PermanentPosted 3 days ago
Nurse Practitioner - Physician Assistant
BrightSpring Health Services · Greeneville, TN
$66k–$100k/ year
New this week
Physician Assistant jobs in Chattanooga, TN
Pay for physician assistants in the Chattanooga area centers on $60.17 per hour, or about $125,160 a year. The lower quarter earns under $49.80 and the upper quarter over $62.58. That ranks 223rd of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 139th of 301 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Chattanooga.
- $60.17median pay per hour, Chattanooga
- $50–$63typical range per hour
- 200physician assistants employed in the metro area
- 91cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
Physician Assistant pay in Chattanooga, TN
The metro median is 10% above the Tennessee statewide median of $54.80 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 200 physician assistants employed in the Chattanooga metro area, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.75).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $45.30 | $94,220 | 29% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $49.80 | $103,580 | 22% below U.S. median |
| Median | $60.17 | $125,160 | 6% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $62.58 | $130,170 | 2% below U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $63.25 | $131,560 | 1% below U.S. median |
How Chattanooga ranks
- 223rd of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 139th of 301 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 9 Tennessee 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 Chattanooga
- Overall prices in Chattanooga run 9% below the U.S. average (index 91.5, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 23% below the U.S. average (index 76.5).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $60.17 median hour buys what $65.79 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.
Get the Chattanooga Physician Assistant pay report
Named employers near Chattanooga, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportEstimate your Chattanooga paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,166
- Per year: $108,306
- Per month: $9,026
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Chattanooga metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Chattanooga
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $117 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $74 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,337 |
| 13-week assignment | $17,381 |
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 Tennessee
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Chattanooga as they open.
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Nurse Practitioner - Physician Assistant
BrightSpring Health Services · Nashville, TN
$100k–$120k/ year
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
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Hospitals in Chattanooga
CMS lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga, 3 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Healthcare System, Inc Chattanooga, TN | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | No |
| Erlanger Medical Center Chattanooga, TN | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Parkridge Medical Center Chattanooga, TN | Acute care | For-profit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Erlanger Behavioral Hospital, Llc Chattanooga, TN | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
| Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute Chattanooga, TN | Psychiatric | Government and federal | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Hamilton County
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 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
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, TN | 23 mi | $52.64/hr | 50,232 |
| Huntsville, AL | 85 mi | $51.10/hr | 230,402 |
| Murfreesboro, TN | 86 mi | $59.62/hr | 168,387 |
| Marietta, GA | 87 mi | $51.87/hr | 63,122 |
| Roswell, GA | 87 mi | $51.87/hr | 92,227 |
| Alpharetta, GA | 88 mi | $51.87/hr | 67,275 |
Physician Assistant jobs in Tennessee · Physician Assistant jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in Tennessee
Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.
Other healthcare roles in Chattanooga
Chattanooga city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do physician assistants make in Chattanooga, TN?
Physician Assistants in the Chattanooga metro area have a median pay of $60.17 per hour, about $125,160 a year. The middle half earn between $49.80 and $62.58 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Chattanooga a good place for physician assistants once cost of living is counted?
Chattanooga ranks 139th of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 223rd of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% below the U.S. average.
Where do physician assistants work in Chattanooga?
CMS lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga, led by Memorial Healthcare System, Inc. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Chattanooga as a physician assistant?
Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Chattanooga in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton 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 Chattanooga?
The federal per diem benchmark in Chattanooga is $117 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,337 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in Chattanooga?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Chattanooga and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Chattanooga.
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What do employers near Chattanooga 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.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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70+ Physician Assistant roles in Tennessee, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your PA pay reportTop-paying employers shown · your Tennessee list by name comes with the full report
1Pay for your role at other employers
- UT Medical Group, Inc.Memphis, TN · 1 wage offer$57.52/ hr$58–$58
- BrightSpring Health ServicesGREENEVILLE, TN · 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 Tennessee list
2What they are offering now
Low$49Median$70.67High$89
426 PA postings with published pay in the US, 356 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 2 PA roles
- Nurse Practitioner - Physician AssistantPermanent$66k–$100k/ year
- Nurse Practitioner - Physician AssistantPermanent$100k–$120k/ year
Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.