Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Alabama is $104,960/year ($50.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $145K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $118,787 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 16.4% 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 $105K get you in Alabama?
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for physician assistants in Alabama runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 16.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for physician assistantss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $145K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Alabama
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $113K | +7% | 40 |
| Huntsville | $107K | +2% | 110 |
| Birmingham | $105K | +0% | 280 |
| Mobile | $105K | +0% | 140 |
| Dothan | $104K | -1% | 40 |
| Montgomery | $102K | -3% | 60 |
| Tuscaloosa | $101K | -4% | 30 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $98K | -7% | 30 |
Compare to other states
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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 physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 16.9% 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 physician assistants in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,981/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $105K here vs. $136K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Alabama pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $119K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Alabama?
The median is $104,960 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,020, and experienced physician assistants can clear $145,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,429/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 16.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physician 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 physician assistants salary is worth about $118,787 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physician 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.