NC · Chapel Hill · Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant jobs in Chapel Hill, NC

Physician Assistants in the Chapel Hill area earn a median of $60.20 per hour, about $125,210 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $52.08 and $66.32. That ranks 222nd of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 229th of 301 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Chapel Hill. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Chapel Hill.

Physician Assistant pay in Chapel Hill, NC

The metro median is 3% below the North Carolina statewide median of $61.80 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 810 physician assistants employed in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 2.35).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$49.79$103,56022% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$52.08$108,33019% below U.S. median
Median$60.20$125,2106% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$66.32$137,9504% above U.S. median
Top 10%$77.31$160,80021% above U.S. median

How Chapel Hill ranks

  • 222nd of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 229th of 301 after adjusting for local prices
  • 9th of 13 North Carolina 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 Chapel Hill

  • Overall prices in Durham-Chapel Hill run 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 1% below the U.S. average (index 98.9).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $60.20 median hour buys what $61.70 buys at the national price level, 4% below 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.

Get the Chapel Hill Physician Assistant pay report

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

Get my free pay report

Estimate your Chapel Hill paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,167
  • Per year: $108,360
  • Per month: $9,030

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

Travel assignment per diem in Chapel Hill

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$140
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,540
13-week assignment$20,020

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).

Open Physician Assistant roles in North Carolina

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Chapel Hill as they open.

PermanentPosted 8 days ago

Physician Assistant

Defense Health Agency · Fort Bragg, NC

$112k–$145k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 887568100
View role
PermanentPosted 28 days ago

Physician Assistant

Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Camp Lejeune, NC

$90k–$116k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 884928200
View role

All Physician Assistant jobs in North Carolina

Hospitals in Chapel Hill

CMS lists 1 hospital in Chapel Hill, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Unc Hospitals
Chapel Hill, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes

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

Primary care shortage areas in Orange County

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Orange County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 18 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
Durham, NC9 mi$60.20/hr301,870
Cary, NC16 mi$60.44/hr182,659
Apex, NC17 mi$60.44/hr75,977
Raleigh, NC23 mi$60.44/hr499,825
Burlington, NC26 mi$52.52/hr61,365
Wake Forest, NC30 mi$60.44/hr56,764

Physician Assistant jobs in North Carolina · Physician Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in North Carolina

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

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

North Carolina state guide

Other healthcare roles in Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physician assistants make in Chapel Hill, NC?

Physician Assistants in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area have a median pay of $60.20 per hour, about $125,210 a year. The middle half earn between $52.08 and $66.32 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Durham-Chapel Hill ranks 229th of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 222nd of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.

Where do physician assistants work in Chapel Hill?

CMS lists 1 hospital in Chapel Hill, led by Unc Hospitals. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Chapel Hill as a physician assistant?

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

Is Chapel Hill in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Orange 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 Chapel Hill?

The federal per diem benchmark in Chapel Hill is $140 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,540 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in Chapel Hill?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Chapel Hill and across North Carolina. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Chapel Hill.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Chapel Hill 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

110+ Physician Assistant roles in North Carolina, 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 Chapel Hill, NC
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PA pay reportTop-paying employers shown · your North Carolina list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Duke University Health SystemMorrisville, NC · 1 wage offer$63.75/ hr$64–$64
  • BrightSpring Health ServicesKINSTON, NC · 2 postings$46.39/ hr$32–$58
  • 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 pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings. Request your North Carolina list

2What they are offering now

Low$37Median$52.88High$82

5 PA postings with published pay in North Carolina, 5 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 5 PA roles

  1. Physician Assistant (Podiatry)Permanent
    $115k–$196k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Salisbury, NC · posted today
  2. Physician AssistantPermanent
    $112k–$145k/ year
    Defense Health Agency · Fort Bragg, NC · posted 8 days ago

+ 3 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