Media Contact:                                                                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Alicia Quella, Director of Communications and PA Relations 

email: [email protected] 

phone: 470-682-5111 

website: nccpa.net
 

PAs by State Report Highlights Income Gaps, Retirement Trends and Key Workforce Changes

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — February 12, 2026 — Income inequities, evolving retirement expectations and rising demand for PAs are reshaping the nation’s health care workforce, according to the newly released National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA) 2024 Statistical Profile of Board Certified PAs by State.

A new table in this year’s report examines income differences by gender among PAs working 40 or more hours per week. Nationally, male PAs earned an average of $17,177 more than their female counterparts. The widest gap appears in Louisiana ($22,866), while Vermont has the smallest at $7,636.

NCCPA President and CEO Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE, said compensation data like this is essential for informed conversations about equity.

“Understanding where gaps exist is the first step toward addressing them in a meaningful and evidence-based way,” Morton-Rias said.

Workforce transition is also a growing focus.  Nationally, 5.8% of PAs report plans to retire within the next five years. Wyoming has the highest share, with 14.3% of its PA workforce planning retirement, followed by Alaska (14.2%), North Dakota (12.9%), Vermont (11.8%) and New Mexico (10.7%). Vermont reported the largest increase since 2020, with a 3.3% rise in PAs planning to retire.

“This report gives policymakers, educators and health care leaders a clearer picture of where the PA workforce stands today and where attention is urgently needed,” said Morton-Rias. “The data show a profession that continues to expand its impact, while also confronting persistent disparities and a changing care environment.”

Comparisons to 2020 show notable growth in PA recruitment across states. The percentage of PAs reporting that their primary employment setting is recruiting or hiring increased 14.2% nationally, with Washington, D.C. (26.7%), Rhode Island (22.9%), Vermont (20.4%) and Oregon (20.2%) showing the largest gains.

The 2024 report includes additional appendix data, with new insights into international medical work, leadership roles, precepting and educational debt:

• 10.8% reported participating in international medical work, with PAs from Alaska (20.1%) and Hawaii (19.5%) leading these initiatives.

• 15.6% of PAs said educational debt influenced their specialty choice, with the highest rates in Alaska (22%), Idaho (21.7%) and D.C. (21.3%).

• 38.2% of PAs reported participating in precepting students, averaging 3.9 hours per week. New York led with 5.9 hours, followed by Rhode Island, West Virginia and Connecticut.

• 16.9% of PAs hold a leadership position in their principal work setting, with Alaska (24%), D.C. (23.9%) and Hawaii (23.5%) ranking highest. The most common leadership area was in clinical settings, representing 45.1% of those roles.

• The average number of clinical PA positions per provider stood at 3.0, with Alaska, Wyoming and New Mexico posting the highest averages.

Other key findings include a 22.8% national increase since 2020 in telemedicine use — led by California (29.7%), Arizona (29.6%) and Oregon (29.6%). Mental health needs are increasing, as 26.7% of patients seen by PAs could benefit from mental health services; rates are highest in West Virginia (34.6%), North Dakota (32.8%) and Maine (32.7%).

“The findings from this year’s report underscore how dynamic and adaptive the PA profession continues to be,” said Morton-Rias. “From expanding access to care through telemedicine to stepping into leadership roles across clinical settings, Board Certified PAs are meeting the evolving health care needs in every community.”

The complete report can be found at nccpa.net.

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About the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA):

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is the only certifying organization for more than 201,000 PAs in the U.S. The PA-C credential is awarded by NCCPA to PAs who fulfill certification, certification maintenance and recertification requirements. Board Certified PAs participate in accredited continuing medical education in core medical knowledge and specialty practice disciplines. NCCPA also administers the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) program for experienced, Board Certified PAs practicing in 11 specialties (+1 pending in Geriatrics). For more information, visit https://www.nccpa.net.