CA · Fresno · Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant jobs in Fresno, CA

Pay for physician assistants in the Fresno area centers on $72.43 per hour, or about $150,650 a year. The lower quarter earns under $60.54 and the upper quarter over $82.03. The CMS hospital directory lists 5 hospitals in Fresno. That ranks 27th of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 38th of 301 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Fresno.

Open Physician Assistant roles near Fresno

Roles in other cities of the Fresno area.

More open Physician Assistant roles in Fresno

1 more open role from employers in Fresno. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Physician Assistant I

Kaiser Permanente · Fresno, CA

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Physician Assistant pay in Fresno, CA

The metro median is 6% below the California statewide median of $77.44 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 350 physician assistants employed in the Fresno metro area, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.74).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$32.51$67,62049% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$60.54$125,9206% below U.S. median
Median$72.43$150,65013% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$82.03$170,62028% above U.S. median
Top 10%$98.55$204,98054% above U.S. median

How Fresno ranks

  • 27th of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 38th of 301 after adjusting for local prices
  • 14th of 21 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Fresno

  • Overall prices in Fresno run 2% above the U.S. average (index 102.2, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 4% below the U.S. average (index 95.7).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $72.43 median hour buys what $70.90 buys at the national price level, 11% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Fresno paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,607
  • Per year: $130,374
  • Per month: $10,865

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Fresno metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Fresno

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$129
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,505
13-week assignment$19,565

Travel physician assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Fresno

CMS lists 5 hospitals in Fresno, 2 of the 4 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Fresno Va Medical Center (Va Central California Healthcare System)
Fresno, CA
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno
Fresno, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Saint Agnes Medical Center
Fresno, CA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Community Regional Medical Center
Fresno, CA
Acute careNonprofit1 of 5Yes
Fresno Surgical Hospital
Fresno, CA
Acute careFor-profitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Fresno County

HRSA lists 36 active primary care shortage designations that include Fresno County (3 geographic, 3 population-group, 30 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 24 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Physician Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Clovis, CA7 mi$72.43/hr127,993
Madera, CA21 mi$72.43/hr69,094
Hanford, CA32 mi$75.20/hr60,594
Visalia, CA41 mi$70.84/hr146,271
Tulare, CA47 mi$70.84/hr72,601
Merced, CA52 mi$70.45/hr96,073

Physician Assistant jobs in California · Physician Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Fresno

Fresno city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physician assistants make in Fresno, CA?

Physician Assistants in the Fresno metro area have a median pay of $72.43 per hour, about $150,650 a year. The middle half earn between $60.54 and $82.03 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Fresno a good place for physician assistants once cost of living is counted?

Fresno ranks 38th of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 27th of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physician assistants in Fresno?

We list 2 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in the Fresno area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Fresno.

Do I need a California license to work in Fresno as a physician assistant?

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Fresno in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 36 active primary care shortage designations that include Fresno County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Fresno?

The federal per diem benchmark in Fresno is $129 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,505 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in Fresno?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Fresno and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Fresno.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · PA near Fresno, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PA pay reportFresno, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Stanford Children's HealthPALO ALTO, CA · 4 postings$104.30/ hr$94–$115
  • Valley Children's HealthcareMadera, CA · 3 postings$103.69/ hr$75–$123
  • MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 4 postings$100.70/ hr$86–$108
  • Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 2 postings$96.72/ hr$80–$114

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$71Median$86.92High$108

62 PA postings with published pay in California, 58 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 62 PA roles

  1. Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant - Primary Care (Full time) Lakewood, CAPermanent
    $131k–$160k/ year
    MemorialCare · Lakewood, CA · posted yesterday
  2. Family Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - Sign-On Bonus Available - 4 days in clinic, 1 day remoteRemote
    $165k–$197k/ year
    One Medical · Remote (CA hiring) · posted 2 days ago

+ 60 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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