Connecting PAs with Healthcare Careers Across the Sunflower State. This page is maintained by Blake Moser, founder of Advanced Practice Recruiters in Tyler, Texas. APR places physician assistants exclusively — surgical, primary care, hospitalist, EM, dermatology, orthopedic, and procedural specialties. Below is what you need to evaluate the Kansas PA market: salary ranges, the supervision framework, where active hiring is concentrated, and how the search actually runs.
Kansas offers physician assistants a solid healthcare market with excellent opportunities in both its urban centers and rural communities. The University of Kansas Health System anchors the state's healthcare sector in Kansas City, providing PA opportunities at an academic level, while strong regional health systems serve Wichita, Topeka, and communities throughout the state.
With one of the lowest costs of living in the nation, Kansas physician assistants enjoy exceptional financial stability relative to their compensation. Rural Kansas in particular faces significant healthcare provider shortages, creating strong demand for PAs willing to serve in underserved communities — often with generous loan repayment and incentive programs.
Kansas operates under a supervision model for physician assistants, requiring a supervising physician relationship. Despite this requirement, many Kansas PAs, particularly in rural and community settings, practice with considerable clinical independence. The state's friendly communities, affordable housing, and strong Midwestern work ethic make it an underrated destination for PA professionals.
PA base salaries in our Kansas searches cluster around $110K, with most offers landing between $95K and $130K. Total compensation typically runs 10–25% above base once productivity bonuses, call pay, sign-on, relocation, CME, malpractice, and retirement match are included. Cost of living in Kansas sits below national average — material for translating an offer into actual purchasing power.
The factors that move offers most: subspecialty (surgical first-assist, neurosurgery, cardiovascular, EM, dermatology, and orthopedic spine/sports run at the top end), post-certification experience, the supervision model described below, urban-versus-rural placement, employer model (academic system, private group, hospital employment, FQHC, telehealth), wRVU structure, call frequency, and any NCCPA Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ).
Reference data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Physician Assistants (OOH) publishes the national mean wage and Kansas state-area estimates; AAPA Compensation Resources and the NCCPA Statistical Profile track specialty and credentialing breakdowns.
Supervision model: Required Supervision. Kansas requires direct physician supervision for physician assistants. PAs must maintain a written supervision agreement, may face a ratio cap per supervising physician, and may have additional limits on prescribing Schedule II–V controlled substances or signing certain orders. The hiring conversation usually centers on supervisor bandwidth, ratio room, and which procedures need cosignature.
Kansas PAs are licensed by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. A written supervision agreement with a licensed Kansas physician is required. PAs can prescribe medications including controlled substances within the scope of their supervision agreement. NCCPA certification must be maintained.
The metros and regions where we are most often opening PA searches:
Recurring employer relationships in Kansas include University of Kansas Health System, Ascension Via Christi, Wesley Medical Center, Stormont Vail Health, Cotton O'Neil Clinic, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, plus a long tail of regional health systems, surgical and dermatology groups, orthopedic private practices, urgent-care networks, FQHCs, and telehealth platforms credentialed in Kansas. Procedural and surgical PA roles tend to pay above the state average; rural and Critical Access roles often carry a sign-on or geographic premium.
Every search opens with a 20-minute call to nail down the role: scope, NCCPA certification + any CAQ, procedural case mix, supervision arrangement under Kansas law, geographic flexibility within the state, and the realistic compensation envelope. From there we work the active and passive PA pool — verifying PA-C status with NCCPA, Kansas licensure (or licensure-eligibility), DEA, malpractice history, and recent procedural logs for surgical or interventional roles — and present a screened shortlist within a few business days.
The engagement is contingent — no upfront fee and no exclusivity required. Permanent placements carry a written replacement guarantee covering the initial employment period; if the placed PA leaves inside the guarantee window we re-run the search at no additional fee.
Demand pressure in Kansas is currently high. Nationally, the BLS projects physician assistant employment to grow roughly 28% between 2023 and 2033 — far above the average for all occupations. Kansas's very low cost of living combined with solid PA compensation and strong rural healthcare needs creates exceptional financial value and meaningful career opportunities for PAs who want to make a real difference.
Physician assistants in Kansas earn an average salary of approximately $110,000 per year, with ranges between $95,000 and $130,000. Kansas City metro positions typically offer the highest salaries, while Wichita and Topeka provide strong compensation with lower cost of living. Rural positions often include additional incentives including loan repayment that can significantly boost total compensation.
Yes, Kansas has extensive rural PA opportunities throughout the western and central parts of the state. Many rural Kansas communities are federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, qualifying PAs for significant loan repayment through the National Health Service Corps. Rural critical access hospitals and community health centers actively recruit PAs with competitive packages including housing assistance and signing bonuses.
To practice in Kansas, PAs must hold NCCPA certification, obtain a license from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, and establish a written supervision agreement with a licensed Kansas physician. The supervision agreement must describe the physician's availability and the tasks delegated to the PA. Continuing medical education must be completed for license renewal.
The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City is the state's largest academic employer of PAs. Ascension Via Christi and Wesley Medical Center serve Wichita. Stormont Vail Health serves the Topeka area. The Cotton O'Neil Clinic, affiliated with the University of Kansas Health System, employs PAs across numerous specialty and primary care practices throughout northeast Kansas.
Reach Blake Moser at Advanced Practice Recruiters: 469-457-4570 or blake@advancedpracticerecruiters.com. Most inquiries get a same-business-day reply.
Related: PA recruiting (national) · 2026 PA Salary Guide · PA supervision by state · NP recruiters in Kansas