Physician Assistant Salary in Memphis, TN: 2026
Physician Assistant salary data for Memphis, TN, 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 Memphis, TN is $121,900 per year ($10,158/month, $58.61/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, which covers Memphis. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $116,857; 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 Memphis, TN, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Physician Assistant Take-Home Pay in Memphis
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $121,900 |
| Federal Tax | -$17,990 |
| State Tax (0.0% eff.) | -$0 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$9,325 |
| Annual Take-Home | $94,585 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $7,882 |
Living Cost Comparison
Physician Assistant Requirements
Key Skills
Physician Assistant salary search terms in Memphis
People comparing Physician Assistant pay in Memphis, TN 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 | $121,900 median salary, $91,100-$155,600 modeled range, and $94,585 estimated take-home pay in Memphis. |
| 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. |
Memphis Job Market Overview
Memphis, Tennessee has a population of 633,104 and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. The top industries are Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing. The local job growth rate is 1.0%, 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.
Related Healthcare Salaries in Memphis
Physician Assistant Salary in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Physician Assistant in Memphis
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Physician Assistant in Memphis, TN, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $91,100 | $44/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $106,500 | $51/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $121,900 | $59/hr | Mid-career, 0-2 years |
| 75th | $155,600 | $75/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $185,300 | $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 Memphis's Logistics 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 Memphis 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 Memphis. Negotiation, certifications (PANCE, NCCPA Certification), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Memphis vs National Average
The national median Physician Assistant salary is $135,880 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Physician Assistants). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median of $121,900 is 10.3% below the national figure. Memphis's cost of living index is 86 (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 12.7% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Memphis costs about 1.8× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Memphis.
Industry Context: Logistics in Memphis
Memphis's economy is anchored by Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing, with 633,104 residents and an unemployment rate of 4.2% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Physician Assistants can differ by sector, so compare Logistics employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.0%, 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 Memphis, TN:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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 Memphis-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($116,857 modeled) using the Memphis index of 86 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%), TN 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, Memphis 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 Memphis 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 (Logistics vs others in Memphis), 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 Memphis, TN?
How much does a Physician Assistant take home in Memphis after taxes?
Is Memphis a good city for Physician Assistants?
What skills are needed for a Physician Assistant in Memphis?
How does Physician Assistant salary in Memphis compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Physician Assistant in Memphis?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Physician Assistant salary in Memphis, TN?
The median Physician Assistant salary in Memphis, TN is $121,900 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $91,100 and the senior estimate of $155,600 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Physician Assistant take home in Memphis after taxes?
A Physician Assistant earning the median salary of $121,900 in Memphis, TN takes home approximately $94,585 per year ($7,882/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 22.4%.
Is Memphis a good city for Physician Assistants?
Memphis, TN has a cost of living index of 86 (below national average). Physician Assistants here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 4.2% and top industries include Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing.
What skills are needed for a Physician Assistant in Memphis?
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 Memphis compare to the national average?
The national median for Physician Assistants is $135,880 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median is $121,900, which is 10.3% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $116,857.
What job titles are similar to Physician Assistant in Memphis?
Related search terms for Physician Assistant in Memphis, TN 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.