SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant Salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

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 + CA
COL Index: 198.61 (+98.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 61.7% Realized
$138,071 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $223,640 $107.52/hr
Effective Tax Drag 32.26% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$72,151 $2,775.02/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 $107.52 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$13,418/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$3,220/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$39,187
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$11,439
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$3,456
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$15,161
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$2,907
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$138,071 ($5,310.43 / check)
Category 2 of 6

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Physician Assistant Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $223,640
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $100k 25th $167k Median: $223,640 50th (Median) $224k 75th $250k 90th $287k You: $223,640
10th (Entry) $100,240 $48.19/hr
25th (Junior) $167,230 $80.40/hr
50th (Median) $223,640 $107.52/hr
75th (Senior) $250,240 $120.31/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $287,420 $138.18/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Physician Assistant in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
1
Junior Physician AssistantARC-PA accredited Master's degree, NCCPA PANCE certification, state licensing
$172,816$83.08/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Staff Physician Assistant (Surgical/Inpatient)First-assist surgical certification, specialty clinical rotations, DEA registration
$207,395$99.71/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Physician Assistant SpecialistAdvanced clinical autonomy, specialized procedural competence, supervision of PA fellows
$240,296$115.53/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Chief Physician Assistant / Clinical DirectorHospital clinical administration, credentialing oversight, departmental leadership
$276,505$132.94/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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) $2,778/month Requires minimum annual gross of $111,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,272/month Requires minimum annual gross of $130,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $43.92/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $40.18/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

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$223,640-$72,151$138,071$5,310.43
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$265,573-$89,348$160,290$6,165.01
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$307,505-$107,659$181,395$6,976.75
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$349,438-$126,651$201,820$7,762.30
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$391,370-$145,643$222,244$8,547.86
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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$223,640/yr
$107.52/hr · SOC 29-1071
Statutory Tax Drag
32.26% Effective
-$72,151 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
24% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$8,728/mo
Post-$2,778/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: Market Snapshot

Physician Assistant roles in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA report a median annual wage of $223,640, 64.6% above the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $100,240 to $287,420, and HUD’s $2,778 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $43.92 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070-11.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,380-17.6%
Yuba City, CA$183,460-18.0%
Vallejo, CA$179,520-19.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,750-22.8%
Napa, CA$172,170-23.0%
Salinas, CA$170,180-23.9%
Urban Honolulu, HI$170,060-24.0%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$168,080-24.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$167,650-25.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660$140.22/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$263,810$126.83/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590$112.78/hr
Nurse Practitioner$231,560$111.33/hr
Marketing Managers$231,370$111.24/hr
Training and Development Managers$230,020$110.59/hr
Financial Manager$225,280$108.31/hr
Human Resources Managers$220,460$105.99/hr
Registered Nurse (RN)$216,740$104.20/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$215,180$103.45/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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Overview

Physician Assistant median pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $223,640 a year ($107.52/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?

The median annual wage is $223,640 ($107.52 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $100,240 and $287,420. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Physician Assistant in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $223,640, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $146,560 a year ($12,213 a month) after $77,080 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 34.47%, using 2026 tax rules.