Healthcare is a very promising field when it comes to financial benefits. From technicians to physician assistants, every profession is highly rewarding. The benefits do not stop at monetary value, but the emotional fulfillment of serving humanity is not something to forget about. Still, for many people, the financial aspect is something to look forward to when it comes to choosing a profession. 

Although, the pay discrepancy in smaller cities is a common concept, the mindset has fairly changed recently. Major metropolitan areas, such as New York, Chicago, St. Louis, etc, are often associated with high salaries in the healthcare industry. This is because of the higher demand and massive population in the area. However, some smaller cities also offer lucrative opportunities for physician assistant jobs. The superficial reason remains somewhat the same—demand is high. 

However, there are several other reasons that make PA salary competitively better in smaller cities. In smaller cities, the cost of living is rather low, and with fewer healthcare professionals working, facilities offer better financial incentives to healthcare professionals. 

In case you are planning a career move as a physician assistant, smaller cities might give you a better and superior earning potential along with a simpler and better lifestyle. 

Reasons Smaller Cities Pay More to Physician Assistants

Honestly, there are several reasons for paying more PA salary, even in smaller cities. 

• Physician shortage is quite common in rural areas, which subsequently increases the demand for physician assistant jobs to manage the load of overcrowded hospitals. 
• It is very rare for specialized professionals to move to smaller cities. Hence, medical facilities offer competitive salaries, bonuses, and benefit packages to attract top talent and skilled professionals. 
• Many smaller cities are advancing and expanding their healthcare facilities. To do that, they need to attract medical professionals to relocate and work in these cities. A high pay rate attracts professionals for better job satisfaction. 
• The rapidly growing population in many of the smaller cities require more healthcare providers. This high demand has increased the job prospects of hospital jobs. Hence, PA salary has drastically improved in small cities. 

5 Top Small Cities with High PA Salary

1. Midland, Texas

Average PA salary: $98,200 – $154,631

The reason why physician assistant jobs offer such high PA salary in Midland is primarily because of their oil-rich economy. The city has a lot of potential. This is why many citizens are considering moving there, consequently increasing the healthcare demands of the city. However, being a small city it doesn’t have much competition for positions. So, the few healthcare providers working get better financial benefits. 

2. Fargo, North Dakota

Average PA salary: $97,900 – $154,235

North Dakota is encountering a shortage of primary care providers. Hence, the demand for physician assistants is going up like crazy. This has created a job prospect for physician assistants to be financially beneficial, especially in emergency care and family care units. The job prospects are so high that the state has rated the growth exceptional. 

3. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Average PA salary: $99,500 – $156,691

The medical industry has recently started to bloom in Sioux Falls. Hence, the monetary compensation of many medical professionals has improved drastically.  One of the main reasons is the rapidly growing population, increasing the demand for medical professionals. Furthermore, the cost of living in Sioux Falls is fairly low, which also increases the value of take-home pay. 

4. Huntsville, Alabama

Average PA salary: $99,100 – $156,158 

Huntsville has a large volume of patients. Therefore, needs more medical professionals to deal with the workload. Due to this high demand, the PA salary here is very competitive. Moreover, Huntsville is the hub of advanced medical research, which attracts many top talents. With specializations and higher qualifications, the salary expectations become high, which has increased the average PA salary in the city. 

5. Billings, Montana

Average PA salary: $98,400 – $155,050

Billings is a very small city with a population of only 120,864 people. Due to this, there are few job applicants in the medical industry. However, healthcare needs are expanding rapidly, with a rapidly growing population. This is why the medical facilities in the city offer attractive relocation packages to attract top talent to advance their medical industry. 

Financial Benefits of Working As Physician Assistants in Smaller Cities

Working in the healthcare industry in smaller cities comes with many benefits. Other than a better PA salary, there are many other financial gains as well. These benefits make the hospital jobs more rewarding and fulfilling. 

Lower Living Cost

Smaller cities have lower living costs without compromising the quality of life. This allows PAs to maximize take-home pay with minimal expenses. In cities like Billings or Fargo, the housing costs are approximately 50% less than in any major metropolitan area. PAs can also stretch their salaries further as groceries cost much less in rural areas. 

Higher Disposable Income

With lower living costs comes another advantage. As you are not spending much on utilities or rent, you can save more for investments. And with returns on investments, you can have another side income on top of your physician assistant salary. Due to this, many PAs opt to get second properties or bigger houses in smaller cities rather than living in a small apartment in bigger and more crowded cities. 

Better Loan Repayments

Many medical students get burdened with student loans. Most of the income goes to repay that loan, decreasing the financial benefits of working in the medical field. However, in many small cities, hospitals offer student loan forgiveness programs. This initiative takes away the burden of student loans, turning the financial gains to be more satisfying. 

Relocation & Sign-in Packages

PA jobs in small cities not only offer basic PA salary, but also comes with many other financial benefits. To attract top medical professionals in small cities, hospital jobs come with sign-in bonuses. Furthermore, they also provide relocation assistance and even accommodations to ensure moving into a smaller city is easier and more rewarding. 

Travel & Commute Expenses

Smaller cities are easier to travel with smaller routes. The minimal traveling distance from house to workplace saves a lot on commuting expenses. This is not something we can experience in metropolitan areas, where commuting to and fro takes multiple hours and costs a lot. Reducing commuting costs saves many bucks, letting physician assistants stretch their salaries even further. This also adds value to the final take-home pay for hospital jobs in smaller cities. 

Conclusion 

The opportunity for higher pay in smaller cities is very open for physician assistants. Like any medical profession, the career prospect is rewarding in PA jobs. However, working in smaller cities makes it even more fulfilling. Greater financial benefits, sign-on bonuses, relocation assistance, lower living costs, savings on utilities and commutes, and, most importantly, higher pay are more than enough reasons to look for physician assistance jobs in smaller cities. 

If the hustle and bustle of big cities are snatching away your peace of mind. It’s better to consider a switch to smaller cities with less crowd and a serene environment. The only thing stopping you is yourself. Choosing a small city hospital job might be the right decision for you! So, if you have made up your mind to relocate and discover new career opportunities, smaller cities have several opportunities awaiting you. Connect with the best staffing agency now and get matched with the perfect physician assistants job.