SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant Salary in Winston-Salem, NC (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 + NC
COL Index: 102.58 (+2.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.0% Realized
$90,264 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $130,730 $62.85/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.95% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$32,622 $1,254.69/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 $62.85 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,844/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,883/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$18,227
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,105
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,896
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,394
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$90,264 ($3,471.70 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Winston-Salem, NC Physician Assistant Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $130,730
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $105k 25th $118k Median: $130,730 50th (Median) $131k 75th $144k 90th $169k You: $130,730
10th (Entry) $104,580 $50.28/hr
25th (Junior) $117,940 $56.70/hr
50th (Median) $130,730 $62.85/hr
75th (Senior) $144,470 $69.46/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $169,210 $81.35/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Physician Assistant in Winston-Salem, NC
1
Junior Physician AssistantARC-PA accredited Master's degree, NCCPA PANCE certification, state licensing
$101,020$48.57/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Staff Physician Assistant (Surgical/Inpatient)First-assist surgical certification, specialty clinical rotations, DEA registration
$121,234$58.29/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Physician Assistant SpecialistAdvanced clinical autonomy, specialized procedural competence, supervision of PA fellows
$140,466$67.53/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Chief Physician Assistant / Clinical DirectorHospital clinical administration, credentialing oversight, departmental leadership
$161,633$77.71/hr · 8+ Years
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Winston-Salem, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
16% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,224/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,960
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,332/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,280
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.69/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.52/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 Winston-Salem, NC.

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$130,730-$32,622$90,264$3,471.70
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$155,242-$40,946$104,981$4,037.73
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$179,754-$49,271$119,698$4,603.76
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$204,266-$56,408$135,602$5,215.45
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$228,778-$63,433$151,618$5,831.45
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 Winston-Salem, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$130,730/yr
$62.85/hr · SOC 29-1071
Statutory Tax Drag
24.95% Effective
-$32,622 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
16% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,298/mo
Post-$1,224/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 Winston-Salem, NC: Market Snapshot

Physician Assistant roles in Winston-Salem, NC report a median annual wage of $130,730, 3.8% below the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $104,580 to $169,210, and HUD’s $1,224 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 11.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.69 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$223,640+71.1%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070+51.5%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,380+41.0%
Yuba City, CA$183,460+40.3%
Vallejo, CA$179,520+37.3%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,750+32.1%
Napa, CA$172,170+31.7%
Salinas, CA$170,180+30.2%
Urban Honolulu, HI$170,060+30.1%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$168,080+28.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$273,710$131.59/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,900$77.36/hr
Marketing Managers$160,570$77.20/hr
Fundraising Managers$158,460$76.18/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$155,200$74.62/hr
Financial Manager$155,030$74.53/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$148,710$71.50/hr
Public Relations Managers$140,680$67.63/hr
Human Resources Managers$137,110$65.92/hr
Sales Managers$132,550$63.73/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 Winston-Salem, NC (2026) Overview

Physician Assistant median pay in Winston-Salem, NC is $130,730 a year ($62.85/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in Winston-Salem, NC 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 Winston-Salem, NC?

The median annual wage is $130,730 ($62.85 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $104,580 and $169,210. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Physician Assistant in Winston-Salem, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $130,730, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $95,913 a year ($7,993 a month) after $34,817 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.63%, using 2026 tax rules.