Physician Assistant.
Detroit.
$124,000
median salary, 7% below the national average
$107,000 to $150,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Physician Assistant in Detroit earns a median of $124,000 in 2026. That is 7% below the national average. The range runs from $107,000 to $150,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Surgical subspecialties and emergency medicine pay the highest PA salaries, often 20 to 30% above primary care. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Physician Assistant in Detroit, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $131,830 for Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan area, based on 2,400 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$103,800
25th percentile
$121,800
Median
$131,830
75th percentile
$143,030
90th percentile
$157,870
Workers surveyed
2,400
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071) rather than Physician Assistant specifically. The Detroit range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1071Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $111,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$81,000
to $99,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$105,000
to $130,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$136,000
to $161,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$155,000
to $192,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $33,000 to the total package.
Base
$124,000
Equity
$19,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $157,000
How Detroit compares.
Detroit, MI
$124,000
Cost of living: 10% below average
National Average
$133,000
Detroit is $9,000 below
Physician Assistant salary by city.
Salary by role in Detroit.
What you should know.
The Physician Assistant landscape in Detroit is not what most salary sites will tell you. Detroit's economy is transforming as the automotive industry pivots to electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology. Ford, GM, and a growing cluster of mobility startups are investing billions in the region. The city's low cost of living paired with rising tech salaries makes it one of the highest purchasing power metros for engineering roles. 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 Detroit, 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: michigan has a flat 4.25% state income tax. Detroit adds a city income tax of 2.4% for residents. Factor the city tax into your calculations if living within city limits. When someone quotes you $124,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight EV and autonomous vehicle expertise. Detroit employers are paying significant premiums for talent with electric vehicle, battery tech, or self driving experience. The range for Physician Assistants in Detroit runs from $107,000 to $150,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Physician Assistant salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Detroit.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Physician Assistant Salary in Detroit, MI." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/physician-assistant/detroit
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