SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CO
COL Index: 137.11 (+37.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 68.5% Realized
$92,164 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $134,540 $64.68/hr
Effective Tax Drag 25.5% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$34,304 $1,319.37/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $64.68 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$8,072/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,937/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$19,086
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,341
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,951
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,856
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$92,164 ($3,544.77 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Physician Assistant Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $134,540
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $106k 25th $128k Median: $134,540 50th (Median) $135k 75th $162k 90th $176k You: $134,540
10th (Entry) $105,560 $50.75/hr
25th (Junior) $127,920 $61.50/hr
50th (Median) $134,540 $64.68/hr
75th (Senior) $161,790 $77.78/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $175,590 $84.42/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
Junior Physician AssistantARC-PA accredited Master's degree, NCCPA PANCE certification, state licensing
$103,965$49.98/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Staff Physician Assistant (Surgical/Inpatient)First-assist surgical certification, specialty clinical rotations, DEA registration
$124,767$59.98/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Physician Assistant SpecialistAdvanced clinical autonomy, specialized procedural competence, supervision of PA fellows
$144,560$69.50/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Chief Physician Assistant / Clinical DirectorHospital clinical administration, credentialing oversight, departmental leadership
$166,343$79.97/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Physician Assistant Salary Data
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
24% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,831/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,169/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.13/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$134,540-$34,304$92,164$3,544.77
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$159,766-$42,968$107,212$4,123.55
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$184,993-$51,602$122,291$4,703.51
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$210,219-$58,794$138,812$5,338.92
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$235,445-$66,396$154,922$5,958.53
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Colorado tax codes.

Market Baseline
$134,540/yr
$64.68/hr · SOC 29-1071
Statutory Tax Drag
25.5% Effective
-$34,304 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
24% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$5,849/mo
Post-$1,831/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 29-1071
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Physician Assistant roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $134,540, 1.0% below the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $105,560 to $175,590, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 16.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$223,640+66.2%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070+47.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,380+37.0%
Yuba City, CA$183,460+36.4%
Vallejo, CA$179,520+33.4%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,750+28.4%
Napa, CA$172,170+28.0%
Salinas, CA$170,180+26.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$170,060+26.4%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$168,080+24.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340$97.76/hr
Financial Manager$193,400$92.98/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440$92.04/hr
Marketing Managers$182,470$87.73/hr
Sales Managers$181,580$87.30/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,000$86.54/hr
Public Relations Managers$174,260$83.78/hr
Human Resources Managers$170,940$82.18/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,850$81.18/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$165,000$79.33/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 348 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Physician Assistant Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (2026) Overview

Physician Assistant median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $134,540 a year ($64.68/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $134,540 ($64.68 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $105,560 and $175,590. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Physician Assistant in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $134,540, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $97,944 a year ($8,162 a month) after $36,596 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 27.2%, using 2026 tax rules.