Examine, diagnose, and treat patients and prescribe medicine, working alongside physicians.
Clinics, hospitals, and surgical suites; steady, hands-on patient care.
Usually full-time; evenings, weekends, and on-call are common.
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Master's degree
Training path: ~27-month PA program after prerequisites.
Requires passing a national exam and holding a state license.
Physician-level work on a master's timeline.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-1071. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.