Health Education Specialists Salary
In Auburn-Opelika, AL, health education specialists earn $77,950 at the median, or about $37.48 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $88,650 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $995/month, or 19.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Auburn-Opelika?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Auburn-Opelika’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Auburn-Opelika
Auburn-Opelika sits well above the national pay line for health education specialists, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $995/month, 20.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Auburn-Opelika offers a genuinely strong financial position for health education specialistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Auburn-Opelika, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $66K | $72K |
| Huntsville | $78K | $84K |
| Mobile | $60K | $68K |
| Montgomery | $72K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Auburn-Opelika, AL
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Health Education Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $104K | +63% | 2,220 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +61% | 680 |
| Georgia | $99K | +55% | 3,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +26% | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +22% | 1,250 |
| Washington | $77K | +21% | 1,750 |
| Iowa | $76K | +18% | 540 |
| Oregon | $76K | +18% | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +18% | 150 |
| Colorado | $74K | +16% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +16% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +15% | 1,420 |
| Alaska | $72K | +12% | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +9% | 250 |
| Vermont | $68K | +6% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +4% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +2% | 760 |
| Alabama | $65K | +2% | 540 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $65K | +1% | 470 |
| Virginia | $64K | -0% | 690 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 190 |
| California | $64K | -1% | 12,520 |
| Arizona | $63K | -1% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $63K | -1% | 340 |
| Kansas | $63K | -2% | 520 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -2% | 400 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -2% | 90 |
| New York | $63K | -2% | 4,150 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -3% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -3% | 200 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 270 |
| Idaho | $61K | -4% | 370 |
| Illinois | $60K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60K | -7% | 490 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 200 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 5,320 |
| Maine | $58K | -9% | 490 |
| Indiana | $58K | -9% | 1,380 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -9% | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -9% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -10% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | -10% | 2,420 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $57K | -11% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $57K | -11% | 230 |
| Michigan | $56K | -12% | 1,480 |
| Montana | $51K | -20% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -20% | 410 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -23% | 490 |
| Florida | $46K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Auburn-Opelika numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Auburn-Opelika?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 20.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $995/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Auburn-Opelika?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,477/month. At HUD’s $995/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in Auburn-Opelika?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $78K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Auburn-Opelika compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Auburn-Opelika pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
The median is $77,950 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,290, and experienced health education specialists can clear $97,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Auburn-Opelika?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,958/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $995/month, which eats 20.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a health education specialists salary go in Auburn-Opelika?
Auburn-Opelika has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median health education specialists salary is worth about $88,650 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.