Headline risk
0%
Very Low RiskPhysician assistants
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 4% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 133,260
Employment 2024
162.7K
Projected Change (2024–34)
20.4%
Openings (2024–34)
12.0K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 20 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients. AI use: 0%
- 2. Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition. AI use: 0%
- 3. Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal. AI use: 78%
- 4. Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination. AI use: 0%
- 5. Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval. AI use: 0%
- 6. Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 38.0 · 153K employed
Under 25: 3% · 25–54: 88% · 55+: 9%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.
Physician assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings. Most work full time.
To enter the occupation, physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited program. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
The median annual wage for physician assistants was $133,260 in May 2024.
Employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 20 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.