Physician Assistant Degree Programs in Greenville, SC (2026)

Quick answer: Physician Assistants in the Greenville area earn a median $123,310 per year, below the national median of $135,880, and the metro employs about 440 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Physician Assistant Pay in Greenville, SC

MetricGreenville metroSouth CarolinaNational
Median annual wage$123,310$122,490$135,880
10th percentile$51,850$77,620$99,380
25th percentile$96,040$105,560$120,670
75th percentile$130,850$134,100$163,980
90th percentile$164,990$158,860$190,280
Employment4402,250162,150
Location quotient0.96-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Greenville median of $123,310 is below the national median of $135,880, and above the South Carolina statewide median of $122,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.96 means physician assistants are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

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.

Other South Carolina Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Charleston$128,920620
Columbia$115,840400
Myrtle Beach$125,700140

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.

See the South Carolina licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state medical or physician assistant board.

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 5 schools within 198 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 5 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.

#1

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, SC 198.4 miles away BOC Score 97.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 124
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $89,770 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 95.8 miles away BOC Score 74.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 78.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 22
  • Annual completions: 1247
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,741 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Presbyterian College

Clinton, SC 37.8 miles away BOC Score 52.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 56.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 22
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,042 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 183.5 miles away BOC Score 35.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 47.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 103
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,684 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do physician assistants make in Greenville?

The median annual wage for physician assistants in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area is $123,310, below the national median of $135,880 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many physician assistants work in the Greenville area?

The Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area employs about 440 physician assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do physician assistants in Greenville need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state medical or physician assistant board.

Can I study physician assistant online from Greenville?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state medical or physician assistant board.

Is Greenville a better market than the rest of South Carolina?

The Greenville metro median is $123,310 against a statewide median of $122,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.