Median total wages for physican assistants working in cardiovacular and cardiothoracic surgery in 2021 were $140,000, making it the highest paid specialty, according to the American Academy of Physician Associates 2022 Salary Report released July 29 and shared with Becker's.
Data for the salary report were collected via an online survey between Jan. 27 and March 7. Nearly 12,000 physician assistants across the U.S. responded to at least some of the questions in the survey. Respondents must have worked at least 32 hours or more per week in 2021 to be included in the compensation section.
The figures below represent median total wages for each specialty. Total wages reflects the compensation of PAs regardless of whether they receive a salary, are paid hourly, or are paid via a productivity model. For PAs receiving an hourly wage, their hourly rate is annualized. For PAs who receive productivity pay along with a guaranteed compensation, the two amounts are added for total wages. Total Wages does not include bonus pay or other fringe benefits.
Cardiovascular/cardiothoracic surgery: $140,000
Thoracic surgery: $128,250
Surgical subspecialties (other): $125,000
Emergency medicine: $124,800
All other specialties: $121,030
Occupational medicine: $120,640
Dermatology: $120,428
No medical specialty: $120,000
Critical care: $120,000
Radiology: $120,000
Trauma surgery: $120,000
Plastic surgery: $120,000
Transplant surgery: $120,000
Urgent care: $119,000
Bariatric surgery: $119,000
Neurosurgery: $118,530
General surgery: $117,000
Radiation oncology: $116,500
Anesthesiology: $116,220
Vascular surgery: $116,000
Psychiatry: $115,690
Pediatric surgery: $115,500
Orthopaedic surgery: $115,000
Hospital medicine: $115,000
Public health: $115,000
Oncology surgery: $114,200
Urology: $114,000
Hospice and palliative care: $114,000
Cardiology: $113,659
Hematology & oncology: $113,500
Addiction medicine: $113,000
Geriatrics: $113,000
Physical medicine & rehab: $112,360
Preventive medicine: $111,500
Obstetrics & gynecology: $111,300
Pediatric subspecialties: $111,000
Infectious disease: $110,093
Family medicine: $110,000
Internal medicine (general): $110,000
Gastroenterology: $110,000
Otolaryngology: $110,000
Pain management: $110,000
Pulmonology: $110,000
Colon & rectal surgery: $109,000
Rheumatology: $108,000
Neurology: $107,000
Nephrology: $106,250
Allergy and immunology: $105,000
Endocrinology: $103,000
Ophthalmology: $103,000
Pediatrics (general): $99,910
Genetics: $92,400