How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Raleigh, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Raleigh, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Raleigh · Cary metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Raleigh, North Carolina earns $59.76 per hour, or $124,300 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,358 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $105,730, and the top 10% of earners make over $156,000.
That pay is 4% below the North Carolina figure of $129,360 and 9% below the national figure of $135,880. Raleigh ranks 12th of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Physician Assistant pay. About 1,220 Physician Assistants work in the Raleigh · Cary area. Raleigh is part of the Raleigh · Cary metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cary share these figures.
Physician Assistant pay in Raleigh at a glance
- Typical pay is $59.76 an hour, or $124,300 a year.
- That is 4% below the North Carolina figure, ranking 12th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $105,730; the top 10% make over $156,000.
- Typical pay rose +28% from 2015 to 2025, against +35% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Raleigh?
Pay in Raleigh runs from entry-level positions at around $50.83 an hour to more than $75.00 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Raleigh
| Career stage | Raleigh | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $105,730$50.83 an hour | $101,100$48.60 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $114,100$54.86 an hour | $110,320$53.04 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $124,300$59.76 an hour | $129,360$62.19 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $138,120$66.40 an hour | $140,030$67.32 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $156,000$75.00 an hour | $164,770$79.22 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Raleigh · Cary area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Raleigh
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Raleigh · Cary area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Raleigh was $97,100 a year. By 2025 it had reached $124,300, a change of +28%, compared with +35% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Raleigh compares with other North Carolina cities
Greenville pays Physician Assistants the most in North Carolina at $142,950 a year, $18,650 more than Raleigh. The lowest-paying area in the state is Burlington at $113,200.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Raleigh | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | $142,950 | $68.72 | +15% | 190 |
| 2 | Fayetteville | $134,300 | $64.57 | +8% | 220 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $133,140 | $64.01 | +7% | 1,680 |
| 4 | Chapel Hill metro incl. Durham | $132,670 | $63.79 | +7% | 740 |
| 5 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $131,770 | $63.35 | +6% | 130 |
| 6 | Wilmington | $131,270 | $63.11 | +6% | 270 |
| 7 | Asheville | $131,260 | $63.11 | +6% | 460 |
| 8 | Winston metro incl. Salem | $130,730 | $62.85 | +5% | 730 |
| 9 | Goldsboro | $128,370 | $61.72 | +3% | 60 |
| 10 | Morganton | $127,210 | $61.16 | +2% | 190 |
| 11 | Chesapeake metro incl. Norfolk | $126,430 | $60.78 | +2% | 780 |
| 12 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $124,300 | $59.76 | this city | 1,220 |
| 13 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $120,540 | $57.95 | -3% | 420 |
| 14 | Rocky Mount | $116,930 | $56.22 | -6% | 50 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | $116,300 | $55.91 | -6% | 60 |
| 16 | Burlington | $113,200 | $54.42 | -9% | 50 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $129,360
Is Raleigh a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Raleigh earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $124,300 a year, 9% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Raleigh · Cary area, about 1.6 are Physician Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.0. That makes the local economy more reliant on Physician Assistants than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physician Assistant make in Raleigh, NC?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Raleigh earns $124,300 a year, or $59.76 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $105,730 and the top 10% earn over $156,000.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Raleigh?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Raleigh is $59.76. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $50.83, and the top 10% earn over $75.00 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Raleigh?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Raleigh typically offer around $50.83 an hour, or $105,730 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Raleigh higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Raleigh pay is 4% below the North Carolina figure of $129,360 a year, ranking 12th of 16 metro areas in the state. Greenville pays the most in North Carolina at $142,950.