Wealth, Workload, and Wellness: Key Findings From the PDPA 2025 Compensation Survey

The Pennsylvania Dermatology Physician Assistants (PDPA) group recently conducted its 2025 statewide salary and compensation survey to characterize current workload patterns, benefits, and job satisfaction among full-time dermatology physician assistants (PAs) practicing in Pennsylvania.¹ The results, extracted from 2024 data, highlight the substantial clinical and financial contributions of PAs, the growing prevalence of productivity-based compensation, and the continued importance of benefits, autonomy, and support in workforce satisfaction and retention.

“The impetus behind the Pennsylvania Dermatology Physician Assistants Annual Salary Survey is to collect meaningful, real-world data on compensation patterns within our specialty,” Jamie Restivo, MPAS, PA-C, a board-certified dermatology PA practicing in Enola, Pennsylvania, and current president of the PDPA, told Dermatology Times. “By better understanding current earnings, benefits, productivity models, and workplace trends, we aim to create transparency that supports informed decision-making for both dermatology PAs and their employers.”

Respondent Characteristics and Practice Settings

A total of 107 responses were collected via an anonymous online questionnaire between August and November 2025. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 57 respondents were included in the final compensation analysis. Survey questions addressed demographics, practice setting, workload, compensation, benefits, additional income sources, and job satisfaction.

Respondents were predominantly early- to mid-career professionals, with most between 30 and 40 years of age. The cohort was largely female (86.5%). Approximately 29% reported more than 10 years of dermatology experience, while nearly 43% had 7 or fewer years of experience. Respondents with less than 1 year of experience were included in demographic analyses but excluded from salary calculations. Reported practice settings are as follows:

• Private practice: 62.9%
• Corporate dermatology groups: 22.5%
• Academic institutions: 10.1%
• Multispecialty practices: 4.5%

Geographically, the majority practiced in Eastern Pennsylvania (61.8%), with nearly two-thirds located in or near the Philadelphia region, reflecting the survey’s distribution channels and conference-based recruitment.

Workload and Clinical Responsibilities

The majority of respondents (81.4%) reported working 30 or more hours per week. Daily patient volumes were substantial, with 65.7% seeing more than 25 patients per day and nearly one-third seeing 36 to 45 patients daily. Over half of respondents worked with 2 medical assistants (MAs), although MA staffing varied widely.

All respondents reported dedicating at least 50% of their clinical time to medical dermatology. More than half did not practice cosmetic dermatology, and 40% reported no involvement in surgical dermatology, underscoring the continued central role of PAs in providing high-volume medical dermatology services.

Compensation Models and Income Distribution

Compensation structures varied, with most respondents reporting either base salary plus production-based bonuses (54.5%) or strictly production-based compensation (36.8%). A small minority were compensated via salary alone, hourly wages, or hybrid models tied to collections.

Reported 2024 W-2 income demonstrated wide variability. Total dermatology-related income ranged from $100,000 to $514,000, with a median of $167,000 and a mean of $180,599. Approximately 28% reported annual earnings exceeding $200,000. The income distribution was right-skewed, with a small number of high earners elevating the mean above the median.

Among respondents reporting a defined base salary (n = 41), the median base salary was $120,000, with bonuses ranging from $3,375 to $154,000. Most bonuses fell between $10,000 and $60,000, highlighting the growing influence of productivity-based compensation in dermatology practices.

Annual collections also varied considerably, although nearly one-quarter of respondents were unaware of their total collections. Notably, more than one-third of respondents reported generating over $800,000 in annual collections.

Benefits, Additional Income, and Contractual Features

Employer-provided benefits were inconsistent. Over one-quarter of respondents reported receiving no employer-sponsored CME allowance, while others reported allowances ranging from less than $1000 to more than $2500 annually. Paid time off ranged from 0 to 30 days, with an average of approximately 14 days; notably, over 20% reported receiving no PTO.

Most respondents participated in employer-sponsored retirement plans, with an average employer match of approximately 3.7%, though nearly one-third did not receive any match. Malpractice coverage was provided for most respondents, although the type of coverage was frequently unspecified.

Noncompete clauses were also common, with 77.2% of respondents reporting contractual restrictions, typically involving 1-year durations and geographic radii of 10 to 20 miles, though more restrictive terms were also noted. Several respondents reported supplemental income from activities outside of the clinic. These include:

• Pharmaceutical speaker bureaus: 10.3%
• Side business or company within the medical/dermatology space: 10.3%
• Academic affiliations: 7.7%
• Lectures or educational speaking engagements: 5.2%
• Advisory boards or market research studies: 2.6%
• Med spa work: 2.6%

Job Satisfaction and Workforce Stability

Overall job satisfaction was high, with more than 75% rating their satisfaction as 7 or higher on a 10-point scale. Compensation and work schedule were the most influential factors in both job selection and job satisfaction, followed by autonomy and support staff availability. While 71.9% reported feeling supported by their employer or leadership, nearly one-third did not.

Most respondents did not plan to leave their current position within the next year, though nearly 40% indicated they might or were actively considering a change, most commonly citing compensation, management, commute, or work environment.

Clinical Implications

This survey is limited by its modest sample size, self-reported data, and geographic and conference-based recruitment, aligned with the PDPA’s annual Keystone Conference. Results should therefore be interpreted as descriptive rather than definitive benchmarks. Despite these limitations, the findings offer valuable insight into current dermatology PA compensation and workforce trends, informing practice management strategies and broader workforce planning that could potentially be applied to regions outside of Pennsylvania.

“Our hope is that these findings empower PAs and employers to develop and refine contracts that foster mutually beneficial, symbiotic partnerships. When compensation models are fair, transparent, and aligned with an individual's strengths, health care providers are better positioned to autograph their work with excellence, ultimately allowing exceptional patient care to remain the highest priority,” Restivo concluded.

Reference

1. Restivo J, Jarvis J, DuBois B. 2025 PDPA Salary & Compensation Report. January 1, 2026. Pennsylvania Dermatology Physician Assistants.