Medical Assistant Salary in Birmingham, AL
Medical Assistants in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $36,770 a year — 20% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,151 take-home, or $2,513 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median medical assistant salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,232
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,280
- Medicare (1.45%)$533
- Alabama income tax$1,574
- Take-home pay$30,151
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $368 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $29,783 ($2,482 a month). Choose “Birmingham” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Medical Assistant pay by experience in Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,120 | $14.96 | $25,894 | $2,158 |
| 25th percentile | $35,220 | $16.93 | $28,983 | $2,415 |
| Median (50th) | $36,770 | $17.68 | $30,151 | $2,513 |
| 75th percentile | $39,530 | $19.00 | $32,231 | $2,686 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,940 | $23.05 | $38,568 | $3,214 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,770 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median medical assistant's $30,151 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,900 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Birmingham, AL has 1.4× the national concentration of medical assistant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for medical assistants, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #62 of 63 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $61,500 | $51,595 | $46,427 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $61,970 | $49,400 | $46,311 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $61,940 | $49,378 | $44,717 |
| 4 | Milwaukee, WI | $49,590 | $40,625 | $41,908 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $59,790 | $47,807 | $41,351 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $56,240 | $43,277 | $41,052 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,570 | $42,369 | $40,420 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,300 | $37,387 | $40,399 |
| 62 | Birmingham, AL | $36,770 | $30,151 | $32,900 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 63 metros →
About the job: medical assistants
Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.9% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical assistant make in Birmingham, AL?
The median medical assistant salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $36,770 a year, or about $17.68 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,220 and $39,530.
What is a medical assistant’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $36,770 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $30,151 a year ($2,513 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,574 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a medical assistant?
Pay here is 20% below the national median of $45,690. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,900 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #62 of 63 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a medical assistant afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median medical assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Birmingham, AL
- Nursing Assistant — $35,470
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $29,550