How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Charleston, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Charleston, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Charleston · North Charleston metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Charleston, South Carolina earns $61.98 per hour, or $128,920 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,743 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,790, and the top 10% of earners make over $158,260.
That pay is 5% above the South Carolina figure of $122,490 and 5% below the national figure of $135,880. Charleston ranks 2nd of 9 metro areas in South Carolina for Physician Assistant pay. About 620 Physician Assistants work in the Charleston · North Charleston area. Charleston is part of the Charleston · North Charleston metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so North Charleston share these figures.
Physician Assistant pay in Charleston at a glance
- Typical pay is $61.98 an hour, or $128,920 a year.
- That is 5% above the South Carolina figure, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,790; the top 10% make over $158,260.
- Typical pay rose +50% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Charleston?
Pay in Charleston runs from entry-level positions at around $37.40 an hour to more than $76.09 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Charleston
| Career stage | Charleston | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $77,790$37.40 an hour | $77,620$37.32 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $109,960$52.87 an hour | $105,560$50.75 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $128,920$61.98 an hour | $122,490$58.89 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $134,400$64.62 an hour | $134,100$64.47 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $158,260$76.09 an hour | $158,860$76.37 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Charleston · North Charleston area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Charleston
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Charleston · North Charleston area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Charleston was $86,230 a year. By 2025 it had reached $128,920, a change of +50%, compared with +40% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Charleston compares with other South Carolina cities
Concord pays Physician Assistants the most in South Carolina at $133,140 a year, $4,220 more than Charleston. The lowest-paying area in the state is Columbia at $115,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Charleston | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord metro incl. Gastonia | $133,140 | $64.01 | +3% | 1,680 |
| 2 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $128,920 | $61.98 | this city | 620 |
| 3 | Myrtle Beach metro incl. North Myrtle Beach · Conway | $125,700 | $60.43 | -2% | 140 |
| 4 | Bluffton metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Port Royal | $125,350 | $60.26 | -3% | 80 |
| 5 | Greer metro incl. Anderson · Greenville | $123,310 | $59.28 | -4% | 440 |
| 6 | Spartanburg | $121,990 | $58.65 | -5% | 80 |
| 7 | Florence | $120,290 | $57.83 | -7% | 90 |
| 8 | Richmond County | $117,240 | $56.37 | -9% | 350 |
| 9 | Columbia | $115,840 | $55.69 | -10% | 400 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $122,490
Is Charleston a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Charleston earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $128,920 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Charleston · North Charleston 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 Charleston, SC?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Charleston earns $128,920 a year, or $61.98 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $77,790 and the top 10% earn over $158,260.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Charleston?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Charleston is $61.98. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.40, and the top 10% earn over $76.09 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Charleston?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Charleston typically offer around $37.40 an hour, or $77,790 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Charleston higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Charleston pay is 5% above the South Carolina figure of $122,490 a year, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state. Concord pays the most in South Carolina at $133,140.