Physician Assistant (PA): career path and pay in the UK
Where a Physician Assistant (PA) goes next, what each step typically pays in the United Kingdom, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Physician Assistant (PA) to Senior Physician Assistant / PA Manager / Clinical Director.
Also for the United States: Physician Assistant (PA) in the US
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 3 years
Physician Assistant (PA)
£40K to £60K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: PA License - US, HCPC Registration (Physician Associate) - UK/EU, PA-C Certification - US.
Step 2 · 3 to 8 years
Physician Assistant / Senior PA
£40K to £60K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: PA License - US, HCPC Registration (Physician Associate) - UK/EU, PA-C Certification - US, Specialty Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 8+ years
Senior Physician Assistant / PA Manager / Clinical Director
£75K to £110K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: PA License - US, HCPC Registration (Physician Associate) - UK/EU, PA-C Certification - US, Specialty Certification - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
£40K to £60K → £75K to £110K
UK estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK.
What the work involves
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
Education people bring
- Master's Degree: 81%
- First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.: 14%
- Bachelor's Degree: 5%
Job Zone 5, job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Other paths from here
- Clinical Director
- Healthcare Administrator
- Medical Director
- PA Educator
More Healthcare paths in the UK
Related occupations in O*NET: Emergency Medicine Physicians, Family Medicine Physicians, Pediatric Surgeons, Cardiologists, Nurse Practitioners.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK, UK national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor UK, Indeed UK and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to £5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.