Median salary: $120K (Physician Assistant) vs $98K (Project Manager). Salary ranges overlap between 90K–160K and 65K–145K. The take-home difference depends on state taxes, cost of living, and where in the salary range you fall.
At the national median, Physician Assistants earn $120K and Project Managers earn $98K. After federal taxes and FICA (calculated without state tax to isolate the salary effect), Physician Assistants take home $93,195 vs $77,718 for Project Managers.
The $22K salary advantage for Physician Assistants doesn’t translate dollar-for-dollar to take-home. Because of progressive federal tax brackets, the Physician Assistant’s higher salary is taxed at a higher marginal rate. Of the $22K gross difference, only $15,477 reaches the Physician Assistant’s pocket — the rest goes to taxes.
Physician Assistants face an effective tax rate of 22.3% at median, while Project Managers pay 20.7%. The higher rate for Physician Assistants reflects more income being pushed into higher federal brackets.
The best states differ for each profession because salary adjustments vary by state cost index and interact differently with tax brackets. A state that’s great for a $120K earner may not be optimal for a $98K earner.
All 50 states showing estimated salary and take-home for both professions. Sorted by which states give Physician Assistants the largest take-home advantage over Project Managers.
| State | Physician Assistant Salary | Physician Assistant Take-Home | Project Manager Salary | Project Manager Take-Home | Difference | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $230K | $153,689 | $188K | $126,499 | +$27,190 | Physician Assistant |
| Alaska | $152K | $115,118 | $124K | $95,980 | +$19,138 | Physician Assistant |
| California | $170K | $112,725 | $139K | $94,216 | +$18,509 | Physician Assistant |
| New Hampshire | $130K | $100,081 | $106K | $83,346 | +$16,735 | Physician Assistant |
| Washington | $132K | $101,448 | $108K | $84,753 | +$16,695 | Physician Assistant |
| Massachusetts | $142K | $101,183 | $116K | $84,581 | +$16,602 | Physician Assistant |
| New York | $150K | $100,874 | $123K | $84,737 | +$16,137 | Physician Assistant |
| Connecticut | $133K | $96,089 | $109K | $80,504 | +$15,585 | Physician Assistant |
| New Jersey | $138K | $95,906 | $113K | $80,375 | +$15,532 | Physician Assistant |
| Florida | $120K | $93,195 | $98K | $77,718 | +$15,477 | Physician Assistant |
| Nevada | $121K | $93,899 | $99K | $78,422 | +$15,477 | Physician Assistant |
| Maryland | $134K | $95,797 | $110K | $80,399 | +$15,398 | Physician Assistant |
| Virginia | $124K | $91,346 | $101K | $76,054 | +$15,292 | Physician Assistant |
| Rhode Island | $126K | $92,441 | $103K | $77,225 | +$15,216 | Physician Assistant |
| Colorado | $126K | $91,803 | $103K | $76,704 | +$15,100 | Physician Assistant |
| Vermont | $126K | $90,181 | $103K | $75,377 | +$14,803 | Physician Assistant |
| Oregon | $132K | $90,974 | $108K | $76,183 | +$14,791 | Physician Assistant |
| Texas | $112K | $87,567 | $91K | $72,794 | +$14,774 | Physician Assistant |
| Wyoming | $113K | $88,271 | $92K | $73,497 | +$14,774 | Physician Assistant |
| Pennsylvania | $118K | $86,395 | $96K | $71,924 | +$14,472 | Physician Assistant |
| Maine | $118K | $86,304 | $96K | $71,849 | +$14,455 | Physician Assistant |
| Utah | $119K | $86,958 | $97K | $72,504 | +$14,454 | Physician Assistant |
| Arizona | $116K | $87,481 | $95K | $73,233 | +$14,249 | Physician Assistant |
| Delaware | $122K | $87,538 | $100K | $73,335 | +$14,203 | Physician Assistant |
| South Dakota | $110K | $86,160 | $90K | $72,090 | +$14,070 | Physician Assistant |
| Tennessee | $108K | $84,753 | $88K | $70,683 | +$14,070 | Physician Assistant |
| Minnesota | $119K | $84,873 | $97K | $70,804 | +$14,068 | Physician Assistant |
| Montana | $116K | $86,121 | $95K | $72,119 | +$14,002 | Physician Assistant |
| North Carolina | $114K | $84,425 | $93K | $70,490 | +$13,936 | Physician Assistant |
| North Dakota | $110K | $84,766 | $90K | $70,949 | +$13,817 | Physician Assistant |
| Illinois | $112K | $82,023 | $91K | $68,289 | +$13,734 | Physician Assistant |
| Wisconsin | $112K | $81,998 | $91K | $68,269 | +$13,729 | Physician Assistant |
| Georgia | $112K | $81,754 | $91K | $68,071 | +$13,684 | Physician Assistant |
| Idaho | $114K | $82,932 | $93K | $69,272 | +$13,661 | Physician Assistant |
| Louisiana | $109K | $82,445 | $89K | $68,928 | +$13,518 | Physician Assistant |
| Nebraska | $109K | $82,233 | $89K | $68,754 | +$13,479 | Physician Assistant |
| Kansas | $108K | $80,752 | $88K | $67,423 | +$13,329 | Physician Assistant |
| Iowa | $107K | $79,984 | $87K | $66,674 | +$13,310 | Physician Assistant |
| New Mexico | $109K | $81,276 | $89K | $67,973 | +$13,303 | Physician Assistant |
| South Carolina | $110K | $81,584 | $90K | $68,346 | +$13,238 | Physician Assistant |
| Ohio | $108K | $80,163 | $88K | $66,943 | +$13,220 | Physician Assistant |
| Indiana | $108K | $79,947 | $88K | $66,767 | +$13,180 | Physician Assistant |
| Missouri | $107K | $79,106 | $87K | $65,960 | +$13,146 | Physician Assistant |
| Alabama | $106K | $78,311 | $86K | $65,191 | +$13,120 | Physician Assistant |
| Kentucky | $108K | $79,353 | $88K | $66,283 | +$13,070 | Physician Assistant |
| Michigan | $109K | $79,189 | $89K | $66,269 | +$12,920 | Physician Assistant |
| Arkansas | $103K | $78,624 | $84K | $65,740 | +$12,885 | Physician Assistant |
| Oklahoma | $104K | $78,728 | $85K | $65,948 | +$12,780 | Physician Assistant |
| Mississippi | $100K | $75,875 | $81K | $63,126 | +$12,749 | Physician Assistant |
| West Virginia | $100K | $75,797 | $81K | $63,063 | +$12,734 | Physician Assistant |
Job Security & Demand: Physician Assistants and Project Managers serve different market needs, which affects job security differently. The demand for physician assistants depends on corporate investment and industry growth, while project manager demand is driven by business growth and specialization needs. Both careers offer reasonable stability for experienced professionals.
Growth & Advancement: Career advancement paths differ significantly. Physician Assistants have a salary range of 90K–160K, with the higher end typically requiring either specialization or management responsibilities. Project Managers range from 65K–145K, with similar advancement dynamics. Education requirements, licensing, and geographic flexibility all influence which career ultimately provides better lifetime earnings.
Work-Life Balance & Lifestyle: Work-life balance, benefits, and non-monetary compensation vary considerably between these careers. Beyond raw take-home pay, consider retirement benefits (pensions vs 401k matching), healthcare coverage quality, schedule flexibility, and whether the role supports remote work — which has significant tax implications if you can choose your state of residency.