Best states for an orthopaedic physician assistant

Q: What is the best state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

The best state to be an orthopaedic physician assistant is New Mexico based on orthopaedic physician assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

The highest paying state for orthopaedic physician assistants is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

The worst state for orthopaedic physician assistants is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for orthopaedic physician assistants in the United States. Orthopaedic physician assistant positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for orthopaedic physician assistants.We wanted to look at the best states for orthopaedic physician assistants -- where there are plenty of orthopaedic physician assistant jobs to go around and orthopaedic physician assistants get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

New Mexico is the best state for jobs for orthopaedic physician assistants, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in New Mexico is $192,322, while the median pay in Mississippi is $136,040.New Mexico is the best state, and Lincoln is the city with the highest pay for orthopaedic physician assistants.

10 best states for orthopaedic physician assistants in 2026

1. New Mexico
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 241
Average annual salary: $192,322
Lowest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $276,000
Location Quotient:
1.85
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in New Mexico
2. North Dakota
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 111
Average annual salary: $185,386
Lowest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $272,000
Location Quotient:
1.79
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in North Dakota
3. South Dakota
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 170
Average annual salary: $179,101
Lowest 10 percent earn: $119,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $268,000
Location Quotient:
2.39
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in South Dakota
4. Minnesota
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 581
Average annual salary: $189,190
Lowest 10 percent earn: $130,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $274,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Minnesota
5. Nevada
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 204
Average annual salary: $182,477
Lowest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $268,000
Location Quotient:
1.47
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Nevada
6. Nebraska
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 109
Average annual salary: $193,939
Lowest 10 percent earn: $134,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $278,000
Location Quotient:
0.74
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Nebraska
7. Iowa
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 189
Average annual salary: $183,594
Lowest 10 percent earn: $124,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $270,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Iowa
8. Oregon
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 332
Average annual salary: $180,748
Lowest 10 percent earn: $121,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $269,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Oregon
9. Vermont
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 72
Average annual salary: $177,303
Lowest 10 percent earn: $119,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $263,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Vermont
10. Arizona
Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs: 513
Average annual salary: $174,471
Lowest 10 percent earn: $116,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $262,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Orthopaedic physician assistant jobs in Arizona

Orthopaedic physician assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an orthopaedic physician assistant

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an orthopaedic physician assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Mexico	$192,322	$133,000	2,088,070	241
2	North Dakota	$185,386	$125,000	755,393	111
3	South Dakota	$179,101	$119,000	869,666	170
4	Minnesota	$189,190	$130,000	5,576,606	581
5	Nevada	$182,477	$123,000	2,998,039	204
6	Nebraska	$193,939	$134,000	1,920,076	109
7	Iowa	$183,594	$124,000	3,145,711	189
8	Oregon	$180,748	$121,000	4,142,776	332
9	Vermont	$177,303	$119,000	623,657	72
10	Arizona	$174,471	$116,000	7,016,270	513
11	Wisconsin	$169,254	$111,000	5,795,483	657
12	Montana	$171,944	$112,000	1,050,493	112
13	Indiana	$169,492	$111,000	6,666,818	495
14	Wyoming	$174,166	$114,000	579,315	31
15	Washington	$176,818	$117,000	7,405,743	490
16	Alaska	$172,919	$114,000	739,795	83
17	Texas	$172,947	$115,000	28,304,596	1,230
18	California	$187,665	$129,000	39,536,653	1,530
19	Illinois	$174,424	$116,000	12,802,023	720
20	Massachusetts	$178,366	$121,000	6,859,819	510
21	Tennessee	$166,813	$109,000	6,715,984	355
22	Utah	$175,094	$115,000	3,101,833	123
23	New York	$171,552	$114,000	19,849,399	1,368
24	Hawaii	$170,811	$111,000	1,427,538	101
25	West Virginia	$163,086	$106,000	1,815,857	103
26	Colorado	$176,467	$117,000	5,607,154	251
27	South Carolina	$163,648	$107,000	5,024,369	390
28	North Carolina	$164,926	$108,000	10,273,419	628
29	Louisiana	$164,667	$107,000	4,684,333	211
30	Arkansas	$167,974	$109,000	3,004,279	86
31	Kansas	$166,546	$108,000	2,913,123	130
32	Oklahoma	$161,007	$103,000	3,930,864	225
33	Michigan	$162,648	$105,000	9,962,311	482
34	Maine	$159,164	$102,000	1,335,907	202
35	Ohio	$164,523	$107,000	11,658,609	426
36	Pennsylvania	$157,706	$102,000	12,805,537	1,132
37	Georgia	$164,511	$107,000	10,429,379	574
38	Florida	$162,154	$106,000	20,984,400	936
39	Kentucky	$156,028	$99,000	4,454,189	212
40	Connecticut	$157,161	$101,000	3,588,184	272
41	New Jersey	$157,662	$102,000	9,005,644	532
42	Alabama	$156,065	$100,000	4,874,747	211
43	New Hampshire	$140,373	$87,000	1,342,795	193
44	Maryland	$157,939	$102,000	6,052,177	391
45	Missouri	$153,348	$96,000	6,113,532	289
46	District of Columbia	$163,435	$107,000	693,972	47
47	Rhode Island	$150,063	$95,000	1,059,639	63
48	Virginia	$147,782	$93,000	8,470,020	504
49	Delaware	$155,243	$100,000	961,939	42
50	Idaho	$148,137	$91,000	1,716,943	69
51	Mississippi	$136,040	$83,000	2,984,100	86

Highest paying states for orthopaedic physician assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Orthopaedic Physician Assistant Salary
1	New Mexico	$192,322
2	North Dakota	$185,386
3	South Dakota	$179,101
4	Minnesota	$189,190
5	Nevada	$182,477
6	Nebraska	$193,939
7	Iowa	$183,594
8	Oregon	$180,748
9	Vermont	$177,303
10	Arizona	$174,471
11	Wisconsin	$169,254
12	Montana	$171,944
13	Indiana	$169,492
14	Wyoming	$174,166
15	Washington	$176,818
16	Alaska	$172,919
17	Texas	$172,947
18	California	$187,665
19	Illinois	$174,424
20	Massachusetts	$178,366
21	Tennessee	$166,813
22	Utah	$175,094
23	New York	$171,552
24	Hawaii	$170,811
25	West Virginia	$163,086
26	Colorado	$176,467
27	South Carolina	$163,648
28	North Carolina	$164,926
29	Louisiana	$164,667
30	Arkansas	$167,974
31	Kansas	$166,546
32	Oklahoma	$161,007
33	Michigan	$162,648
34	Maine	$159,164
35	Ohio	$164,523
36	Pennsylvania	$157,706
37	Georgia	$164,511
38	Florida	$162,154
39	Kentucky	$156,028
40	Connecticut	$157,161
41	New Jersey	$157,662
42	Alabama	$156,065
43	New Hampshire	$140,373
44	Maryland	$157,939
45	Missouri	$153,348
46	District of Columbia	$163,435
47	Rhode Island	$150,063
48	Virginia	$147,782
49	Delaware	$155,243
50	Idaho	$148,137
51	Mississippi	$136,040

Orthopaedic physician assistant best states FAQs

What is the best state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

What is the highest paying state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

What is the worst state for orthopaedic physician assistants?

Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.

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Orthopaedic Physician Assistant
Best states for Orthopaedic Physician Assistants

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total orthopaedic physician assistant jobs:	241
Average annual salary:	$192,322
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$133,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$276,000
Location Quotient:	1.85

Best states for an orthopaedic physician assistant

10 best states for orthopaedic physician assistants in 2026

1. New Mexico

2. North Dakota

3. South Dakota

4. Minnesota

5. Nevada

6. Nebraska

7. Iowa

8. Oregon

9. Vermont

10. Arizona