How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in New Jersey in 2026?

A typical Physician Assistant in New Jersey earns about $79.66 per hour ($165,690 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $13,808 a month and $3,186 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. Pay varies by setting and experience, but this is where most Physician Assistants in the state land.

New Jersey's typical pay runs 22% above the national figure of $135,880 for Physician Assistants, according to the same May 2025 data. That places New Jersey first among the 51 ranked states for this profession. About 4,790 Physician Assistants work across the state, a workforce large enough to shape pay data across New Jersey's metro areas.

Entry-level positions in New Jersey typically offer around $56.66 per hour ($117,860 per year), according to May 2025 wage data. That's where many newly licensed Physician Assistants start, particularly in primary care or community health settings. Pay typically moves toward the state's typical figure of $165,690 within the first several years of practice.

Experienced Physician Assistants in New Jersey often earn upwards of $92.48 per hour ($192,370 per year), and the top 10% of earners make over $207,000 annually. That's a spread of $89,140 between entry-level and top-tier pay. Practice setting, years of experience, and the city where someone works all factor into where an individual lands within that range.

Physician Assistant pay in New Jersey has risen from $108,370 in 2015 to $165,690 in 2025, a gain of $57,320, or 53%, over the decade, according to government wage data. That's one of the larger decade-long increases recorded for this profession nationwide. The rise reflects both routine wage growth and a sharper jump in the most recent year of data.

That 53% rise outpaces the national increase of 38% for Physician Assistants over the same period. Pay for Physician Assistants entering the field in New Jersey today starts from a higher point than it did a decade ago. Past gains don't guarantee future increases, but the trend has been upward for most of the last ten years.

Pay runs highest in the Newark and Jersey City metro area, where Physician Assistants earn $167,650 per year ($80.60 an hour), about 1% above the state figure. Atlantic City and Hammonton follow at $153,280 per year, and Princeton and Trenton pay $138,880 per year. Pay tends to run higher near the state's largest cities.

The lowest pay in the state is in the Easton and Bethlehem area, at $129,680 per year, a spread of $37,970 between the highest- and lowest-paying areas. Newark also has the largest Physician Assistant workforce in the state, with about 16,800 workers, more than any other metro area. These figures cover each city's full metro area, and higher pay in places like Newark and Jersey City generally tracks a higher cost of living.

New Jersey pays Physician Assistants more than each of its neighbors. New York's typical pay is $160,880 a year, about 3% below New Jersey's figure, the closest of the three. Delaware trails further at $139,350, 16% below, and Pennsylvania is lowest among the three at $127,070, 23% below New Jersey. A Physician Assistant license earned in New Jersey can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements vary.

Physician Assistants in New Jersey typically earn $165,690 a year, the highest figure of any state in the country, and pay has climbed 53% since 2015. Anyone considering the field should check New Jersey's state licensing board or PA registry page for current requirements. City pages covering Newark, Jersey City, and other New Jersey metro areas offer more detail on local pay figures.