How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Altoona, PA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Altoona, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Pennsylvania.
BLS OES May 2025 · Altoona metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Altoona, Pennsylvania earns $59.27 per hour, or $123,270 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,273 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $101,230, and the top 10% of earners make over $153,170.
That pay is 3% below the Pennsylvania figure of $127,070 and 9% below the national figure of $135,880. Altoona ranks 13th of 16 metro areas in Pennsylvania for Physician Assistant pay. About 190 Physician Assistants work in the Altoona area.
Physician Assistant pay in Altoona at a glance
- Typical pay is $59.27 an hour, or $123,270 a year.
- That is 3% below the Pennsylvania figure, ranking 13th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $101,230; the top 10% make over $153,170.
- Typical pay rose +47% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for Pennsylvania as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Altoona?
Pay in Altoona runs from entry-level positions at around $48.67 an hour to more than $73.64 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Pennsylvania and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Altoona
| Career stage | Altoona | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $101,230$48.67 an hour | $99,050$47.62 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $104,190$50.09 an hour | $107,260$51.57 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $123,270$59.27 an hour | $127,070$61.09 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $133,790$64.32 an hour | $137,220$65.97 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $153,170$73.64 an hour | $158,690$76.29 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Altoona area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Altoona
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Altoona area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Altoona was $83,700 a year. By 2025 it had reached $123,270, a change of +47%, compared with +44% for Pennsylvania over the same years.
How Altoona compares with other Pennsylvania cities
Lebanon pays Physician Assistants the most in Pennsylvania at $137,770 a year, $14,500 more than Altoona. The lowest-paying area in the state is Erie at $111,260.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Altoona | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanon | $137,770 | $66.24 | +12% | 90 |
| 2 | Philadelphia | $135,640 | $65.21 | +10% | 3,390 |
| 3 | Reading | $130,160 | $62.58 | +6% | 190 |
| 4 | Johnstown | $129,800 | $62.40 | +5% | 80 |
| 5 | Allentown | $129,680 | $62.35 | +5% | 560 |
| 6 | State College | $128,480 | $61.77 | +4% | 80 |
| 7 | York metro incl. Hanover | $126,530 | $60.83 | +3% | 290 |
| 8 | Barre | $126,230 | $60.69 | +2% | 310 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | $125,230 | $60.21 | +2% | 2,560 |
| 10 | Williamsport | $124,920 | $60.06 | +1% | 150 |
| 11 | Gettysburg | $124,520 | $59.87 | +1% | 30 |
| 12 | Lancaster | $124,070 | $59.65 | +1% | 340 |
| 13 | Altoona | $123,270 | $59.27 | this city | 190 |
| 14 | Harrisburg metro incl. Carlisle | $123,110 | $59.19 | 0% | 580 |
| 15 | Chambersburg | $120,030 | $57.71 | -3% | 70 |
| 16 | Erie | $111,260 | $53.49 | -10% | 170 |
Every metro area in Pennsylvania with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Pennsylvania typical pay $127,070
Is Altoona a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Altoona earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $123,270 a year, 9% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Altoona area, about 3.2 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 Altoona, PA?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Altoona earns $123,270 a year, or $59.27 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $101,230 and the top 10% earn over $153,170.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Altoona?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Altoona is $59.27. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $48.67, and the top 10% earn over $73.64 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Altoona?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Altoona typically offer around $48.67 an hour, or $101,230 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Altoona higher than in the rest of Pennsylvania?
- Altoona pay is 3% below the Pennsylvania figure of $127,070 a year, ranking 13th of 16 metro areas in the state. Lebanon pays the most in Pennsylvania at $137,770.