Social and Human Service Assistants Salary
The median pay for a social and human service assistants in Birmingham, AL is $36,510/year ($17.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $39,841 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 50.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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 social and human service assistants
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Pay for social and human service assistants in Birmingham runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,266/month, which is 51.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for social and human service assistantss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social and human service assistants in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | $34K | $38K |
| Montgomery | $35K | $39K |
| Huntsville | $36K | $39K |
| Tuscaloosa | $35K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level social and human service assistants (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Social and Human Service Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Social and Human Service Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59K | +29% | 2,080 |
| Washington | $55K | +19% | 7,590 |
| Oregon | $51K | +12% | 11,260 |
| California | $51K | +11% | 58,730 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +9% | 11,110 |
| New Jersey | $48K | +5% | 17,270 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +4% | 2,290 |
| Maine | $48K | +4% | 4,580 |
| Colorado | $48K | +4% | 5,410 |
| Idaho | $48K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +3% | 7,750 |
| Alaska | $47K | +3% | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $47K | +3% | 7,280 |
| New York | $47K | +3% | 40,970 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +3% | 9,180 |
| Illinois | $47K | +2% | 22,220 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +2% | 1,860 |
| Vermont | $47K | +2% | 1,920 |
| New Mexico | $46K | +1% | 3,050 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 1,530 |
| Texas | $46K | -0% | 21,620 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -1% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -3% | 9,930 |
| Indiana | $45K | -3% | 11,740 |
| Florida | $44K | -3% | 22,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 24,340 |
| Virginia | $43K | -5% | 10,670 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Kansas | $43K | -7% | 6,070 |
| Iowa | $42K | -8% | 5,230 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -8% | 2,230 |
| Missouri | $42K | -9% | 6,200 |
| Arizona | $41K | -11% | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $41K | -11% | 1,050 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -12% | 4,380 |
| Utah | $40K | -13% | 6,540 |
| Georgia | $39K | -14% | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -14% | 3,320 |
| Michigan | $39K | -15% | 12,450 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -15% | 1,460 |
| Nevada | $39K | -16% | 2,420 |
| Montana | $39K | -16% | 1,200 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -16% | 5,220 |
| Ohio | $38K | -16% | 10,970 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -17% | 830 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -18% | 4,670 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -20% | 3,530 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -20% | 3,340 |
| Alabama | $36K | -22% | 3,370 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -22% | 3,440 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -32% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track social and human service assistants salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a social and human service assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 51.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social and human service assistants in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and human service assistants typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,726/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social and human service assistant a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $37K here vs. $46K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for social and human service assistants?
Birmingham pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do social and human service assistants make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $36,510 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,760, and experienced social and human service assistants can clear $57,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,476/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 51.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a social and human service assistants salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 social and human service assistants salary is worth about $39,841 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social and human service 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.