Healthcare Recruiting
Massachusetts PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Requirements, FPA, and Salary
Massachusetts physician assistants are licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine and practice under full practice authority — no state-filed supervision agreement is required. The Boston healthcare market is among the most competitive and best-compensated in the world for healthcare providers, anchored by the Mass General Brigham system, the Beth Israel Lahey system, and multiple world-class academic medical centers. Boston PA salaries consistently rank among the top five nationally.
Practice Model: Full Practice Authority
Massachusetts PAs practice with full collaborative autonomy. No state-mandated supervision filing is required. Large systems manage PA oversight through internal credentialing and quality frameworks. PAs at Massachusetts academic medical centers typically work as high-functioning members of subspecialty and surgical teams with significant independent clinical responsibility.
- No state supervision filing: Institutional collaborative frameworks apply
- Full prescriptive authority: Schedule II–V with DEA registration
- Academic PA culture: Massachusetts is one of the strongest academic PA practice environments nationally
Application Requirements
- Active NCCPA certification
- Graduation from ARC-PA accredited program
- Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine application and ~$225 fee
- Background check
- DEA registration (if prescribing controlled substances)
Processing Timeline
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine processes PA applications in 8–10 weeks. Application volume from a dense healthcare market can extend processing. Total time to practice-ready including DEA: approximately 10 weeks.
PA Salary in Massachusetts (2026)
| Setting | Median Base | Typical Sign-On |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital / Inpatient (Boston) | $142,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
| Surgical First-Assist (Academic) | $155,000 | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $148,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
| Primary Care / Outpatient | $128,000 | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Community Hospital (Worcester / Springfield) | $132,000 | $8,000–$18,000 |
Top PA Employers in Massachusetts
Mass General Brigham (Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's, and 14+ affiliates) is the state's dominant academic employer and among the most prestigious PA employers nationally. Beth Israel Lahey Health (Beth Israel Deaconess, New England Baptist, Lahey Hospital) is the second large academic system with broad subspecialty PA opportunities. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a premier oncology PA employer. Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center anchor the remaining Boston academic tier. UMass Memorial Health (Worcester) covers the central Massachusetts market with academic and community PA roles.
What We See at Ava Health
Massachusetts is competitive nationally for academic PA positions — MGH, BWH, and BIDMC recruit from across the country for subspecialty and surgical PA roles. The COL in Boston is among the highest in the US (housing in particular), and PA salaries here reflect that. Candidates choosing Massachusetts over competing offers typically cite career development, prestige of the institution, or the academic practice environment. UMass Worcester and community hospitals offer more accessible entry points for new graduates at somewhat lower but still above-average compensation.
Related: NP License Massachusetts 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Massachusetts 2026.
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