Overview
Methodology
Calculations
Results
The American Academy of Physician Assistants has conducted a Census Survey of PAs in each year since 1991. In 2008, the Census asked respondents to report the amount of money they expected to receive for ten distinct categories of compensation in calendar year 2008. This analysis examines the proportion of total income represented by base pay and the number and percentage of respondents who reported various amounts for each of the other compensation types.
As part of the 2008 AAPA Physician Assistant Census, respondents were asked to report the total income they expected to receive in 2008. Respondents were also asked to report the amount of money they expected to receive in 2008 for the following ten compensations types:
For this analysis, we excluded responses from individuals whose reported total income differed from the sum of their compensation types by more than $2500 times the number of compensation types reported. We did this because total income and each compensation type were collected primarily in increments of $5,000 and the midpoint of each increment was used to represent the response. Therefore, it is reasonable for the sum of the categories to differ from total income by as much as 2500 times the number of compensation types reported.
We exclude from this analysis responses from government employed PAs, as we found that they are much less likely than their private sector counterparts to receive compensation over and above their base pay. There was one noteworthy exception to this finding: nearly one-quarter (23%) of PAs in the Army reported receiving bonuses in excess of $10,000; 15% reported receiving bonuses in excess of $20,000. Since these bonuses were not based on productivity or performance, we assume that they were an incentive for re-enlisting during this time of war and therefore we did not include them in the present analysis.
We calculated the proportion of total income represented by base pay (salary or hourly wage) received by each respondent. This calculation involved dividing the amount of base pay received by the sum of all compensation types for each respondent.
For each of the other compensation types for which data were collected, we computed the number and percentage of respondents who received various amounts of each. Specifically, we classified this information in the following categories:
In the specialty tables that follow, we report the mean, standard deviation, and percentile distribution of the proportion of total income represented by base pay. We also report the number and percent distribution of respondents who received various amounts of each specific compensation type. These statistics are reported by years of experience as a PA within each of the 37 specialty categories for which there are at least 50 valid responses:
Methodology
Calculations
Results
Overview
The American Academy of Physician Assistants has conducted a Census Survey of PAs in each year since 1991. In 2008, the Census asked respondents to report the amount of money they expected to receive for ten distinct categories of compensation in calendar year 2008. This analysis examines the proportion of total income represented by base pay and the number and percentage of respondents who reported various amounts for each of the other compensation types.
Methodology
As part of the 2008 AAPA Physician Assistant Census, respondents were asked to report the total income they expected to receive in 2008. Respondents were also asked to report the amount of money they expected to receive in 2008 for the following ten compensations types:
- Base pay (salary or hourly wage)
- Surgical assisting fees
- Overtime pay
- Shift differential
- Administrative pay
- Pay for on-call availability
- Pay for on-call services/events
- Bonus not based on productivity/performance
- Bonus based on productivity/performance of practice
- Bonus based on your own productivity/performance
For this analysis, we excluded responses from individuals whose reported total income differed from the sum of their compensation types by more than $2500 times the number of compensation types reported. We did this because total income and each compensation type were collected primarily in increments of $5,000 and the midpoint of each increment was used to represent the response. Therefore, it is reasonable for the sum of the categories to differ from total income by as much as 2500 times the number of compensation types reported.
We exclude from this analysis responses from government employed PAs, as we found that they are much less likely than their private sector counterparts to receive compensation over and above their base pay. There was one noteworthy exception to this finding: nearly one-quarter (23%) of PAs in the Army reported receiving bonuses in excess of $10,000; 15% reported receiving bonuses in excess of $20,000. Since these bonuses were not based on productivity or performance, we assume that they were an incentive for re-enlisting during this time of war and therefore we did not include them in the present analysis.
Calculations
We calculated the proportion of total income represented by base pay (salary or hourly wage) received by each respondent. This calculation involved dividing the amount of base pay received by the sum of all compensation types for each respondent.
For each of the other compensation types for which data were collected, we computed the number and percentage of respondents who received various amounts of each. Specifically, we classified this information in the following categories:
- Do not receive
- Receive less than $1,000
- Receive between $1,000 and $5,000
- Receive between $5,000 and $10,000
- Receive more than $10,000
Results
In the specialty tables that follow, we report the mean, standard deviation, and percentile distribution of the proportion of total income represented by base pay. We also report the number and percent distribution of respondents who received various amounts of each specific compensation type. These statistics are reported by years of experience as a PA within each of the 37 specialty categories for which there are at least 50 valid responses:
Allergy
