JOHNS CREEK, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A just-published report representing over 8,000 PAs who were newly certified in 2016 shows that they are in great demand with a median starting salary of $95,000 and the highest salaries offered in radiation oncology, occupational medicine, gynecology, emergency medicine and psychiatry.
The 2016 Statistical Report of Recently Certified Physician Assistants sheds light on this highly skilled workforce that is expected to continue to grow exponentially. The Accreditation and Review Commission for Education of PAs anticipates the number of accredited PA programs in the U.S. will increase from 229 to approximately 270 in the next three years.
Highlights about new PAs from the report include:
- The states with the greatest number are New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, California and Texas, which are also the most populous states for all Certified PAs.
- In addition to highly competitive salaries, over 68% were offered employment incentives like reimbursement for CME and certification maintenance, flexible hours, and/or a signing bonus.
- The median age is 27, and almost 22% communicate with their patients in more than one language.
- Almost 52% of recently certified PAs work in hospital settings compared to 39% of all Certified PAs.
- Almost 19% indicated they plan to seek addition educational or clinical training in the next three years, beyond on-the-job training and required CME.
“New PA graduates are entering the workforce and meeting patient needs across the U.S. and in all disciplines. The numbers speak to the appeal of the profession both to potential students and employers,” says Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D, PA-C, president and CEO of NCCPA. “We are celebrating 50 years as a profession, and because Certified PAs have proven their commitment to lifelong learning and patient-focused care, we will continue to be highly regarded and heavily recruited.”
About the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for physician assistants (PAs) in the United States. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. There are more than 115,500 certified PAs in the U.S. today.
