How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Bristol, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants in Bristol, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Physician Assistant in Bristol, Virginia earns $56.49 per hour, or $117,490 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,791 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $95,950, and the top 10% of earners make over $136,810.
That pay is 14% below the Virginia figure of $135,940 and 14% below the national figure of $135,880. Bristol ranks 11th of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Physician Assistant pay. About 130 Physician Assistants work in the Kingsport · Bristol area.
Physician Assistant pay in Bristol at a glance
- Typical pay is $56.49 an hour, or $117,490 a year.
- That is 14% below the Virginia figure, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $95,950; the top 10% make over $136,810.
- Typical pay rose +27% from 2015 to 2025, against +50% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Bristol?
Pay in Bristol runs from entry-level positions at around $46.13 an hour to more than $65.77 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Virginia and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Bristol
| Career stage | Bristol | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $95,950$46.13 an hour | $98,330$47.27 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $100,740$48.43 an hour | $120,580$57.97 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $117,490$56.49 an hour | $135,940$65.36 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $136,810$65.77 an hour | $162,790$78.26 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $136,810$65.77 an hour | $213,010$102.41 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kingsport · Bristol area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Bristol
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Kingsport · Bristol area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physician Assistant pay in Bristol was $92,390 a year. By 2025 it had reached $117,490, a change of +27%, compared with +50% for Virginia over the same years.
How Bristol compares with other Virginia cities
Arlington pays Physician Assistants the most in Virginia at $148,200 a year, $30,710 more than Bristol. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bristol at $117,490.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bristol | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington | $148,200 | $71.25 | +26% | 3,020 |
| 2 | Roanoke | $135,940 | $65.36 | +16% | 360 |
| 3 | Charlottesville | $133,540 | $64.20 | +14% | 130 |
| 4 | Stuarts Draft metro incl. Staunton | $128,580 | $61.82 | +9% | 60 |
| 5 | Richmond | $126,810 | $60.97 | +8% | 620 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach | $126,430 | $60.78 | +8% | 780 |
| 7 | Harrisonburg | $126,400 | $60.77 | +8% | 40 |
| 8 | Winchester | $126,080 | $60.61 | +7% | 100 |
| 9 | Blacksburg metro incl. Christiansburg · Radford | $125,050 | $60.12 | +6% | 60 |
| 10 | Lynchburg | $122,800 | $59.04 | +5% | 130 |
| 11 | Bristol | $117,490 | $56.49 | this city | 130 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $135,940
Is Bristol a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Bristol earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $117,490 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kingsport · Bristol area, about 1.1 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 Bristol, VA?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Bristol earns $117,490 a year, or $56.49 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $95,950 and the top 10% earn over $136,810.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Bristol?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Bristol is $56.49. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $46.13, and the top 10% earn over $65.77 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Bristol?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Bristol typically offer around $46.13 an hour, or $95,950 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Bristol higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Bristol pay is 14% below the Virginia figure of $135,940 a year, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state. Arlington pays the most in Virginia at $148,200.