Physician Assistants earn an average of $86,410 per year, or $41.54 per hour--that makes physician assistants the 6th highest-paying healthcare job in the nation according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, doctors complete a 4-year undergraduate degree program, spend 4 years in medical school, and then complete 3-7 years of residency training before they are eligible for medical licensing.Employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 14 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth is projected due to increased demand for healthcare services by the growing and aging population..