AL · Birmingham · Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant jobs in Birmingham, AL

Pay for physician assistants in the Birmingham area centers on $48.23 per hour, or about $100,320 a year. The lower quarter earns under $35.37 and the upper quarter over $54.18. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in Birmingham. That ranks 325th of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 296th of 301 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Birmingham.

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Open Physician Assistant roles in Birmingham

More open Physician Assistant roles in Birmingham

26 more open roles from employers in Birmingham. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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Physician Assistant pay in Birmingham, AL

The metro median is 1% below the Alabama statewide median of $48.86 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 340 physician assistants employed in the Birmingham metro area, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.66).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$27.63$57,47057% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$35.37$73,57045% below U.S. median
Median$48.23$100,32025% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$54.18$112,69015% below U.S. median
Top 10%$71.30$148,30011% above U.S. median

How Birmingham ranks

  • 325th of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 296th of 301 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd of 3 Alabama metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Birmingham

  • Overall prices in Birmingham run 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 28% below the U.S. average (index 71.9).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $48.23 median hour buys what $52.63 buys at the national price level, 18% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Birmingham paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,736
  • Per year: $86,814
  • Per month: $7,234

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Birmingham metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Birmingham

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$126
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,442
13-week assignment$18,746

Travel physician assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Birmingham

CMS lists 9 hospitals in Birmingham, 1 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Birmingham Va Medical Center
Birmingham, AL		Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
Birmingham, AL		Acute careFor-profit3 of 5Yes
Grandview Medical Center
Birmingham, AL		Acute careFor-profit3 of 5Yes
Princeton Baptist Medical Center
Birmingham, AL		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
St Vincent's Birmingham
Birmingham, AL		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
St. Vincent's East
Birmingham, AL		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
University Of Alabama Hospital
Birmingham, AL		Acute careGovernment and federal2 of 5Yes
The Children's Hospital Of Alabama
Birmingham, AL		Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services
Birmingham, AL		PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Jefferson County

HRSA lists 5 active primary care shortage designations that include Jefferson County (1 population-group, 4 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 24 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Physician Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Hoover, AL11 mi$48.23/hr93,013
Tuscaloosa, AL47 mi$48.86/hr114,288
Decatur, AL73 mi$48.86/hr57,974
Huntsville, AL81 mi$51.10/hr230,402
Madison, AL82 mi$51.10/hr64,029
Montgomery, AL87 mi$48.86/hr195,818

Physician Assistant jobs in Alabama · Physician Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Alabama

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Alabama requires for your role with the Alabama licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Alabama taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Alabama state guide

Other healthcare roles in Birmingham

Birmingham city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physician assistants make in Birmingham, AL?

Physician Assistants in the Birmingham metro area have a median pay of $48.23 per hour, about $100,320 a year. The middle half earn between $35.37 and $54.18 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Birmingham a good place for physician assistants once cost of living is counted?

Birmingham ranks 296th of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 325th of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physician assistants in Birmingham?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Birmingham. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Birmingham.

Do I need a Alabama license to work in Birmingham as a physician assistant?

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Alabama requires for your role with the Alabama licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Birmingham in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 5 active primary care shortage designations that include Jefferson County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Birmingham?

The federal per diem benchmark in Birmingham is $126 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,442 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in Birmingham?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Birmingham and across Alabama. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Birmingham.

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Pay report · PA near Birmingham, AL
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PA pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Alabama list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Stanford Children's HealthPALO ALTO, CA · 4 postings$104.30/ hr$94–$115
  • Valley Children's HealthcareMadera, CA · 3 postings$103.69/ hr$75–$123
  • MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 4 postings$100.70/ hr$86–$108
  • Sharp HealthCareLa Mesa, CA · 3 postings$92.12/ hr$80–$104

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Alabama list

2What they are offering now

Low$49Median$70.67High$89

426 PA postings with published pay in the US, 356 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 1 PA roles

  1. Physician Assistant (General Surgery)Permanent
    $121k–$191k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Birmingham, AL · posted today

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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