What certifications help Physician Assistants earn more in Columbus?

Certifications add 5 to 15% to Physician Assistant salaries in Columbus. They help bridge the gap between the median of $110,000 and the 75th percentile of $128,000.

What is the cost of living adjusted Physician Assistant salary in Columbus?

Columbus's COL multiplier is 0.93x. The median Physician Assistant salary of $110,000 here equals about $118,280 in an average cost market.

Is Columbus a good city for Physician Assistants?

Columbus offers competitive compensation for Physician Assistants. The median salary is $110,000.

Physician Assistant.

Columbus.

$110,000

median salary, 7% below the national average

$95,000 to $128,000. Updated for 2026.

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The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

A Physician Assistant in Columbus earns a median of $110,000 in 2026. That is 7% below the national average. The range runs from $95,000 to $128,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Surgical subspecialties and emergency medicine pay the highest PA salaries, often 20 to 30% above primary care.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$95,000

per year

Median

$110,000

per year

75th Percentile

$128,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$95,000$128,000

How Columbus compares

Columbus, OH

$110,000

Cost of living: 7% below average

National Average

$118,000

Columbus is $8,000 below

What you should know

The Physician Assistant landscape in Columbus is not what most salary sites will tell you. Columbus is Ohio's largest city and a growing technology and logistics hub, home to companies like Nationwide Insurance and a major Intel semiconductor fab under construction. The city's large university system and low cost of living attract both startups and corporate expansions. Tech salaries have been climbing as national employers establish Midwest offices. Surgical subspecialties and emergency medicine pay the highest PA salaries, often 20 to 30% above primary care. Geographic location matters significantly, with rural and underserved areas offering premium pay to attract talent. Experience in procedural skills and first-assist certification further boost compensation.

Entry-level PAs earn $95,000 to $105,000 in their first role. Mid-career PAs with specialty experience reach $120,000 to $135,000. Senior PAs in surgical specialties or leadership positions can command $145,000 to $165,000 with additional administrative responsibilities. In Columbus, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.

Base salary is not the full picture. PAs commonly receive productivity bonuses, CME allowances of $2,000 to $5,000 annually, malpractice insurance, and relocation assistance. Hospital systems often add shift differentials for nights, weekends, and call coverage. And on the tax side: ohio's income tax tops out around 3.5%, and Columbus adds a city income tax of 2.5%. The combined rate is moderate, but the city tax applies to all who work within city limits. When someone quotes you $110,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Mention Intel's new fab investment when negotiating. The semiconductor megaproject is driving salaries upward across the entire Columbus tech and engineering market. The range for Physician Assistants in Columbus runs from $95,000 to $128,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Top industries in Columbus

Insurance & Financial ServicesTechnologyLogisticsHealthcareHigher Education

Negotiating in Columbus

Mention Intel's new fab investment when negotiating. The semiconductor megaproject is driving salaries upward across the entire Columbus tech and engineering market.

Common questions.

Surgical PAs earn 20 to 30% more than primary care PAs on average. Orthopedic and cardiothoracic surgery PAs often exceed $140,000, while family medicine PAs typically fall in the $105,000 to $120,000 range.

Many PAs receive productivity bonuses tied to relative value units or patient encounters. These bonuses can add $5,000 to $20,000 annually, particularly in high-volume practices where PAs manage their own patient panels independently.

Relevant certifications can add 5 to 15% to a Physician Assistant's base salary in Columbus. Specifically, surgical subspecialties and emergency medicine pay the highest pa salaries, often 20 to 30% above primary care. In a market where the range spans $95,000 to $128,000, certifications often bridge the gap between the 50th and 75th percentile.

Columbus's cost of living multiplier is 0.93x the national average. The adjusted median Physician Assistant salary of $110,000 accounts for this. In practice, a Physician Assistant earning $110,000 in Columbus has roughly the same purchasing power as someone earning $118,280 in an average cost market.

Columbus is Ohio's largest city and a growing technology and logistics hub, home to companies like Nationwide Insurance and a major Intel semiconductor fab under construction. The city's large university system and low cost of living attract both startups and corporate expansions. For Physician Assistants specifically, the median salary of $110,000 reflects that demand.