Physician Assistant Salary in Grand Junction, CO: $134,244 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time physician assistant in Grand Junction, CO earns a median $134,244/year (≈ $64.53/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-1071). Once you factor in Grand Junction's price level (5% below national, BEA RPP 95.5), that paycheck buys what $140,605 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 3.4% below the Colorado state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In 2026, physician assistants in Grand Junction, Colorado, can expect a median annual salary of $134,244, reflecting a competitive salary structure when considering local employment choices such as W-2 positions in hospital systems versus 1099 opportunities in surgical practices. The salary range for PAs in the area stretches from $105,820 at the lower end to as high as $168,670 for those positioned in top-paying specialties. These figures, derived from 2025 BLS OEWS data and projected to 2026, point toward a robust compensation environment amid diverse practice settings typical of Grand Junction’s healthcare landscape.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $105,820 | $50.87 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $117,496 | $56.50 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $134,244 | $64.53 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $154,164 | $74.12 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $168,670 | $81.10 |
Median Salary Position
4.38% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Grand Junction
In Grand Junction, CO, the physician assistant salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $62,850 (2026 est.). At $134,244, the local median is 4.38% below the national median of $140,391.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Grand Junction: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Grand Junction Physician Assistant Pay Compares
Grand Junction median: $134,244/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Grand Junction Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Average | $138,969 | -3.40% less |
| National Average | $140,391 | -4.38% less |
Physician Assistants in Grand Junction, CO earn a median of $134,244 per year (2026 est.), which is 4.38% lower than the national median of $140,391 and 3.40% below the Colorado state average of $138,969.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Grand Junction has a cost of living 4.52% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Grand Junction, CO has a cost-of-living index of 95.476 (below the national average of 100). A physician assistant earning $134,244 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $140,605 in an average-cost city — an effective 4.74% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$107,800
2025 BLS Actual
$129,930
2026 Current Est.
$134,244
2019–2027 Growth
+28.7%
Salary Trajectory for Physician Assistants in Grand Junction (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.32% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $107,800 | Actual |
| 2020 | $106,660 | Actual |
| 2021 | $116,520 | Actual |
| 2022 | $112,910 | Actual |
| 2023 | $119,710 | Actual |
| 2024 | $126,420 | Actual |
| 2025 | $129,930 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $134,244 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $138,701 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Grand Junction metropolitan area, the median physician assistant salary grew 20.5% from $107,800 (2019) to $129,930 (2025). At a 3.32% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $138,701 by 2027 — a total increase of $30,901 (28.67%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Grand Junction 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.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $105,820 – $117,496 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $117,496 – $134,244 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $134,244 – $154,164 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $154,164 – $168,670 |
PA salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual physician assistant compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Physician Assistant Job Market in Grand Junction
With around 150 physician assistants currently employed in Grand Junction, market dynamics reveal an intriguing pay scale intricately tied to the area’s cost of living index of 95.476—indicating housing and everyday expenses are below the national average. While surgical specialty practices, particularly in orthopedics and cardiothoracic surgery, generally offer the highest compensation, physician assistants in emergency departments and urgent care also benefit from lucrative pay structures. Factors influencing this wide salary range include practice setting, first-assist case volume, and relative productivity measures like RVU bonuses. For those breaking into the market, focusing on high-demand specialties and leveraging service contracts may yield the best opportunities to enhance their earning potential in Grand Junction, CO.
More salary data for Grand Junction, CO:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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
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. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $129,930 for physician assistantsin the Grand Junction metropolitan area. A 3.32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
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