Physical Therapist Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physical therapist assistants in Alabama is $61,430/year ($29.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $69,522 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Alabama?
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What this looks like in Alabama
Physical therapist assistants pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level physical therapist assistants (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapist Assistants salary by metro in Alabama
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden | $65K | +6% | 160 |
| Tuscaloosa | $64K | +4% | 100 |
| Decatur | $63K | +2% | 60 |
| Birmingham | $62K | +2% | 800 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $62K | +1% | 50 |
| Mobile | $61K | +0% | 210 |
| Montgomery | $61K | -1% | 170 |
| Huntsville | $61K | -1% | 260 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $60K | -3% | 80 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $60K | -3% | 90 |
| Dothan | $56K | -9% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 26.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapist assistants in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapist assistants typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,960/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physical therapist assistant a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for physical therapist assistants?
Alabama pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapist assistants make in Alabama?
The median is $61,430 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,340, and experienced physical therapist assistants can clear $79,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,041/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 26.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physical therapist assistants salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 physical therapist assistants salary is worth about $69,522 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physical therapist assistants 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.