Physician assistant salary in Alabama
Alabama physician assistants earn a median of $104,960 a year ($50.46 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 23% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 51st of 51 states.
Median, Alabama
$104,960
Mean $110,860
Middle half earns
$98,710 to $122,830
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Alabama
930
0.42x the national concentration
Where Alabama sits in the range
Alabama
Statewide
United States
National
Birmingham
Metro area
Mobile
Metro area
Huntsville
Metro area
Columbus
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Alabama physician assistants earned less than $83,020 and ten percent earned more than $145,100, a spread of $62,080. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Alabama | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $83,020 | $99,380 | -16.5% |
| 25th | $98,710 | $120,670 | -18.2% |
| Median | $104,960 | $135,880 | -22.8% |
| 75th | $122,830 | $163,980 | -25.1% |
| 90th | $145,100 | $190,280 | -23.7% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 9 metro areas that include part of Alabama. Columbus, GA-AL has the highest median at $117,030. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, ALmoderate precision | 280 | $105,440 | $98,530 to $120,250 |
| Mobile, ALmoderate precision | 140 | $104,960 | $101,800 to $124,730 |
| Huntsville, ALmoderate precision | 110 | $107,230 | $102,510 to $125,100 |
| Columbus, GA-ALmoderate precision | 80 | $117,030 | $89,710 to $124,840 |
| Montgomery, ALmoderate precision | 60 | $102,040 | $98,710 to $111,400 |
| Dothan, ALlow precision | 40 | $103,890 | $96,270 to $133,440 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, ALlow precision | 40 | $112,610 | $107,440 to $112,610 |
| Tuscaloosa, ALmoderate precision | 30 | $101,120 | $97,660 to $122,970 |
| Anniston-Oxford, ALlow precision | 30 | $98,130 | $94,340 to $98,990 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Alabama
| Occupation | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $104,960 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $105,750 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $190,300 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $77,080 | $97,550 |
The Alabama PA workforce
BLS counts 930 physician assistants on Alabama payrolls, or 0.44 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, less concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 1,526 physician assistants with a Alabama practice address, and 104 new PA NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $98,710, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Alabama physician assistants earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $122,830, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about PA pay in Alabama
How much does a PA make in Alabama?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Alabama was $104,960 in May 2025, and the mean was $110,860, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $98,710 and $122,830.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Alabama?
The median hourly wage was $50.46 and the mean was $53.30. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do PAs earn the most in Alabama?
Among Alabama metro areas with published data, Columbus, GA-AL had the highest median at $117,030, and Anniston-Oxford, AL the lowest at $98,130.
How does Alabama rank for PA pay?
Alabama ranks 51st of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 23% below the national median of $135,880. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many physician assistants work in Alabama?
BLS estimated 930 physician assistants employed in Alabama in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 1,526 with a Alabama practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1071, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.