Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Physician Assistants actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 32.6% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Physician Assistants earning $165,650 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $165,650 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$29,294 | 17.7% |
| California State Income Tax | -$12,058 | 7.3% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$10,270 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$2,401 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$54,025 | 32.6% |
| Take-Home Pay | $111,624 | 67.4% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Physician Assistants in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $99,380 | -$27,202 | $72,177 | 27.4% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $136,730 | -$42,182 | $94,547 | 30.9% |
| Median (P50) | $165,650 | -$54,025 | $111,624 | 32.6% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $206,990 | -$68,671 | $138,318 | 33.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $225,190 | -$76,615 | $148,574 | 34.0% |
A Physician Assistants in California faces a combined 32.6% effective tax rate, taking home $111,624 out of $165,650. The progressive (up to 13.3%) adds $12,058 on top of federal and FICA taxes. In a no-income-tax state, this salary would yield approximately $123,683 — a difference of $12,058/year.
At an effective 32.6% combined tax rate, California takes one of the larger bites out of a Physician Assistants's paycheck. Take-home settles at $111,625 from $165,650 gross after all withholdings.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Physician Assistants salary the state tax works out to $12,058 (7.3% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Physician Assistants salary is $29,294 (54%), but combined state ($12,058, 22%) + FICA ($12,672, 23%) make up the other 46% of the bill.
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Physician Assistants earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $123,683 — an extra $12,058 (10.8%) annually compared with California.
For Physician Assistants after-tax pay, California ranks #5 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $111,625 net/year works out to $9,302/month or $4,293/bi-weekly for this Physician Assistants in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Physician Assistants keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #5 out of 51 states for Physician Assistants after-tax take-home pay.
A Physician Assistants in California earning a median salary of $165,650 will take home approximately $111,624 per year after federal income tax ($29,294), state income tax ($12,058), and FICA ($12,672). That is $9,302 per month or $4,293 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Physician Assistants in California is 32.6%, broken down as: federal income tax 17.7%, California state tax 7.3%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Physician Assistants's median salary of $165,650, the state income tax amounts to $12,058 per year, which is an effective state rate of 7.3%.
After all taxes, a Physician Assistants in California takes home approximately $9,302 per month, or about $53.67 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $165,650 for Physician Assistants in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $111,624/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR