Career comparison
Physician assistant vs. Family doctor
Family doctors earn more: a median of $244,180, $108,300 (80%) above physician assistants at $135,880.
Physician assistants have the stronger outlook: +21% projected growth through 2035, vs. +3%.
Getting in is faster for physician assistants: about 3.9 years vs. 8.5 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Physician assistant | Family doctor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $135,880 | $244,180 |
| Top 10% earn over | $190,280 | $428,550 |
| Growth to 2035 | +21% | +3% |
| Openings per year | 11,500 | 2,900 |
| Jobs today | 168,900 | 114,300 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Time to qualify* | 3.9 years | 8.5 years |
| Training cost* | $94K–$217K | $260K–$460K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Physician assistant
Family doctor
Switching from one to the other
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Physician assistantFamily doctor
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Getting in
Physician assistant
- Entry education
- Master's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: PANCE certification exam · State PA license
Family doctor
- Entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
Required: MCAT · USMLE Steps 1–3 · State medical license · Board certification
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Physician assistant: 68% usually work over 40 hours a weekFamily doctor: 42% usually work over 40 hours a week
Physician assistant: core tasks
- Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
- Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
- Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
- Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
- Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
Family doctor: core tasks
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making.
New for a physician assistant moving to family doctor: Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.
New for a family doctor moving to physician assistant: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation.
Interests (Holland codes): Physician assistant: Social, Investigative, Conventional. Family doctor: Social, Investigative, Conventional.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Physician assistant
+21%
much faster than average · 11,500 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Family doctor
+3%
about as fast as average · 2,900 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a physician assistant or a family doctor?
Family doctors earn more: a median of $244,180, $108,300 (80%) above physician assistants at $135,880.
Which has the better job outlook?
Physician assistants have the stronger outlook: +21% projected growth through 2035, vs. +3%.
How long does it take to become a family doctor?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 8.5 years, with tuition of roughly $260,000 to $460,000. Required: MCAT, USMLE Steps 1–3, State medical license, Board certification.
How long does it take to become a physician assistant?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 3.9 years, with tuition of roughly $93,600 to $216,500. Required: PANCE certification exam, State PA license.