CA · La Mesa · Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant jobs in La Mesa, CA

Physician Assistants in the La Mesa area earn a median of $73.81 per hour, about $153,530 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $58.72 and $82.72. That ranks 21st of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 133rd of 301 once local prices are factored in. 5 open roles with published pay are listed for La Mesa. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near La Mesa.

Open Physician Assistant roles in La Mesa

Get the La Mesa Physician Assistant pay report

Named employers near La Mesa, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

Who is hiring physician assistants near La Mesa

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp HealthCare3$92.12
Sharp Healthcare2$96.72

Physician Assistant pay in La Mesa, CA

The metro median is 5% below the California statewide median of $77.44 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 1,100 physician assistants employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.71).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$46.09$95,87028% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$58.72$122,1408% below U.S. median
Median$73.81$153,53015% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$82.72$172,06029% above U.S. median
Top 10%$102.83$213,89060% above U.S. median

How La Mesa ranks

  • 21st of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 133rd of 301 after adjusting for local prices
  • 11th 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 La Mesa

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $73.81 median hour buys what $65.97 buys at the national price level, 3% 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 La Mesa paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,657
  • Per year: $132,858
  • Per month: $11,072

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in La Mesa

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

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 La Mesa

CMS lists 2 hospitals in La Mesa, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Grossmont Hospital
La Mesa, CA
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste
La Mesa, CA
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

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

Primary care shortage areas in San Diego County

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County (4 population-group, 21 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 20 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
El Cajon, CA4 mi$73.81/hr103,291
Santee, CA6 mi$73.81/hr59,104
Temecula, CA50 mi$80.16/hr112,431

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 La Mesa

La Mesa city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physician assistants make in La Mesa, CA?

Physician Assistants in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $73.81 per hour, about $153,530 a year. The middle half earn between $58.72 and $82.72 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 133rd of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 21st of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physician assistants in La Mesa?

We list 5 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in La Mesa. Your free report adds named employers and pay near La Mesa.

Do I need a California license to work in La Mesa 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 La Mesa in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego 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 La Mesa?

The federal per diem benchmark in La Mesa is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in La Mesa?

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

Free for every candidate

What do employers near La Mesa pay physician assistants? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

230+ Physician Assistant roles in California, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

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 La Mesa, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

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

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 2 postings$96.72/ hr$80–$114
  • Sharp HealthCareLa Mesa, CA · 3 postings$92.12/ hr$80–$104
  • 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

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.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay