How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Columbia, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Columbia, South Carolina earns $55.69 per hour, or $115,840 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,653 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $91,980, and the top 10% of earners make over $155,600.
That pay is 5% below the South Carolina figure of $122,490 and 15% below the national figure of $135,880. Columbia ranks 9th of 9 metro areas in South Carolina for Physician Assistant pay. About 400 Physician Assistants work in the Columbia area.
Physician Assistant pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $55.69 an hour, or $115,840 a year.
- That is 5% below the South Carolina figure, ranking 9th of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $91,980; the top 10% make over $155,600.
- Typical pay rose +29% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $44.22 an hour to more than $74.81 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 Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $91,980$44.22 an hour | $77,620$37.32 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $107,400$51.64 an hour | $105,560$50.75 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $115,840$55.69 an hour | $122,490$58.89 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $131,440$63.19 an hour | $134,100$64.47 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $155,600$74.81 an hour | $158,860$76.37 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Columbia area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Columbia was $89,490 a year. By 2025 it had reached $115,840, a change of +29%, compared with +40% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other South Carolina cities
Concord pays Physician Assistants the most in South Carolina at $133,140 a year, $17,300 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Columbia at $115,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord metro incl. Gastonia | $133,140 | $64.01 | +15% | 1,680 |
| 2 | North Charleston metro incl. Charleston | $128,920 | $61.98 | +11% | 620 |
| 3 | Myrtle Beach metro incl. North Myrtle Beach · Conway | $125,700 | $60.43 | +9% | 140 |
| 4 | Bluffton metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Port Royal | $125,350 | $60.26 | +8% | 80 |
| 5 | Greer metro incl. Anderson · Greenville | $123,310 | $59.28 | +6% | 440 |
| 6 | Spartanburg | $121,990 | $58.65 | +5% | 80 |
| 7 | Florence | $120,290 | $57.83 | +4% | 90 |
| 8 | Richmond County | $117,240 | $56.37 | +1% | 350 |
| 9 | Columbia | $115,840 | $55.69 | this city | 400 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $122,490
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $115,840 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 1.0 are Physician Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.0. Physician Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physician Assistant make in Columbia, SC?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Columbia earns $115,840 a year, or $55.69 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $91,980 and the top 10% earn over $155,600.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Columbia is $55.69. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $44.22, and the top 10% earn over $74.81 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Columbia?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Columbia typically offer around $44.22 an hour, or $91,980 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Columbia pay is 5% below the South Carolina figure of $122,490 a year, ranking 9th of 9 metro areas in the state. Concord pays the most in South Carolina at $133,140.