Physician Assistant Degree Programs in Georgia (2026)

Q: "How much do physician assistants make in Georgia?"

"The median annual wage for physician assistants in Georgia is $115,390, below the national median of $135,880 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $62,230 at the 25th percentile to $141,740 at the 75th."

Q: "How many physician assistants work in Georgia?"

"Georgia holds about 5,610 physician assistant jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 162,150, and BLS projects about 12,000 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34)."

Q: "Do I need a license to work as a physician assistant in Georgia?"

"Physician assistants are licensed state by state. The national framework is graduation from an ARC-PA-accredited master's program and a passing score on the PANCE, the national certifying examination administered by the NCCPA. Supervision or collaboration requirements, prescriptive authority and the practice agreements a PA must hold with a physician are set by each state medical or PA board and differ meaningfully between them. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state medical or physician assistant board before you enroll in any program."

Q: "Can I earn a ARC-PA-accredited master's degree online while working in Georgia?"

"Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state medical or physician assistant board."

Q: "What is the highest-paying area of Georgia for physician assistants?"

"Among Georgia metro areas with published data, Savannah reports the highest median at $125,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025)."

Q: "Is Georgia a good state for physician assistants?"

"On pay, the state median of $115,390 sits below the national $135,880 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.1 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live."

Updated July 24, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Quick answer: Physician Assistants in Georgia earn a median $115,390 per year, below the national median of $135,880 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 5,610 of them. Licensing runs through your state medical or physician assistant board.

Physician Assistant Pay and Employment in Georgia at a Glance

Metric	Georgia	National	Source
Median annual wage	$115,390	$135,880	BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile	$62,230	$99,380	BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile	$62,230	$120,670	BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile	$141,740	$163,980	BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile	$172,050	$190,280	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment	5,610	162,150	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient	1.1	1.00	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)	not published by state	20.4%	BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34

How Georgia Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country

The Georgia median of $115,390 sits below the national median of $135,880 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.

A location quotient of 1.1 puts Georgia slightly above the national average, so the occupation is a little more common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.

Where the Jobs Are in Georgia

Metro area	Median annual wage	Employment
Savannah	$125,500	130
Athens	$125,460	160
Macon	$122,670	120
Rome	$122,440	50
Albany	$122,170	30
Augusta	$117,240	350
Columbus	$117,030	80
Atlanta	$111,810	3,970
Gainesville	$111,440	70

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. PAs are hired by hospital systems, physician groups and urgent care networks, so the local mix of those employers is what determines how many positions are open in a given market.

Physician Assistants Wages by Metro Area in Georgia

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), physician assistants wages in Georgia vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell	3,970	$111,810	$108,080	$62,230	$172,110
Augusta-Richmond County	350	$117,240	$115,460	$56,170	$161,010
Chattanooga	180	$121,600	$119,560	$99,530	$140,790
Athens-Clarke County	160	$125,460	$133,630	$96,720	$162,240
Savannah	130	$125,500	$126,860	$102,370	$160,800
Macon-Bibb County	120	$122,670	$115,920	$48,650	$154,450
Columbus	80	$117,030	$112,580	$89,710	$134,990
Gainesville	70	$111,440	$120,840	$84,990	$156,860
Rome	50	$122,440	$120,720	$90,140	$154,280
Albany	30	$122,170	$112,640	$50,970	$137,230

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

All Georgia Metro Areas With Published Data

Athens * Atlanta * Augusta * Macon * Savannah

Licensing and Credentials in Georgia

Physician assistants are licensed state by state. The national framework is graduation from an ARC-PA-accredited master’s program and a passing score on the PANCE, the national certifying examination administered by the NCCPA. Supervision or collaboration requirements, prescriptive authority and the practice agreements a PA must hold with a physician are set by each state medical or PA board and differ meaningfully between them.

Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state medical or physician assistant board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.

Earning the Degree While You Work

Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 6 schools within 186 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 6 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page: Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish: 30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off: 25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher: 20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two: 15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working: 10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.