Physician Assistant Salary in Lakeland, FL — 2026
Physician Assistant salary data for Lakeland, FL — adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland, FL is $121,540 per year ($10,128/month, $58.43/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area, which covers Lakeland. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 92) would have estimated $125,010; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Also known as: PA, Physician Associate, Medical Assistant. The estimates on this page are used for these related job titles in Lakeland, FL, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Physician Assistant Take-Home Pay in Lakeland
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $121,540 |
| Federal Tax | -$17,909 |
| State Tax (0.0% eff.) | -$0 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$9,298 |
| Annual Take-Home | $94,333 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $7,861 |
Living Cost Comparison
Physician Assistant Requirements
Key Skills
Physician Assistant salary search terms in Lakeland
People comparing Physician Assistant pay in Lakeland, FL may use related job-title wording. Salario keeps the main estimate tied to the Physician Assistant role, then treats the terms below as comparison phrases that should be checked for licensing, employer type, seniority, and role scope.
| Comparison point | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Primary local answer | $121,540 median salary, $90,900-$155,100 modeled range, and $94,333 estimated take-home pay in Lakeland. |
| Title variants | PA, Physician Associate, Medical Assistant can point to similar searches, but some variants may represent a narrower specialty or a higher/lower seniority band. |
| Offer comparison | Compare base salary, hourly equivalent, take-home pay, certifications, local cost of living, and whether the job is employee, contractor, public-sector, commission-heavy, or management-level. |
Lakeland Job Market Overview
Lakeland, Florida has a population of 115,820 and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. The top industries are Healthcare, Logistics, Agriculture. The local job growth rate is 2.0%, and the average commute time is 24minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Physician Assistant Salary in Nearby Florida Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown — Physician Assistant in Lakeland
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Physician Assistant in Lakeland, FL, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $90,900 | $44/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $106,220 | $51/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $121,540 | $58/hr | Mid-career, 0-2 years |
| 75th | $155,100 | $75/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $184,800 | $89/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Lakeland's Healthcare sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 15.0% salary growth for Physician Assistants over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Lakeland estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Physician Assistant can expect a 14.3% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 4 years in Lakeland. Negotiation, certifications (PANCE, NCCPA Certification), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Lakeland vs National Average
The national median Physician Assistant salary is $135,880 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Physician Assistants). In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro, the BLS median of $121,540 is 10.6% below the national figure. Lakeland's cost of living index is 92 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Physician Assistants, this means: rent typically consumes 15.3% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Lakeland costs about 2.7× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Lakeland.
Industry Context: Healthcare in Lakeland
Lakeland's economy is anchored by Healthcare, Logistics, Agriculture, with 115,820 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.2% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Physician Assistants can differ by sector, so compare Healthcare employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 2.0%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 28.0% growth outlook for Physician Assistant roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Physician Assistant salaries in Lakeland, FL:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Lakeland-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($125,010 modeled) using the Lakeland index of 92 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), FL 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 0.0%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine — occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) — regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Lakeland QuickFacts — population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary — 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — official local unemployment rates to verify the Lakeland figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Physician Assistant salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Healthcare vs others in Lakeland), specific skill set (Clinical Examination, Diagnosis, Procedure Assistance), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland, FL?
How much does a Physician Assistant take home in Lakeland after taxes?
Is Lakeland a good city for Physician Assistants?
What skills are needed for a Physician Assistant in Lakeland?
How does Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Physician Assistant in Lakeland?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland, FL?
The median Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland, FL is $121,540 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $90,900 and the senior estimate of $155,100 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Physician Assistant take home in Lakeland after taxes?
A Physician Assistant earning the median salary of $121,540 in Lakeland, FL takes home approximately $94,333 per year ($7,861/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 22.4%.
Is Lakeland a good city for Physician Assistants?
Lakeland, FL has a cost of living index of 92 (below national average). Physician Assistants here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.2% and top industries include Healthcare, Logistics, Agriculture.
What skills are needed for a Physician Assistant in Lakeland?
Key skills for Physician Assistants include Clinical Examination, Diagnosis, Procedure Assistance, EHR, Patient Education. Typical education requirement is Master's Degree. Valuable certifications include PANCE, NCCPA Certification.
How does Physician Assistant salary in Lakeland compare to the national average?
The national median for Physician Assistants is $135,880 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro, the BLS median is $121,540, which is 10.6% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 92) would have estimated $125,010.
What job titles are similar to Physician Assistant in Lakeland?
Related search terms for Physician Assistant in Lakeland, FL include PA, Physician Associate, Medical Assistant. Use them as comparison terms, not always exact matches: licensing, employer type, seniority, public-sector rules, and whether the role is W-2, contractor, clinical, technical, management, or sales-focused can change the salary range.