Physician Assistant Salary in El Paso, TX: $110,780 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time physician assistant in El Paso, TX earns a median $110,780/year (≈ $53.26/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-1071). Once you factor in El Paso's price level (10% below national, BEA RPP 89.9), that paycheck buys what $123,209 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 19.3% below the Texas state average.
Official BLS data · View source
Physician assistants in El Paso, Texas, can expect a median annual salary of $110,780 in 2026, according to projected data based on 2025 BLS OEWS surveys. The salary range for this role extends from $100,572 at the 10th percentile to $150,455 at the 90th percentile. The compensation landscape for surgical PAs in El Paso benefits significantly from first-assist billing models, leading to higher earnings in surgical specialties like orthopedics and cardiothoracic surgery. Given these figures, those considering a career as a physician assistant in El Paso may find a robust job market that rewards specialization and experience, particularly in high-demand settings.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $100,572 | $48.35 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $108,248 | $52.04 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $110,780 | $53.26 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $137,147 | $65.94 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $150,455 | $72.33 |
Median Salary Position
21.09% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in El Paso
In El Paso, TX, the physician assistant salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $49,883 (2026 est.). At $110,780, the local median is 21.09% below the national median of $140,391.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in El Paso: You'd be in the entry-level range
How El Paso Physician Assistant Pay Compares
El Paso median: $110,780/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | El Paso Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Average | $137,273 | -19.30% less |
| National Average | $140,391 | -21.09% less |
Physician Assistants in El Paso, TX earn a median of $110,780 per year (2026 est.), which is 21.09% lower than the national median of $140,391 and 19.30% below the Texas state average of $137,273.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
El Paso has a cost of living 10.09% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
El Paso, TX has a cost-of-living index of 89.912 (below the national average of 100). A physician assistant earning $110,780 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $123,209 in an average-cost city — an effective 11.22% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$88,150
2025 BLS Actual
$107,220
2026 Current Est.
$110,780
2019–2027 Growth
+29.8%
Salary Trajectory for Physician Assistants in El Paso (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.32% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $88,150 | Actual |
| 2020 | $97,110 | Actual |
| 2021 | $103,380 | Actual |
| 2022 | $105,100 | Actual |
| 2023 | $121,890 | Actual |
| 2024 | $105,630 | Actual |
| 2025 | $107,220 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $110,780 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $114,458 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the El Paso metropolitan area, the median physician assistant salary grew 21.6% from $88,150 (2019) to $107,220 (2025). At a 3.32% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $114,458 by 2027 — a total increase of $26,308 (29.84%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the El Paso 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) | $100,572 – $108,248 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $108,248 – $110,780 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $110,780 – $137,147 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $137,147 – $150,455 |
PA salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual physician assistant compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Physician Assistant Job Market in El Paso
Currently, there are approximately 170 physician assistants working in El Paso, contributing to a stable employment environment for this healthcare role. The area's cost of living index sits at 89.912, indicating that living expenses are below the national average, which enhances the purchasing power of salaries received. Employers offering the highest compensation typically include hospital systems and surgical specialty practices. Key drivers of salary variation involve factors such as specialty focus, the volume of first-assist cases, call coverage, and bonus structures linked to productivity. To maximize income, aspiring and current PAs should consider specializing in surgical roles, negotiating employment packages with an emphasis on productivity-based incentives, and evaluating opportunities in both private practice and hospital employment structures in El Paso.
More salary data for El Paso, TX:
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 $107,220 for physician assistantsin the El Paso 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