Physician Assistants salary in Richmond, VA
Median pay for physician assistants in Richmond, VA: $117,850/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $52,180 – $160,420 · about 530 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($125,700) by −$7,850 (-6%).
What it's really worth in Richmond
With Richmond's cost of living at 98 (US=100), that $117,850 has the buying power of about $119,843 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $80,877 · median home $397,705 · median rent $1,763/mo.
How Richmond ranks for this job
On raw pay, Richmond, VA is 136th of the 180 metros we hold physician assistants wages for. Once Richmond's cost of living is applied, it ranks 146th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Richmond sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Richmond
A median home in Richmond, VA costs $397,705 — about 3.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,763/mo works out at 18% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where physician assistants earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Richmond.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Richmond | Rent vs Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $208,000 | +76% | 2.1× |
| Vallejo, CA | $174,670 | +48% | 1.4× |
| Modesto, CA | $171,600 | +46% | 1.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $171,470 | +45% | 1.8× |
Same job elsewhere in VA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Richmond | Rent vs Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | $113,740 | −3% | 1.1× |
| Roanoke, VA | $107,450 | −9% | 0.8× |
| Lynchburg, VA | $106,590 | −10% | 0.7× |
Staying in VA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physician assistants around Richmond
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- VCU Health · Healthcare
- HCA Virginia Health · Healthcare
- Bon Secours Richmond · Healthcare
- Virginia Commonwealth University · Education
Other jobs in Richmond
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.