,126 | $56.79 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $114,047 | $54.83 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $110,371 | $53.06 | +3.4% |
Family practice physician assistant jobs by state
Most common states for family practice physician assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 293 | 22% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 276 | 21% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 116 | 19% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 134 | 18% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 125 | 17% |
| 6 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 335 | 16% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 156 | 15% |
| 8 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 825 | 14% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 911 | 13% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 467 | 13% |
| 11 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 89 | 13% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,537 | 12% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 854 | 12% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 129 | 12% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 778 | 11% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 682 | 11% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 476 | 11% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 683 | 10% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 557 | 10% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 89 | 10% |
Most common cities for family practice physician assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Way | 3 | 3% | $137,994 |
| 2 | Glendora | 1 | 2% | $130,600 |
| 3 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $140,585 |
| 4 | East Los Angeles | 1 | 1% | $130,770 |
| 5 | Fresno | 2 | 0% | $136,697 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $105,734 |
| 7 | Aurora | 1 | 0% | $103,187 |
| 8 | Henderson | 1 | 0% | $143,834 |
Family Practice Physician Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of family practice physician assistant experts
New York University
The University of West Florida
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
American International College
Wenatchee Valley College
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
Ohio University
Duquesne University
University of Detroit Mercy Aquinas
DePaul University
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Bradley University
George Fox University
Donna Hallas PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN
Clinical Professor & Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program DirectorNew York University
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research And Clinical Nursing
What general advice would you give to a Family Practice Physician Assistant?
Donna Hallas PhD, RN, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN: The biggest change to the profession over the next five years will be to find safe and effective ways to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our practices. While AI is a huge game-changer, Nurse Practitioners and all health care providers, must apply the principles of critical thinking for each particular care to assure that patients are receiving the best evidence-based care.
Jennifer Richter MSN, RN
TBSN Program Director, Instructor/Course CoordinatorThe University of West Florida
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research And Clinical Nursing
What general advice would you give to a Family Practice Physician Assistant?
Jennifer Richter MSN, RN: Remember that nursing school did not teach you all there is to know about nursing! You are still learning, and will continue to learn as you gain experience. Have patience with yourself, be open to feedback, and ask for help if you need it!
Timothy Sparta
Clinical Education DirectorUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore
Physician Assistant Department
What skills stand out on Family Practice Physician Assistant resumes?
Timothy Sparta: PAs that have remained at the same job and received at least 3 to 5 years of training in their specialty, PAs with a dedicated stance on serving the local community and diverse patient populations, PAs with a diverse skill set and are flexible.
What soft skills should all Family Practice Physician Assistants possess?
Timothy Sparta: Punctuality; willingness to always learn, as medicine is a constantly evolving field.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Timothy Sparta: Good bedside manner, great communication skills, strong physical examination skills; many technical skills will be based on where the PA decides to practice, such as ER vs. office setting.
What skills will help Family Practice Physician Assistants earn the most?
Timothy Sparta: PAs are generally do what they do to ensure the community remains healthy. Certain fields such as dermatology and emergency medicine tend to pay more, so having experience and skills in these fields may provide a higher salary.
Catharine Armentrout
Assistant Director of FNP ProgramAmerican International College
School of Health Sciences
What skills stand out on Family Practice Physician Assistant resumes?
Catharine Armentrout: Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with a Master's or Doctorate degree that allows one to practice in their chosen field. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and my training prepared me to take care of patients in the community in primary care. I am Board certified to practice as an FNP. Family Nurse Practitioners can care for newborns to geriatric patients. Times have changed since I graduated, and most inpatient occupations for Nurse Practitioners require an Acute Care Board certification, which is a different learning track than the FNP program.
Knowing what jobs to apply for is the first step. Understand the area you want to work in and consider all aspects of the job to include distance to travel back and forth to work, schedule, benefits, CME's, PTO, employer reimbursement for licenses to include RN and NP licenses, DEA license (every 3 years), State registration to prescribe (not every state has this, but Massachusetts does (150 a year)), Board Certification renewal (every 5 years), training schedule and length of time to train, expected number of patients that will be seen per day once fully independent, loan repayment, tuition reimbursement and RVU's if applicable.
Skills that stand out on a Nurse Practitioner's resume should include:
Use of EMR's (i.e., EPIC), dictation applications like Dragon
Performing procedures including IV placement, Phlebotomy, punch biopsy for skin changes, I and D of wounds, suturing, wound care (wound vac, e.g.), Foley placement as you might be surprised what occurs in a primary care office
Ability to interpret EKG's, CXR's, lab results
Ability to identify skin changes, stages of wounds and develop treatment plans for wound care
Ability to reduce utilization of the emergency room via primary care/ telehealth and preventing hospitalizations when possible
Ability to review end of life decisions with patients and families, including MOLST, Advanced directives, Health Care Proxy
Having a good bedside manner, ability to speak to patients and families using language they can understand. Having the ability to follow through on previous visits regarding abnormal labs, diagnostic tests even if the results are normal and overall providing excellent customer service.
Knowing when to ask for help is always a strength. You will most likely be among very experienced providers, and they will know you care because you asked about something you were not sure about or requested a second opinion.
Nurse Practitioners, first starting out, will likely receive the starting pay rate for the area they are working in. Urban vs. Suburban vs. Rural areas will have, often, significant differences, and it is not always about the cost of living. The longer the FNP was a nurse before graduating may not have much impact on starting pay, but nursing experience and clinical experiences during graduate school should be noted on the resume to help the employer understand the true clinical background of the applicant.
Due to your research! Evaluate practices and check reviews. Network your colleagues and co-workers and think outside the box because your next job might be a dream come true!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Family Practice Physician Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Jan Kaiser: At Wenatchee Valley College we have not seen a drop in number of students looking at health care careers, in fact number of students apply has gone up during this pandemic times. Job market has been good and we don't think this will change anytime soon.
What technical skills for a Family Practice Physician Assistant stand out to employers?
Jan Kaiser: Our local clinical sites are asking for certified medical assistants. Our college provides a lot of skill based learning and hands-on experience which is evident by the employers and they seek out our graduates over other programs.
What's a good job out of college for Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Jan Kaiser: Most of our graduates stay locally in the Wenatchee Valley or surrounding areas for employment. Jobs are plentiful and graduates are hired within 1-2 months of graduating.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Regina Cardaci Ph.D.: The COVID-19 pandemic conditions prevented many nursing students in the country from participating in traditional clinical experiences since the spring semester of 2020. Schools of Nursing worked to identify innovative solutions to provide clinical and simulation experiences, leaving new graduates entering the workforce with less clinical education than past nurses. Also, many states declared states of emergency, allowing nursing graduates to work before passing the NCLEX exam. While this may keep graduate nurses in the learning mindset, this can create the potential for new unlicensed nurses, who may not have completed their clinical experiences, to enter practice with different learning, social, and emotional needs
What's a day at work look like for a Family Practice Physician Assistant?
Dr. Charman Miller: Recent graduates can expect to see some of the processes implemented during the pandemic to be preserved in contemporary post-pandemic practice. For example, the use of heightened infection control measures such as screenings, more frequent hand washing and face coverings to reduce the transmission and spread of infectious disease will remain much more widespread than pre-pandemic.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Dr. Charman Miller: I believe there will be an impact on our graduates who have progressed and completed nursing education during the pandemic. I believe they will possess a greater appreciation and understanding of the importance of a global health perspective and the response to public health crises.
What technical skills for a Family Practice Physician Assistant stand out to employers?
Dr. Charman Miller: Our clinical partners have consistently listed qualities such as being self-motivated, ability to work in teams, and having sound clinical decision-making skills as ones they value. I believe that a single skill that has proven to be highly beneficial in these times of pandemic is that of having the ability to communicate effectively with patients and families. As patients and their families have faced terrifying situations and have been restricted from being together due to COVID restrictions, nurses have become an even more critical connection between those patients and their families to share patient updates and offer reassurance or support.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Dr. Mary Ellen Glasgow Ph.D.: I believe that an enduring impact of COVID-19 will be the innovations that occurred during the pandemic: 1) The use of FaceTime and Zoom for health professionals and patients to communicate with family; 2) efficient use of equipment outside room in the ICU area; 3) use of respite lounges for nurses, physicians, and other frontline workers that provide a space to rest and rejuvenation with principles of holistic nursing/medicine; 4) the need for Institutional Healthcare Support Teams where team members, trained to respond and listen to distressed clinicians in empathetic, non-judgmental ways are available in real-time; 5) nursing and medical education will focus more on virology and infection control procedures/practices; and 6) there will be greater emphasis on racial and healthcare inequality and how to overcome it.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Family Practice Physician Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Ivy Razmus Ph.D.: The biggest trend I have seen is the need for infrastructures that support teleconferencing with patients and other health care communities. Materials and supplies that allow for patients to receive care and assessment from health care providers from their homes as needed Without these materials such as a blood pressure cuff, thermometer, stethoscope, and means to assess we are missing important information in the prevention of problems.
There is a need for technology in critical care, acute care, and outpatient care. The pandemic has changed access to health care because of hospital overcrowding and patients' inability to have direct contact because of restrictions and fear of contracting COVID. This will result in chronic illnesses and cancers not being diagnosed earlier which will increase the number of sick patients within the health care settings and delay in care. Furthermore, the method of computer and telecommunication is not well established as effective in the non-computer literate populations.
What's a good job out of college for Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Ivy Razmus Ph.D.: There are many different career opportunities open in health care. They range from laboratory to nursing. Not all positions are direct patient care, there is a need for computer literate professionals who can help with developing new ways of communicating and interacting with patients and other health care professionals in addition to capturing data and analyzing it for measuring outcomes. If your interest is in medical school, experience at any level in the hospital as a technician or monitor technician helps to give you the experience that programs look for. It is important to experience what health care is like so that you can know if this field is a good fit for you.
What experience really stands out on Family Practice Physician Assistant resumes?
Dr. Elizabeth Aquino Ph.D.: Nursing students are high achievers, so having a high GPA alone may not be enough to stand out from other applicants. A well-rounded resume should include community or volunteer service and demonstrate one's commitment to the nursing profession, such as being an active member of a professional nursing association or honor society. If a student completes a research or service project, the title of the work should be included in the resume and talk about the project in the interview if there is an opportunity to share the work. Many hospitals engage nurses in research and unit or hospital-wide projects to improve clinical outcomes; therefore, having at least a foundational understanding of research will be valuable in helping move an institutions' research and projects forward.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Family Practice Physician Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Kathleen Sellers Ph.D.: In the field of nursing the pandemic is accentuating the nursing leadership shortage. The majority of nurse leaders are between ages of 45 and 70. As those in the latter part of their careers choose to retire, there becomes a heightened need for well educated, energetic professionals to assume the positions of middle manager and chief nurse executive. The growing complexities of healthcare administration given the development of networks of care, assuming risk and technology in addition to the pandemic, require an educational preparation in these areas to retain new leaders.
Amy Grugan Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of NursingBradley University
Department of Nursing
What general advice would you give to a Family Practice Physician Assistant?
Amy Grugan Ph.D.: Keep an open mind as to all of the learning opportunities you have. Work to become, and be a part of, a culture of positivity. Focus on your patients and ensuring you, and the health care team, are providing the absolute best care possible. Work with patients and families to educate, encourage, and enhance healthy habits. Learn as much as you can so you enhance patient safety and become a knowledgeable and compassionate caregiver. Lastly, ensure you take time to put your new role in perspective, this is the beginning of your journey. Experiential learning is a great teacher, don't be afraid to ask questions so you understand.
What experience really stands out on Family Practice Physician Assistant resumes?
Pam Fifer: Experiences demonstrating flexibility, resilience, communication, and clinical judgment.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Family Practice Physician Assistants?
Pam Fifer: The pandemic has changed our world. For new nursing graduates it emphasized the importance of nursing, public health, adaptability, and health equity. New graduates are entering the profession at a critical time with their eyes wide open.