Health Education Specialists Salary
In Huntsville, AL, health education specialists earn $78,400 at the median, or about $37.69 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $84,238 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,310/month, or 25.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Huntsville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Huntsville’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 Huntsville
Huntsville sits well above the national pay line for health education specialists, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,310/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Huntsville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $66K | $72K |
| Mobile | $60K | $68K |
| Auburn-Opelika | $78K | $89K |
| 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, Huntsville, AL
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $46K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Huntsville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Huntsville?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 26.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,310/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Huntsville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,968/month. At HUD’s $1,310/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Huntsville?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $78K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Huntsville compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Huntsville pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Huntsville, AL?
The median is $78,400 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,470, and experienced health education specialists can clear $95,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Huntsville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,982/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,310/month, which eats 26.3% 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 Huntsville?
Huntsville has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $84,238 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.