Physician Assistant (PA-C) salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Healthcare Headhunters recruits healthcare professionals for employers. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
This is what we do all day: recruit healthcare professionals.
The median annual wage for Physician Assistants (the closest BLS occupation to Physician Assistant (PA-C)) in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN was $127,940 in BLS OEWS May 2025, and the middle half of workers earned between $122,780 and $145,600.
What does the published band tell you about a PA offer?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for PA in Chicago, IL is
How does PA pay in Chicago, IL compare with the nation?
BLS reports
What does Niles, MI add to this PA comparison?
Niles, MI reports
What does Kenosha, WI add to this PA comparison?
Kenosha, WI reports
Which published industries help you read PA pay?
For PA in Chicago, IL, for PA, Outpatient Care Centers, NAICS 621400, reports a national median of
What changed between releases for PA in Chicago, IL?
PA in Chicago, IL had a annual median of
What belongs beside base pay in your PA offer?
PA wages in Chicago, IL include base rates and guaranteed or production pay under the BLS definition. For PA in Chicago, IL, for PA, production incentives already counted in OEWS should not be added again. For PA in Chicago, IL, for this PA brief, overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay sit outside the OEWS wage. A non-production sign-on payment for PA is also outside that Chicago, IL figure. For PA in Chicago, IL, we discuss those PA terms without inventing an amount to add.
What else should you ask about this pay table?
For PA in Chicago, IL, PA maps to SOC 29-1071, Physician Assistants. The Chicago, IL annual median is
Does Chicago, IL publish a separate wage for PA?
For PA in Chicago, IL, PA maps to SOC 29-1071, Physician Assistants. The Chicago, IL annual median is
Where should you place a PA offer inside the Chicago, IL band?
The published annual P25 to P75 band for PA in Chicago, IL is
Can the PA figure in Chicago, IL stand in for the whole package?
PA pay in this Chicago, IL table is not total compensation. For PA in Chicago, IL, shift differential, on-call pay and non-production sign-on payments are excluded by the OEWS definition. For PA in Chicago, IL, write those terms separately before comparing offers.
Which markets can you compare with Chicago, IL for PA?
Niles, MI and Kenosha, WI have published rows for Physician Assistants. For PA in Chicago, IL, they are the closest available published metro reference points under the disclosed geography method. For PA in Chicago, IL, each linked PA table names its own area and SOC.
Is the PA change in Chicago, IL a forecast?
PA in Chicago, IL had a annual median of
The PA comparison for Chicago, IL uses 2024 Census reference points. For PA in Chicago, IL, rural comparisons use unweighted county centers from fetched 2024 BLS definitions, or a disclosed state reference point if the group cannot be matched. For PA in Chicago, IL, these are not nearest-to-your-facility claims. Read the geography and wage definitions.
BLS occupation: Physician Assistants.
BLS reports Physician Assistants as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Physician Assistant (PA-C), its setting or its engagement terms.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN versus the nation
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN median is $7,940 (5.8%) below the national median of $135,880.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $105,160 |
| 25th percentile | $122,780 |
| Median | $127,940 |
| 75th percentile | $145,600 |
| 90th percentile | $164,200 |
| Mean (average) | $134,170 |
United States
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $99,380 |
| 25th percentile | $120,670 |
| Median | $135,880 |
| 75th percentile | $163,980 |
| 90th percentile | $190,280 |
| Mean (average) | $141,280 |
For Physician Assistants in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, BLS reports a median of $127,940; the middle half of workers earned between $122,780 and $145,600 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50.56 |
| 25th percentile | $59.03 |
| Median | $61.51 |
| 75th percentile | $70.00 |
| 90th percentile | $78.94 |
| Mean (average) | $64.51 |
United States
- P10 to P90 published range
- P25 to P75 middle range
- P50 median
| Point | Hourly wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47.78 |
| 25th percentile | $58.02 |
| Median | $65.33 |
| 75th percentile | $78.84 |
| 90th percentile | $91.48 |
| Mean (average) | $67.92 |
For Physician Assistants in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, BLS reports a median of $61.51; the middle half of workers earned between $59.03 and $70.00 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What BLS wages include and exclude
Included
- Base rates
- Commissions
- Cost-of-living allowances
- Deadheading pay
- Guaranteed pay
- Hazard pay
- Incentive pay
- Longevity pay
- Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
- Piece rates
- Portal-to-portal rates
- Production bonuses
- Tips
Excluded
- Attendance bonuses
- Back pay
- Clothing allowances
- Discount
- Draw
- Holiday bonus
- Holiday premium pay
- Jury duty pay
- Meal and lodging payments
- Merchandise discounts
- Non-production bonuses
- On-call pay
- Overtime pay
- Perquisites
- Profit-sharing payments
- Relocation allowances
- Severance pay
- Shift differentials
- Stock bonuses
- Tool/equipment allowances
- Tuition repayment
- Uniform allowance
- Weekend premium pay
- Year-end bonuses
Employment: 3,050 jobs. Location quotient: 0.65.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-1071 Physician Assistants, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. BLS page for this occupation. BLS page for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. CSV
How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?
These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Physician Assistants in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
| Pay basis | BLS OEWS May 2024 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| annual | $122,990 | $127,940 |
| hourly | $59.13 | $61.51 |
Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.
What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?
OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay and production incentives. It describes pay reported for employees, not an offer for this vacancy. Benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. For physicians and other providers, production bonuses and commissions belong in BLS wages.
Do not add them twice. Partnership distributions and contractor receipts are not a separate rate published by OEWS.
Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.
Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.
Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.
BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.