Medical Assistant.
Birmingham.
$36,000
median salary, 18% below the national average
$31,000 to $40,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Birmingham is 16% cheaper than the national average. For Medical Assistants, that shakes out to a median of $36,000, with the full range spanning $31,000 to $40,000. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Medical Assistant in Birmingham, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $36,770 for Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, based on 3,750 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$31,120
25th percentile
$35,220
Median
$36,770
75th percentile
$39,530
90th percentile
$47,940
Workers surveyed
3,750
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092) rather than Medical Assistant specifically. The Birmingham range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 31-9092Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $33,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$23,000
to $29,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$31,000
to $38,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$40,000
to $47,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$45,000
to $56,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $8,000 to the total package.
Base
$36,000
Equity
$4,000
Bonus
$3,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $44,000
How Birmingham compares.
Birmingham, AL
$36,000
Cost of living: 16% below average
National Average
$44,000
Birmingham is $8,000 below
Medical Assistant salary by city.
Salary by role in Birmingham.
What you should know.
The Medical Assistant landscape in Birmingham is not what most salary sites will tell you. Birmingham is Alabama's largest metro, anchored by a major medical center, banking, and a growing innovation district. UAB is one of the state's largest employers and a driver of biomedical research jobs. The extremely low cost of living makes Birmingham a strong value for professionals in healthcare and finance. Certification status is the largest pay differentiator, with CMA and RMA credentials adding 10 to 15% over uncertified MAs. Specialty practices like dermatology, orthopedics, and cardiology pay more than general primary care. Urban areas and hospital-owned practices consistently offer higher wages than rural independent clinics.
Entry-level MAs start at $30,000 to $34,000 without certification. Certified MAs with three to five years of experience earn $38,000 to $44,000. Lead MAs or clinical supervisors overseeing support staff can reach $46,000 to $55,000 in larger practices or health systems. In Birmingham, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 16% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Medical assistants typically receive health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plan access. Some employers offer tuition assistance for nursing or allied health programs, which adds long-term value beyond the base salary. And on the tax side: alabama's top state income tax rate is 5%. Birmingham has no city income tax. The low rate combined with very affordable housing creates excellent take home pay ratios. When someone quotes you $36,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage UAB and the medical corridor when negotiating. Healthcare and biotech roles command nationally competitive salaries even in this low cost market. The range for Medical Assistants in Birmingham runs from $31,000 to $40,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Pharmacy Technician in Birmingham earns $37,000 (3% more)
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Common questions.
Medical Assistant salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Birmingham.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Medical Assistant Salary in Birmingham, AL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/medical-assistant/birmingham
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