Physician Assistant Salary in Huntsville, AL: $110,790 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time physician assistant in Huntsville, AL earns a median $110,790/year (≈ $53.26/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-1071). Once you factor in Huntsville's price level (7% below national, BEA RPP 93.1), that paycheck buys what $119,037 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 2.7% above the Alabama state average.
Official BLS data · View source

In Huntsville, Alabama, the 2026 median annual physician assistant salary is projected at $110,790, showcasing a significant difference from the national median figure. The salary range for PAs in this area extends from $99,786 at the 10th percentile to $137,591 at the 90th percentile, illustrating how specialty and practice setting can heavily influence earnings. The data, based on 2025 BLS OEWS surveys, suggests that surgical specialty roles tend to command higher wages compared to primary care positions. Such variations point towards a regional job market that values specialized skills, particularly as Huntsville continues to develop its healthcare infrastructure and attract top-tier talent.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $99,786 | $47.97 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $105,913 | $50.92 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $110,790 | $53.26 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $129,253 | $62.15 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $137,591 | $66.16 |
Median Salary Position
21.08% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Huntsville
In Huntsville, AL, the physician assistant salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $37,805 (2026 est.). At $110,790, the local median is 21.08% below the national median of $140,391.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Huntsville: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Huntsville Physician Assistant Pay Compares
Huntsville median: $110,790/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Huntsville Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Average | $107,877 | +2.70% more |
| National Average | $140,391 | -21.08% less |
Physician Assistants in Huntsville, AL earn a median of $110,790 per year (2026 est.), which is 21.08% lower than the national median of $140,391 and 2.70% above the Alabama state average of $107,877.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Huntsville has a cost of living 6.93% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Huntsville, AL has a cost-of-living index of 93.072 (below the national average of 100). A physician assistant earning $110,790 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $119,037 in an average-cost city — an effective 7.44% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$101,720
2025 BLS Actual
$107,230
2026 Current Est.
$110,790
2019–2027 Growth
+12.5%
Salary Trajectory for Physician Assistants in Huntsville (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.32% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $101,720 | Actual |
| 2020 | $100,450 | Actual |
| 2021 | $100,230 | Actual |
| 2022 | $99,441 | Actual |
| 2023 | $81,480 | Actual |
| 2024 | $106,280 | Actual |
| 2025 | $107,230 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $110,790 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $114,468 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Huntsville metropolitan area, the median physician assistant salary grew 5.4% from $101,720 (2019) to $107,230 (2025). At a 3.32% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $114,468 by 2027 — a total increase of $12,748 (12.53%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Huntsville metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.32% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $99,786 – $105,913 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $105,913 – $110,790 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $110,790 – $129,253 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $129,253 – $137,591 |
PA salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual physician assistant compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Physician Assistant Job Market in Huntsville
The local job market for physician assistants is relatively robust, with approximately 110 PAs currently employed in Huntsville. The cost of living in the area, with a index of 93.072, is below the national average, which can enhance take-home purchasing power compared to larger cities. In this market, the highest salaries are typically seen in hospital systems as W-2 employees and surgical specialty practices like orthopedics or cardiothoracic surgery. The disparity between lower and higher pay levels stems from factors such as specialty focus, the volume of first-assist cases, call coverage demands, and productivity bonuses tied to Relative Value Units (RVUs). For PAs seeking to maximize their pay in Huntsville, targeting positions within surgical settings and negotiating employment arrangements that offer performance incentives can prove beneficial, especially as the field adapts to evolving healthcare delivery models advocated by organizations like the AAPA.
More salary data for Huntsville, AL:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Jessica Tran, MPAS, PA-C
Career Analyst
Jessica has 10 years of experience as a physician assistant. Her specialty is cardiology in an outpatient setting.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $107,230 for physician assistantsin the Huntsville metropolitan area. A 3.32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 6-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.32%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for physician assistants (SOC 29-1071).
Compiled and verified by Jessica Tran, MPAS, PA-C, a licensed physician assistant with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov