How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Illinois in 2026?

A typical Physician Assistant in Illinois earns about $63.44 per hour ($131,950 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Based on that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $10,996 a month or $2,538 a week. These figures reflect typical pay across the state, though actual paychecks vary with experience and location.

That is about 3% below the national figure of $135,880 a year, a gap that lines up with Illinois' rank of 36th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia. Roughly 3,790 Physician Assistants work in Illinois, compared with 162,150 nationwide. Lower pay relative to the national figure often tracks lower living costs in parts of the state, which helps explain the difference.

Entry-level positions for Physician Assistants in Illinois typically offer around $50.56 per hour, or about $105,160 a year, according to the same May 2025 wage data. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical figure of $131,950 within the first several years on the job. New Physician Assistants often start in this range before moving into higher-paying settings or specialties.

Experienced Physician Assistants in Illinois often earn upwards of $70.00 per hour (about $145,600 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $162,330 a year ($78.04 per hour). That leaves a spread of $57,170 between entry-level and top-tier pay. Setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where an individual PA lands within that range.

Illinois Physician Assistant pay has climbed from $90,640 in 2015 to $131,950 in 2025, a gain of $41,310 over the decade. That amounts to a 46% rise, according to the same wage data series. The climb has not been perfectly steady each year, but the overall direction has been upward.

Nationally, Physician Assistant pay rose 38% over the same ten years, a bit slower than the 46% climb seen in Illinois. That means Illinois has closed some of the gap with the national figure, even though it still pays somewhat less overall. For someone starting out now, that history points to pay that has moved up steadily, though it is no promise of future increases.

Pay runs highest in Champaign, where Physician Assistants typically earn $139,950 a year ($67.29 an hour), about 6% above the statewide figure. Urbana matches Champaign at the same figures, since the two cities share a metro area. Rock Island and Moline follow close behind at $137,420 a year, and Springfield and Peoria both pay above $133,000 annually as well.

Rockford pays the least among Illinois cities tracked here, with a typical annual figure of $127,800, putting the citywide spread at $12,150 between the highest and lowest metro areas. Chicago employs the most Physician Assistants of any Illinois city, at about 3,050, with typical pay of $127,940 a year. Pay differences like these often track local living costs across the state.

Among Illinois' neighbors, Missouri pays a bit more, with Physician Assistants typically earning $135,130 a year, about 2% above Illinois. Iowa ($134,770) and Wisconsin ($133,950) run similarly higher, while Indiana is about even at $132,050. Kentucky is the outlier, paying 8% less at $120,760 a year. PA licensure earned in one of these states can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring one, which can simplify a move across the border.

Physician Assistants in Illinois typically earn $131,950 a year ($63.44 an hour) as of May 2025, up 46% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience, from entry-level positions near $105,160 to top earners above $162,330. Anyone considering this path in Illinois should check the state licensing board for current requirements and review city-level figures for a closer look at local pay.