1. the Gender Pay Gap

2. Compensation Disparity in the PA Profession
Salary inequity among male and female PAs have been documented over several decades.1,3
This is despite comparable levels of experience and similar practice characteristics.2
These differences still exist.
Oliver, DR, Carter, RD, Conboy JF. Practice characteristics of male and female physician assistants. Am J Public Health. 1984; 74(12):
Willis J. Explaining the salary discrepancy between male and female PAs. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. 1992;5:280–288..
Coplan B, Essary A, Virdan T, Cawley J, Stoehr J. Salary discrepancies between practicing male and female physician assistants. Women’s Health Issues ;22(1):83-89.
Among new graduate PAs, women earn less than men, even after controlling for variables including years of experience in healthcare, specialty, weekly hours worked, and monthly on call hours.
Zorn J, Snyder J, Satterblom K. Analysis of incomes of new graduate physician assistants and gender, J Allied Health. 2009;38(3):

3. Examining the Gap: Compensation Disparity in the PA Profession
Tim McCall, PhD
Research Analyst
James F. Cawley, MPH, PA-C, DHL (hon)
Noël Smith, MA
Senior Director, PA and Industry Research and Analysis

4. 2015 Mean Compensation by Experience
Source: AAPA AAPA Salary Survey. Unpublished data.

5. 2015 Mean Compensation by Experience and Gender
Source: AAPA AAPA Salary Survey. Unpublished data.

6. Total Compensation Wage Disparity (Not Controlling for Practice Demographics)
2015: Analysis Sample (7,259 PAs)
$116,146
Mean W2/1099 compensation
$93,913
$13,696
Mean bonus*
$10,010
44.14
Hours worked/week
40.66
46.71
Weeks worked/year
45.59
12.63
Years of experience
9.22
51.4%
Received bonus
45.4%
28.1%
PA in leadership
16.9%
2.4%
Fully owns/shares practice ownership
1.8%
3.4%
Currently active duty military
0.6%
These differences must
explain away the disparity… right?
Source: AAPA AAPA Salary Survey. Unpublished data. *
Bonus data calculated among PAs with values on all variables in gender analysis.

7. Sequential Regression Analysis
Sequential regression with gender in the final step is a conservative test
Initial Steps: Compensation-relevant predictors
Geographic Region
Major Specialty Area
Practice variables (total years as a PA, hours worked, weeks worked)
Leadership and military (leadership position, practice ownership, active duty)
Bonus: received?
Final Step: Gender as a predictor of compensation
Allows for the prediction of total compensation from various practice variables and for determining the relationship gender and compensation have after controlling for practice demographics
Conservative test
Source: AAPA AAPA Salary Survey. Unpublished data.

8. Practice Demographics Don’t “Explain Away” the Disparity
Without controlling for practice demographics, a pay gap of ~$22,000 exists
After controlling for practice demographics, a substantial pay gap of ~$12,800 still exists
This is a larger amount than the average bonus.
Source: AAPA AAPA salary survey. Unpublished data.

9. Median PA Salary Over Time

10. Female/Male PA Median Salary Ratio Over Time
In recent years, women have earned more as a percentage of men’s than in most years in the past 2 decades

11. Recommendations for PAs
Training on soft skills such as contracts and negotiation
Some research suggests women tend to negotiate less than men when the option for negotiation is ambiguous
Awareness of salary ranges for position-based factors
Experience, location, specialty, employer
Know your value!

12. Recommendations for Employers
Training for hiring/compensation managers
End the use of previous salary during screening/hiring process
Ending negotiation or providing more transparency
Utilizing standardized compensation structures
Each alternative has unique benefits and consequences

13. Conclusion
Even when considering compensation-relevant factors, pay differences between men and women remain
AAPA hopes to raise awareness of this problem and possible steps for solutions

14. the Gender Pay Gap Tim McCall, PhD James F. Cawley, MPH, PA-C
Noël Smith, MA