How Much $$$ Do You Make? Poll (Pt.2)

[SoCal_PA]

The last poll in Jan 2017 had 215 responses. Time for round 2. Votes are anonymous. 

 

Select your GROSS (before taxes and other deductions) income which includes your base pay plus bonuses. Again, this is as informal as it gets. We all know years in practice and location play a huge impact on these numbers. 

 

 

***EDIT: I edited the poll in order to add more options at the top end. As of writing this, there were 3 people who selected " >$180k" which is now the option "$180k-190k"

Edited October 3, 2018 by SoCal_PA

[ventana]

Done. 

 

Only work 20 hours so

[Boatswain2PA]

Which year?  I doubt I'll make as much this year as I did last year.

 

[SoCal_PA]

***EDIT: I edited the poll in order to add more options at the top end. As of writing this, there were 3 people who selected " >$180k" which is now the option "$180k-190k"

 

 

I thought I left enough headroom but some of you people are doing very very well it seems

[SoCal_PA]

11 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Which year?  I doubt I'll make as much this year as I did last year.

 

I guess I would go with the previous year since you are unsure of what you will be taking in this year?

[Boatswain2PA]

Ok.  I grossed a hair shy of $200k for PA work last year, almost all of it as a 1099 (which deducts 7.5% of $135k from the value, or $10,125 from that value when comparing to W-2 employees)

But then again I deducted enough mileage to buy a new car.

 

[ohiovolffemtp]

Another 2 key things: 1 job vs many, e.g. extra PT job, how many hours: EM pays hourly so the more you work the more you make.

[kidpresentable]

On 10/2/2018 at 12:24 PM, SoCal_PA said:

We all know years in practice and location play a huge impact on these numbers.

I’m trying to think of a way to include other factors like this while maintaining anonymity - that would be pretty informative. I suppose there’s always the AAPA report though

[SoCal_PA]

10 hours ago, ohiovolffemtp said:

Another 2 key things: 1 job vs many, e.g. extra PT job, how many hours: EM pays hourly so the more you work the more you make.

Everyone will interpret this differently and everyone has different situations. This is not scientific. Just, "How much do you make as a PA?"

[EMEDPA]

11 hours ago, ohiovolffemtp said:

Another 2 key things: 1 job vs many, e.g. extra PT job, how many hours: EM pays hourly so the more you work the more you make.

true. my base pay from my primary job is less than 2/3rd of my total income(62.5% actually) because I have 2 per diem jobs and teach as well. I just added them all up for my answer to this poll.

[SoCal_PA]

Here is my current breakdown 

 

Primary job with benefits: M-F 35 hrs/week on average. $140k 

 

ER gig 1-2x/month on weekends. 10hr shifts. Using 18 shifts/yr, comes out to $13.5k 

 

For a total of $153.5k this year. I’ve been a PA for 2 years now but I do live in a relatively high cost of living area 

[EMEDPA]

12 minutes ago, SoCal_PA said:

Here is my current breakdown 

 

Primary job with benefits: M-F 35 hrs/week on average. $140k 

 

ER gig 1-2x/month on weekends. 10hr shifts. Using 18 shifts/yr, comes out to $13.5k 

 

For a total of $153.5k this year. I’ve been a PA for 2 years now but I do live in a relatively high cost of living area 

>150k 2 tears out is awesome. I didn't make that much until probably 15 years out, working lots of hours.

It's great PA salaries are increasing. When I was in PA school in the early 90s they polled our class on what an appropriate starting salary would be and we all said around 40k. things have changed a bit. my first job in 1996 had a base pay of 58k and with a small amount of OT I made 70k year 1 and have gotten at least 5k more every year through a combination of working multiple jobs and most recently teaching. don't underestimate the power of working overtime and nights/weekends/holidays. those differentials really add up. when I worked on a holiday at my 2nd job I was making more per hour than the docs I worked with because I got double time as a union member and they got straight pay.

[SoCal_PA]

12 minutes ago, EMEDPA said:

>150k 2 tears out is awesome. I didn't make that much until probably 15 years out, working lots of hours.

It's great PA salaries are increasing. When I was in PA school in the early 90s they polled our class on what an appropriate starting salary would be and we all said around 40k. things have changed a bit. my first job in 1996 had a base pay of 58k and with a small amount of OT I made 70k year 1 and have gotten at least 5k more every year through a combination of working multiple jobs and most recently teaching. don't underestimate the power of working overtime and nights/weekends/holidays. those differentials really add up. when I worked on a holiday at my 2nd job I was making more per hour than the docs I worked with because I got double time as a union member and they got straight pay.

That’s not too bad. Using an inflation adjuster, $70k in 1996 is $114k in today’s money. And $40k in early 90’s money is about $75k. 

There’s definitely an improvement in pay, but there are still new grads out there taking jobs for $75-80k unfortunately for us and them

[sas5814]

My base is 154 k and with OT I'm on track to make about 170-180 this year. For my second job I drink a lot of Scotch.

[PbagJones]

I work in critical care. I did a one year residency in critical care and now am in my first year on my own at the same hospital. my base salary this year is 110k, working 3 twelves a week. With overtime I’m on track to make around 135-140k this year. I live in NYC, so unfortunately that doesn’t go as far as most places.

[kolkol]

40 hrs/week, 105k. new grad in michigan. i probably wont get a side gig until I feel more comfortable at my full time job

[Lexapro]

I feel like polls like these aren't helpful unless people stipulate what specialty, how many hours they work, if they get benefits or not, major metro vs. rural, etc.

[EMEDPA]

1 hour ago, Lexapro said:

I feel like polls like these aren't helpful unless people stipulate what specialty, how many hours they work, if they get benefits or not, major metro vs. rural, etc.

true. I get a top 5% salary for 45-50 hrs/week doing EM in rural critical access hospitals, but am 1099 so a lot of that goes to taxes . zero benefits except malpractice. also teach on the side, 2 courses/ term online. 

[Guest ERCat]

ER, out three years. My base for 37ish hours a week is about 140K and then when you count in some minor admin duties and bonuses, I expect to make around 240K this year. CME, malpractice, and benefits (medical, dental, life, etc)

Edited October 7, 2018 by ERCat

[SoCal_PA]

On 10/7/2018 at 10:42 AM, ERCat said:

ER, out three years. My base for 37ish hours a week is about 140K and then when you count in some minor admin duties and bonuses, I expect to make around 240K this year. CME, malpractice, and benefits (medical, dental, life, etc)

Minor admin duties for an extra $100k? Count me in

[Guest ERCat]

13 hours ago, SoCal_PA said:

Minor admin duties for an extra $100k? Count me in

Haha! No! Seriously minor, like ten hours a month of admin stuff. Most of that is from RVU bonuses which as we all know are variable.

[jeepgirl]

ED, recent new grad with almost 3 months on the job. Central California - an area where new development home prices start in mid $300k. I work 180 hrs/month (18 × 10 hr shifts). I also accrue another 8-10 hrs/month for dictation. With cashing out of PTO, I anticipate making between $170-180K for my first year. 

[cbrsmurf]

Work ENT in Southern California for Kaiser Permanente (huge medical group present in the West Coast).  PA's here are unionized with the nursing union, so pay is the same across the board for all NP/PA's (with the exception of PA I and PA II levels).  Pay goes in steps/years working, and is hourly.  Doesn't matter what if you are primary care or specialty.  In Southern California, new grad NP/PA I's start at $65/hr with excellent benefits and vested in pension after 5 years.  PA I's with ~20 years experience top at around $85/hr, I believe.  PA II's average about $5-10 more an hour.  CoL is high in California.

[EMEDPA]

8 minutes ago, cbrsmurf said:

Work ENT in Southern California for Kaiser Permanente (huge medical group present in the West Coast).  PA's here are unionized with the nursing union, so pay is the same across the board for all NP/PA's (with the exception of PA I and PA II levels).  Pay goes in steps/years working, and is hourly.  Doesn't matter what if you are primary care or specialty.  In Southern California, new grad NP/PA I's start at $65/hr with excellent benefits and vested in pension after 5 years.  PA I's with ~20 years experience top at around $85/hr, I believe.  PA II's average about $5-10 more an hour.  CoL is high in California.

PAs are union with KP in OR and WA as well. same salary scale with much lower COL. also differentials for nights/weekends/holidays and sabbatical for 6 months every 7 years at 1/2 pay. I worked there for 8 years. great money and benefits, but PAs are not treated will here. I worked as a PA for KP in CA as my first job and was treated very well. It all has to do with regional medical directors and their perceptions of PAs. one of the ones up here think PAs should be specialty "technicians" and not pcps.....

[cbrsmurf]

2 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

PAs are union with KP in OR and WA as well. same salary scale with much lower COL. also differentials for nights/weekends/holidays and sabbatical for 6 months every 7 years at 1/2 pay. I worked there for 8 years. great money and benefits, but PAs are not treated will here. I worked as a PA for KP in CA as my first job and was treated very well. It all has to do with regional medical directors and their perceptions of PAs. one of the ones up here think PAs should be specialty "technicians" and not pcps.....

That is what I have heard, regarding treatment of PA's.  From what I hear, it depends on specialty and region.  Fortunately the PA's in my department are given both a lot of autonomy and support.  on the other hand, some primary care PA's/NP's don't even have MA's and have to room their own patients!