Physician Assistant Salary in Texas: $139,156 (2026)
Quick Answer:Across Texas's 109 metropolitan areas, the average median physician assistant pay sits at $139,156/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1071. Because Texas sits at BEA RPP 96.0 (4% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $144,954 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Midland ($158,200), New Braunfels ($141,377), Killeen ($140,200).
In 2026, the average median salary for physician assistants in Texas is projected to be $139,157, which is slightly below the national median of $140,391, reflecting a difference of -0.9%. The highest paying city in the state is Midland, with a salary of $163,452, while El Paso offers the lowest at $110,780, highlighting a significant salary gap of $52,672. This variation can be attributed to factors such as the cost of living, demand for healthcare services, and the presence of medical facilities in different regions. Texas has specific licensing requirements and scope of practice laws that impact the roles physician assistants can perform. The state's demand for healthcare professionals continues to grow, driving a projected annual growth rate of 3.32% in employment opportunities. Major cities like New Braunfels, Killeen, San Antonio, and Irving show promising median salaries of $146,071, $144,855, $144,813, and $143,937 respectively. Overall, the job market in Texas for physician assistants illustrates a steady outlook, influenced by a combination of population growth and healthcare needs across various metropolitan areas.
Texas Physician Assistant Salary Range
Overall salary range in Texas: $38,311 (lowest entry-level) to $216,137 (highest top earner)
Texas vs National Average
Texas physician assistants earn 0.88% less than the national median ($-1,235/year difference).
Texas Physician Assistant Salary Distribution (2026)
Physician Assistant salaries in Texas range from $101,258 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $179,400 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $139,156. The Texas median is $1,235 below the US national median of $140,391. The average hourly rate is $66.90/hr. Approximately 10,837 physician assistants are employed across 109 cities.
2019 BLS Actual
$111,971
2025 BLS Actual
$134,685
2026 Current Est.
$139,156
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Physician Assistants in Texas (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.32% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $111,971 | Actual |
| 2020 | $113,405 | Actual |
| 2021 | $122,564 | Actual |
| 2022 | $129,208 | Actual |
| 2023 | $129,971 | Actual |
| 2024 | $131,017 | Actual |
| 2025 | $134,685 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $139,156 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $143,776 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Texas metropolitan area, the median physician assistant salary grew 20.3% from $111,971 (2019) to $134,685 (2025). At a 3.32% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $143,776 by 2027 — a total increase of $31,805 (28.40%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Texas metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.32% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Texas
Lowest Paying Cities in Texas
| City | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| El Paso | $110,780 |
| Tomball | $125,948 |
| Murphy | $126,961 |
| Horizon City | $127,817 |
| Laredo | $128,241 |
Best Value Cities for Physician Assistants in Texas
When adjusted for local cost of living, these Texas cities offer the most purchasing power for physician assistants.
| City | Nominal Salary | CoL Index | Adjusted Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $163,452 | 95.783 | $170,648 |
| Killeen | $144,855 | 91.132 | $158,951 |
| McAllen | $136,248 | 85.895 | $158,622 |
| Lubbock | $142,075 | 91.317 | $155,584 |
| Texarkana | $129,016 | 84.012 | $153,569 |
Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.
Salary by Experience Level in Texas
| Experience Level | Estimated Annual |
|---|---|
| Entry Level (0-2 years) | $101,258 |
| Mid Career (3-7 years) | $139,156 |
| Experienced (7+ years) | $179,400 |
Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Texas metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
All 109 Cities in Texas
| # | City | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland | $163,452 |
| 2 | New Braunfels | $146,071 |
| 3 | Killeen | $144,855 |
| 4 | San Antonio | $144,813 |
| 5 | Irving | $143,937 |
| 6 | Temple | $143,666 |
| 7 | Plano | $143,462 |
| 8 | Garland | $142,715 |
| 9 | San Marcos | $142,259 |
| 10 | Frisco | $142,206 |
| 11 | Lubbock | $142,075 |
| 12 | Houston | $141,796 |
| 13 | College Station | $141,541 |
| 14 | Port Arthur | $140,481 |
| 15 | The Woodlands | $140,101 |
| 16 | Round Rock | $139,990 |
| 17 | Pasadena | $139,942 |
| 18 | Dallas | $139,379 |
| 19 | Conroe | $139,293 |
| 20 | Richardson | $139,034 |
| 21 | Austin | $139,017 |
| 22 | Carrollton | $139,012 |
| 23 | Corpus Christi | $138,821 |
| 24 | Grand Prairie | $138,778 |
| 25 | Fort Worth | $138,469 |
| 26 | Tyler | $137,891 |
| 27 | Galveston | $137,760 |
| 28 | DeSoto | $137,662 |
| 29 | Missouri City | $137,520 |
| 30 | San Angelo | $137,480 |
| 31 | Mission | $137,463 |
| 32 | Amarillo | $137,405 |
| 33 | Beaumont | $137,333 |
| 34 | Sugar Land | $136,936 |
| 35 | Allen | $136,925 |
| 36 | League City | $136,803 |
| 37 | Cedar Park | $136,742 |
| 38 | Georgetown | $136,693 |
| 39 | Baytown | $136,640 |
| 40 | Arlington | $136,563 |
| 41 | Denton | $136,559 |
| 42 | Wylie | $136,542 |
| 43 | Cleburne | $136,522 |
| 44 | Mesquite | $136,503 |
| 45 | Pharr | $136,400 |
| 46 | McKinney | $136,381 |
| 47 | McAllen | $136,248 |
| 48 | Pearland | $136,104 |
| 49 | Burleson | $136,010 |
| 50 | Pflugerville | $135,835 |
| 51 | Cedar Hill | $135,776 |
| 52 | Flower Mound | $135,443 |
| 53 | Kyle | $135,356 |
| 54 | Waco | $135,349 |
| 55 | Del Rio | $135,200 |
| 56 | Coppell | $134,881 |
| 57 | Forney | $134,667 |
| 58 | Rowlett | $134,529 |
| 59 | The Colony | $134,326 |
| 60 | Anna | $134,274 |
| 61 | Huntsville | $134,124 |
| 62 | Harlingen | $133,941 |
| 63 | Mansfield | $133,702 |
| 64 | Weatherford | $133,676 |
| 65 | Odessa | $133,675 |
| 66 | Euless | $133,615 |
| 67 | Weslaco | $133,528 |
| 68 | Hurst | $133,464 |
| 69 | Victoria | $133,377 |
| 70 | Grapevine | $133,300 |
| 71 | Leander | $133,267 |
| 72 | Little Elm | $133,261 |
| 73 | Lancaster | $133,143 |
| 74 | Wichita Falls | $133,055 |
| 75 | North Richland Hills | $133,050 |
| 76 | Duncanville | $133,027 |
| 77 | Edinburg | $132,973 |
| 78 | Copperas Cove | $132,770 |
| 79 | Friendswood | $132,750 |
| 80 | Longview | $132,436 |
| 81 | Seguin | $132,195 |
| 82 | Rockwall | $132,014 |
| 83 | Corinth | $131,877 |
| 84 | Abilene | $131,785 |
| 85 | Schertz | $131,758 |
| 86 | Corsicana | $131,649 |
| 87 | Brownsville | $131,599 |
| 88 | San Juan | $131,555 |
| 89 | Kingsville | $131,545 |
| 90 | Prosper | $131,513 |
| 91 | Sachse | $131,182 |
| 92 | Bastrop | $131,164 |
| 93 | Socorro | $130,937 |
| 94 | Eagle Pass | $130,693 |
| 95 | Keller | $130,500 |
| 96 | Sherman | $130,490 |
| 97 | Lufkin | $130,352 |
| 98 | Haltom City | $130,341 |
| 99 | Nacogdoches | $130,341 |
| 100 | Benbrook | $130,234 |
| 101 | University Park | $130,110 |
| 102 | Fredericksburg | $129,295 |
| 103 | Texarkana | $129,016 |
| 104 | Stephenville | $128,375 |
| 105 | Laredo | $128,241 |
| 106 | Horizon City | $127,817 |
| 107 | Murphy | $126,961 |
| 108 | Tomball | $125,948 |
| 109 | El Paso | $110,780 |
More Texas Salary Data
Hourly Rates
Explore physician assistant hourly pay in Texas cities.
Senior / Experienced
Top earner salaries for experienced physician assistants.
Compare Cities in Texas
View all comparisons →Explore More Physician Assistant Salary Data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physician assistants make in Texas in 2026?
What is the highest paying city for physician assistants in Texas?
How does Texas physician assistant pay compare to the national average?
What is the entry-level physician assistant salary in Texas?
How many physician assistants are employed in Texas?
Which Texas city offers the best value for physician assistants?
Written by Jessica Tran, MPAS, PA-C
Career Analyst
Jessica has 10 years of experience as a physician assistant. Her specialty is cardiology in an outpatient setting.
Methodology & Data Source
Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 physician assistant compensation across Texas. State averages are employment-weighted across 109 metro areas — larger metro areas with more physician assistantscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.32%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for physician assistants (SOC 29-1071).
Compiled and verified by Jessica Tran, MPAS, PA-C, a licensed physician assistant with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov