How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Memphis, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Memphis, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Memphis metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Memphis, Tennessee earns $58.61 per hour, or $121,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,158 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $94,700, and the top 10% of earners make over $148,570.
That pay is 3% above the Tennessee figure of $118,240 and 10% below the national figure of $135,880. Memphis ranks 2nd of 9 metro areas in Tennessee for Physician Assistant pay. About 290 Physician Assistants work in the Memphis area.
Physician Assistant pay in Memphis at a glance
- Typical pay is $58.61 an hour, or $121,900 a year.
- That is 3% above the Tennessee figure, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $94,700; the top 10% make over $148,570.
- Typical pay rose +79% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Memphis?
Pay in Memphis runs from entry-level positions at around $45.53 an hour to more than $71.43 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Memphis
| Career stage | Memphis | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $94,700$45.53 an hour | $93,380$44.89 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $104,950$50.46 an hour | $102,690$49.37 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $121,900$58.61 an hour | $118,240$56.85 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $128,450$61.76 an hour | $132,500$63.70 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $148,570$71.43 an hour | $141,670$68.11 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Memphis area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Memphis
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Memphis area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Memphis was $67,920 a year. By 2025 it had reached $121,900, a change of +79%, compared with +36% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Memphis compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Physician Assistants the most in Tennessee at $129,050 a year, $7,150 more than Memphis. The lowest-paying area in the state is Johnson City at $100,060.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Memphis | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $129,050 | $62.04 | +6% | 750 |
| 2 | Memphis | $121,900 | $58.61 | this city | 290 |
| 3 | Clarksville | $121,710 | $58.51 | 0% | 80 |
| 4 | Chattanooga | $121,600 | $58.46 | 0% | 180 |
| 5 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $117,490 | $56.49 | -4% | 130 |
| 6 | Knoxville | $107,980 | $51.91 | -11% | 240 |
| 7 | Jackson | $104,600 | $50.29 | -14% | 60 |
| 8 | Morristown | $103,350 | $49.69 | -15% | 30 |
| 9 | Johnson City | $100,060 | $48.11 | -18% | 130 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $118,240
Is Memphis a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Memphis earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $121,900 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Memphis area, about 0.5 are Physician Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.0. That makes Physician Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physician Assistant make in Memphis, TN?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Memphis earns $121,900 a year, or $58.61 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $94,700 and the top 10% earn over $148,570.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Memphis?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Memphis is $58.61. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $45.53, and the top 10% earn over $71.43 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Memphis?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Memphis typically offer around $45.53 an hour, or $94,700 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Memphis higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Memphis pay is 3% above the Tennessee figure of $118,240 a year, ranking 2nd of 9 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $129,050.