Physician assistants (PAs) specializing in cardiology earned a median base salary of $105,000 in 2017—equivalent to the median across all specialties, according to the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) 2018 Salary Report.
The report also found women PAs are paid 6 percent less than male counterparts and that hospital-employed PAs earn more money and have better leadership opportunities than those employed by physician practices.
Here’s a rundown of some of the notable statistics from the survey, which included responses from 9,140 clinicians:
- Median salary for all PAs combined increased by 2.9 percent year-over-year, from $102,000 in 2016 to $105,000 in 2017.
- Cardiology PAs earned a median of $105,000 in base salary plus another $5,000 in bonuses. The 75th percentile of cardiology PAs had a base salary of $120,000 and $10,000 in bonuses/incentive payments.
- PAs employed by hospitals earned an average of $107,000, according to the report, compared to $101,000 for PAs employed by physician practices.
- Hospital-employed clinicians also were more likely to report that PAs hold formal leadership positions in their organization (57.5 versus 28.2 percent).
- 34.9 percent of respondents were employed by hospitals, while 46.1 percent worked in physician practices.
- Cost-of-living adjusted salaries were highest in Mississippi ($117,925), Iowa ($117,519), Oklahoma ($117,127), Texas ($115,546) and Indiana ($113,786).
Regarding the gender wage gap, the report authors said the disparity begins at the start of careers and is perpetuated over time. The 6 percent difference was present after adjusting for hours worked, geography, years of experience and other factors affecting compensation.
“There is a salary disparity between men and women in the first years of practicing as PAs,” they wrote. “This difference may be compounded as PAs progress through their careers, since salary increases are often based on the previous year’s salary, and new employers often base a PA’s starting salary in part on their previous salary.”
Another important finding was PA salaries were higher in states with laws providing more autonomy to the profession. Specifically, higher compensation was noted in states that permit PA scope of practice to be determined at the practice level; in states that allow PAs to practice without a physician on site; and in states that don’t require a physician to cosign PA charts.
For cardiology specifically, increased utilization of advanced practiced providers (APPs) such as PAs and nurse practitioners is seen as one way to help the aging physician workforce. APPs are also at the center of many ideas to restructure care delivery to improve access to patients.
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.