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What to Pay a Physician Assistant in Tampa, FL (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$125,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$109K–$144K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.8%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~32
Tampa metro average
To hire a Physician Assistant in Tampa at market, plan on a base salary range of $109,000 to $144,000, with $125,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 32 days, expect to lead at $144K–$165K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Florida does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your PA pay range in Tampa

Three pay positions, modeled against current Tampa market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$95K–$109K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Tampa average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$118.6K–$132.6K
Default for most Tampa employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~32 days. A range width of ~30% (min $109,000 to max $144,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a PA's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$136.4K–$165K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

PA salary percentile distribution in Tampa, FL

Where the Tampa market actually sits for PA base pay.

10th $95K
25th $109K
Median $125K
75th $144K
90th $165K

Most Tampa employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($125,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $109,000 and a max of $144,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Florida pay transparency compliance for PA job postings

What you must post when hiring a PA in Florida.

Not required statewide. Florida has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a PA role in Tampa, a compliant good-faith range looks like $109,000 to $144,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $109,000–$144,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top PA employers in Tampa — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring PAs in the Tampa metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
BayCare Health System Health system $118K–$148K Very common ($8K–$15K)
AdventHealth Health system $118K–$148K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Tampa General Hospital Academic medical center $118K–$148K Very common ($8K–$15K)
HCA Florida (West Florida Healthcare) Health system $118K–$148K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Johns Hopkins All Children's Pediatric specialty $118K–$148K Very common ($8K–$15K)

PA talent supply and hiring difficulty in Tampa

How hard is it to fill a PA role in Tampa.

~32
Avg Days to Fill
~1,000
Active Postings
~3,750
Tampa PA Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Tampa PA market anchored by hospital systems, urgent care networks, and specialty practices. Surgical PA and emergency medicine PA command specialty premiums.

Skill premiums PA candidates command in Tampa, FL

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Surgical PA (CAQ-CV, CAQ-Ortho) +10–15% Very high
Emergency medicine PA +8–13% Very high
Bilingual Spanish +4–7% High
DEA prescriptive authority Required Standard

PA total compensation in Tampa — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for PAs in Tampa. "Prevalence" reflects share of Tampa disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Tampa Postings
Base salary $125,000 (median) 100%
Productivity bonus (RVU-based) $12K–$35K ~62%
Sign-on bonus $9K–$20K ~64%
Loan repayment (FQHCs) $25K–$50K total ~22%
CME allowance $3,000–$5,500/yr ~90%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$148K–$175K

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

PA pay by setting in Tampa — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the PA range splits by employer type in the Tampa metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Primary care $112,000 $100K–$128K Moderate
Hospital (hospitalist) $132,000 $118K–$150K Very high
Surgical PA $145,000 $130K–$165K Very high
Emergency medicine $138,000 $122K–$155K Very high
Urgent care $118,000 $105K–$132K Moderate

FAQ: hiring a Physician Assistant in Tampa, FL

Market median is $125,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $125,000 — typically $109,000 to $144,000. To lead the market, plan on $144K–$165K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Florida. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $109,000–$144,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$112,000 falls below the Tampa market median of $125,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 64% of Tampa PA postings include a sign-on bonus ($9K–$20K). Surgical and EM specialties command highest premiums.
Average fill time is approximately 32 days in the Tampa metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($144K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($109K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Tampa-metro posting volume: BayCare Health System, AdventHealth, Tampa General Hospital, HCA Florida (West Florida Healthcare), Johns Hopkins All Children's lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for PA in Tampa — for example, $109,000 to $144,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Florida has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related PA pay benchmarks — Florida metros and nearby nursing roles

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.