SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant Salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ (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 + NJ
COL Index: 124.25 (+24.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 67.5% Realized
$93,732 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $138,880 $66.77/hr
Effective Tax Drag 26.51% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$36,816 $1,415.98/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 $66.77 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$8,333/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,000/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$20,065
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,611
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,014
New Jersey Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$6,126
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$93,732 ($3,605.06 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Trenton-Princeton, NJ Physician Assistant Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $138,880
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $124k 25th $132k Median: $138,880 50th (Median) $139k 75th $162k 90th $189k You: $138,880
10th (Entry) $123,870 $59.55/hr
25th (Junior) $132,060 $63.49/hr
50th (Median) $138,880 $66.77/hr
75th (Senior) $162,180 $77.97/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $188,860 $90.80/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Physician Assistant in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
1
Junior Physician AssistantARC-PA accredited Master's degree, NCCPA PANCE certification, state licensing
$107,318$51.60/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Staff Physician Assistant (Surgical/Inpatient)First-assist surgical certification, specialty clinical rotations, DEA registration
$128,792$61.92/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Physician Assistant SpecialistAdvanced clinical autonomy, specialized procedural competence, supervision of PA fellows
$149,223$71.74/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Chief Physician Assistant / Clinical DirectorHospital clinical administration, credentialing oversight, departmental leadership
$171,709$82.55/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Trenton-Princeton, NJ 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
23% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,764/month Requires minimum annual gross of $70,560
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,242/month Requires minimum annual gross of $89,680
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $27.48/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $27.18/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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ.

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$138,880-$36,816$93,732$3,605.06
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$164,920-$46,241$108,783$4,183.97
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$190,960-$55,267$124,236$4,778.29
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$217,000-$63,231$140,749$5,413.41
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$243,040-$72,124$156,334$6,012.84
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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$138,880/yr
$66.77/hr · SOC 29-1071
Statutory Tax Drag
26.51% Effective
-$36,816 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
23% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,047/mo
Post-$1,764/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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ: Market Snapshot

Physician Assistant roles in Trenton-Princeton, NJ report a median annual wage of $138,880, 2.2% above the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $123,870 to $188,860, and HUD’s $1,764 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 15.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $27.48 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$223,640+61.0%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070+42.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,380+32.8%
Yuba City, CA$183,460+32.1%
Vallejo, CA$179,520+29.3%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,750+24.4%
Napa, CA$172,170+24.0%
Salinas, CA$170,180+22.5%
Urban Honolulu, HI$170,060+22.5%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$168,080+21.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Marketing Managers$208,440$100.21/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$197,420$94.91/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$196,870$94.65/hr
Chief Executives$191,360$92.00/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$186,700$89.76/hr
Financial Manager$184,800$88.85/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$182,230$87.61/hr
General and Operations Managers$181,450$87.24/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,340$86.70/hr
Public Relations Managers$179,330$86.22/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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (2026) Overview

Physician Assistant median pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $138,880 a year ($66.77/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in Trenton-Princeton, NJ 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The median annual wage is $138,880 ($66.77 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $123,870 and $188,860. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Physician Assistant in Trenton-Princeton, NJ after taxes?

On the median wage of $138,880, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $99,534 a year ($8,294 a month) after $39,346 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 28.33%, using 2026 tax rules.