Physician Assistants Salary in Akron, OH (2026)

Purchasing Power: The Metric That Counts

You're looking at $119,528. That's the number. But here's what actually matters: that salary has the purchasing power of $138,986 in an average American city.

Akron's cost of living index sits at 86—meaning everything from rent to groceries costs 14% less than the national baseline. Your dollar stretches. That $119,528 buys what would require $138,986 in Denver or Boston or Austin.

This isn't a small gap. This is $19,458 of annual advantage hiding inside a below-average headline number.

The Part Nobody Talks About

You're earning $11,038 less than the national average for PAs. That stings. Most people stop there and assume they're getting shortchanged.

They're wrong.

The national average of $130,490 is pulled from expensive metros where a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,800 and a gallon of milk is $4.50. Akron isn't that place. Your effective salary advantage—$138,986 in purchasing power—means you're actually ahead of the typical PA nationwide when you account for what your money actually buys.

If you're a Physician Assistant earning $119,528 in Akron, here's what your Tuesday actually looks like: You rent a two-bedroom house for $1,100 a month. Groceries run $400 weekly. Your car payment is $350. After taxes (Ohio's income tax is 3.99% on your bracket), you're clearing roughly $8,200 monthly take-home. That's $3,500 left after housing, food, and transportation. Most PAs in high-cost cities? They're breaking even or going backward.

Salary Range — Where Do You Fall?

The 25th percentile sits at $99,019. The 75th percentile reaches $138,975. The median is $119,098—almost exactly the average.

That tight clustering tells you something: Akron's PA market is stable and predictable. You're not seeing wild swings based on specialty or employer. Whether you land at $99K or $139K depends mostly on experience, credentials, and negotiation skill—not luck.

The $39,956 gap between the bottom and top quartile is real money. It's the difference between comfortable and genuinely secure.

How to close the gap

• Pursue a specialty certification (emergency medicine, orthopedics, cardiology) — specialists in Akron command $15K–$25K premiums over generalists
• Negotiate sign-on bonuses and loan forgiveness — rural-adjacent Akron employers often sweeten offers to attract talent; ask for $5K–$10K upfront
• Track your market value annually — the 4.6% YoY growth means your salary should rise; if your employer offers less than 3%, you're falling behind

Benchmark: Akron vs the Country

Akron's PA salaries are growing at 4.6% year-over-year. That's solid. It suggests steady demand, likely driven by aging populations in Ohio and healthcare consolidation pulling talent to mid-sized metros. The growth rate isn't explosive, but it's consistent—no boom, no bust. You won't get rich quick here, but you won't watch your salary stagnate either.

Before You Accept the Offer

Here's the catch: Akron's lower cost of living masks a real tax burden. Ohio's income tax (3.99%) plus federal withholding will take roughly 28–32% of your gross salary. Your $119,528 becomes $81,000–$86,000 take-home annually. That's before health insurance premiums, student loan payments, or retirement contributions. Budget accordingly.

Is Akron Right for You?

• Choose Akron if: You're early-career, want to build savings aggressively, and don't mind a slower-paced city—your purchasing power advantage means you'll accumulate wealth faster than peers in coastal metros.
• Skip Akron if: You're chasing the highest absolute salary or need a major metro's job mobility and networking—you'll earn more in absolute dollars elsewhere, even after cost-of-living adjustments.

Here's My Take

Akron is underrated for PAs. The salary looks weak until you do the math on purchasing power, then it flips. You're not taking a pay cut—you're taking a smarter financial position. Before you accept, verify the employer's benefits package (health insurance, CME allowance, loan repayment) and confirm the specialty aligns with your five-year plan. That's where the real negotiation happens.