Physician Assistant.
Raleigh.
$117,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$101,000 to $137,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Raleigh is 1% cheaper than the national average. For Physician Assistants, that shakes out to a median of $117,000, with the full range spanning $101,000 to $137,000. Surgical subspecialties and emergency medicine pay the highest PA salaries, often 20 to 30% above primary care. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
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How Raleigh compares
Raleigh, NC
$117,000
Cost of living: 1% below average
National Average
$118,000
Raleigh is $1,000 below
What you should know
Here is what the Physician Assistant market actually looks like in Raleigh. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. Cisco, Red Hat, Epic Games, and numerous biotech firms drive strong demand for engineering, research, and product roles. The combination of top tier universities and moderate living costs creates an exceptionally favorable salary to expense ratio. 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 Raleigh, 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: north Carolina's flat 4.5% income tax keeps the burden low. Raleigh has no city income tax, and the Triangle's affordable housing amplifies your take home purchasing power. When someone quotes you $117,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates. The range for Physician Assistants in Raleigh runs from $101,000 to $137,000. 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 Raleigh
Negotiating in Raleigh
Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates.