According to the 2017 report from the Alabama Department of Labor, healthcare careers in Alabama are seeing wonderful growth! Medical field professions as a group are among the state’s best career clusters. Alabama’s growth falls perfectly in line with the national trend for healthcare and with the overall demand being so high, anyone interested in entering the industry should know that there are currently more than a million unfilled job openings (nearly 50% of the total) for healthcare workers in the country, according to the 2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
Details about healthcare careers in Alabama
As is the case across the United States (the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% growth in healthcare occupations by 2026), the healthcare industry in Alabama is also undergoing record growth. This growth is driven by the need to meet the demands of an aging population and an increased number of insured patients. This situation has created a wealth of opportunities for aspiring professionals of all backgrounds.
The Top Choices for Healthcare Training in Alabama
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type | # of Students | # of Undergrads | Grad Rate | Transfer-Out Rate | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | 4900 Meridian Street, Normal, Alabama 35762 | 4-year, Public | 6001 | 5038 | 24% | 40% | $15,812 |
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | 445 Health Sciences Boulevard, Dothan, Alabama 36303-2251 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 608 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Alabama State University | 915 S Jackson Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-0271 | 4-year, Public | 4760 | 4208 | 28% | NA | $12,327 |
| Amridge University | 1200 Taylor Rd, Montgomery, Alabama 36117-3553 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 675 | 322 | 18% | 82% | $6,849 |
| Athens State University | 300 N Beaty St, Athens, Alabama 35611 | 4-year, Public | 3114 | 2967 | NA | NA | NA |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama 36849 | 4-year, Public | 29776 | 23964 | 77% | 16% | $22,613 |
| Auburn University at Montgomery | 7440 East Drive, Montgomery, Alabama 36117-3596 | 4-year, Public | 4894 | 4313 | 28% | 40% | $15,047 |
| Bevill State Community College | 1411 Indiana Avenue, Jasper, Alabama 35501 | 2-year, Public | 3872 | 3872 | 19% | 17% | $8,430 |
| Bishop State Community College | 351 North Broad Street, Mobile, Alabama 36603-5898 | 2-year, Public | 3233 | 3233 | 15% | 20% | $5,239 |
| Blue Cliff Career College | 2970 Cottage Hill Rd., Suite 175, Mobile, Alabama 36606 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 69 | 69 | 27% | 4% | $11,506 |
| Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound | 2936 North McVay Drive, Mobile, Alabama 36606 | 2-year, Private for-profit | 32 | 32 | NA | NA | NA |
| Central Alabama Community College | 1675 Cherokee Rd, Alexander City, Alabama 35010 | 2-year, Public | 1835 | 1835 | 28% | 27% | $4,613 |
| Chattahoochee Valley Community College | 2602 College Drive, Phenix City, Alabama 36869 | 2-year, Public | 1424 | 1424 | 20% | 30% | $1,234 |
| Coastal Alabama Community College | 1900 U S Highway 31 South, Bay Minette, Alabama 36507-2698 | 2-year, Public | 4968 | 4968 | 14% | 44% | $7,458 |
| Columbia Southern University | 21982 University Lane, Orange Beach, Alabama 36561-9000 | 4-year, Private for-profit | 20818 | 15050 | 31% | NA | $11,061 |
| Enterprise State Community College | 600 Plaza Drive, Enterprise, Alabama 36330-1300 | 2-year, Public | 1778 | 1778 | 19% | 26% | $4,639 |
| Faulkner University | 5345 Atlanta Hwy, Montgomery, Alabama 36109-3390 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 3350 | 2672 | 28% | 45% | $19,337 |
| Fortis College | 7033 Airport Blvd., Mobile, Alabama 36608 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 375 | 375 | 47% | NA | $22,786 |
| Fortis College-Dothan | 200 Vulcan Way, Dothan, Alabama 36303 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 189 | 189 | 45% | NA | $15,870 |
| Fortis College-Foley | 200 East Laurel Avenue, Foley, Alabama 36535 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 149 | 149 | 48% | NA | $16,043 |
| Fortis College-Montgomery | 3470 Eastdale Cir, Montgomery, Alabama 36117 | 2-year, Private for-profit | 207 | 207 | 29% | NA | $23,976 |
| Fortis College-Montgomery | 3736 Atlanta Hwy, Montgomery, Alabama 36109 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 311 | 311 | 52% | NA | $18,380 |
| Fortis Institute-Birmingham | 100 London Pkwy Ste 150, Birmingham, Alabama 35211 | 2-year, Private for-profit | 451 | 451 | 53% | NA | $26,390 |
| Gadsden State Community College | 1001 George Wallace Dr, Gadsden, Alabama 35903 | 2-year, Public | 4979 | 4979 | 20% | 20% | $4,200 |
| George C Wallace Community College-Dothan | 1141 Wallace Drive, Dothan, Alabama 36303-9234 | 2-year, Public | 4645 | 4645 | 24% | 17% | $3,056 |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville | 801 Main St NW, Hanceville, Alabama 35077-2000 | 2-year, Public | 5301 | 5301 | 40% | 12% | $6,080 |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Selma | 3000 Earl Goodwin Parkway, Selma, Alabama 36703-2808 | 2-year, Public | 1471 | 1471 | 22% | 9% | $8,450 |
| H Councill Trenholm State Community College | 1225 Air Base Blvd, Montgomery, Alabama 36108-3199 | 2-year, Public | 1845 | 1845 | 29% | 14% | $7,442 |
| Huntingdon College | 1500 East Fairview Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36106-2148 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1102 | 1102 | 37% | NA | $19,913 |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College | 3421 Meridian St N, Huntsville, Alabama 35811 | 2-year, Public | 752 | 752 | 14% | 10% | $5,834 |
| Jacksonville State University | 700 Pelham Road North, Jacksonville, Alabama 36265 | 4-year, Public | 8567 | 7491 | 37% | NA | $11,939 |
| Jefferson State Community College | 2601 Carson Rd, Birmingham, Alabama 35215-3098 | 2-year, Public | 8840 | 8840 | 9% | 26% | $8,353 |
| John C Calhoun State Community College | 6250 U S Highway 31 N, Tanner, Alabama 35671 | 2-year, Public | 9861 | 9861 | 25% | 15% | $5,159 |
| Judson College | 302 Bibb St, Marion, Alabama 36756 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 315 | 315 | 32% | NA | $17,034 |
| Lawson State Community College | 3060 Wilson Rd SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35221-1717 | 2-year, Public | 3248 | 3248 | 14% | 30% | $7,980 |
| Lurleen B Wallace Community College | 1000 Dannelly Blvd., Andalusia, Alabama 36420-1418 | 2-year, Public | 1838 | 1838 | 35% | 19% | $7,805 |
| Northeast Alabama Community College | 138 Highway 35, Rainsville, Alabama 35986 | 2-year, Public | 2736 | 2736 | 32% | 14% | $3,144 |
| Northwest-Shoals Community College | 800 George Wallace Blvd, Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661 | 2-year, Public | 3440 | 3440 | 16% | 19% | $6,881 |
| Oakwood University | 7000 Adventist Blvd NW, Huntsville, Alabama 35896 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1711 | 1650 | 47% | NA | $25,567 |
| Reid State Technical College | 100 and Hwy 83, Evergreen, Alabama 36401 | 2-year, Public | 392 | 392 | 27% | NA | $3,598 |
| Remington College-Mobile Campus | 828 Downtowner Loop W, Mobile, Alabama 36609 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit | 373 | 373 | 57% | NA | $20,076 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville | 930 Old Monrovia Road, NW, Huntsville, Alabama 35806-2509 | < 2-year, Private for-profit | 159 | 159 | NA | NA | $20,337 |
| Samford University | 800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35229-2240 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 5509 | 3373 | 76% | NA | $30,017 |
| Selma University | 1501 Lapsley St, Dinkins Hall, Selma, Alabama 36701 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 324 | 311 | 2% | NA | $12,553 |
| Shelton State Community College | 9500 Old Greensboro Rd, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405-8522 | 2-year, Public | 4607 | 4607 | 16% | 37% | $6,718 |
| Snead State Community College | 102 Elder Street, Boaz, Alabama 35957-0734 | 2-year, Public | 2220 | 2220 | 43% | 20% | $4,958 |
| South University-Montgomery | 5355 Vaughn Rd, Montgomery, Alabama 36116 | 4-year, Private for-profit | 453 | 369 | 19% | NA | $20,433 |
| Southern Union State Community College | 750 Roberts St, Wadley, Alabama 36276 | 2-year, Public | 4828 | 4828 | 21% | 19% | $9,650 |
| Spring Hill College | 4000 Dauphin St, Mobile, Alabama 36608-1791 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1485 | 1377 | 53% | NA | $21,065 |
| Strayer University-Alabama | 3570 Grandview Pkwy Ste 200, Birmingham, Alabama 35243 | 4-year, Private for-profit | 957 | 666 | 0% | NA | $24,836 |
| The University of Alabama | 739 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0166 | 4-year, Public | 38563 | 33305 | 68% | 22% | $19,993 |
| Troy University | University Avenue, Troy, Alabama 36082-0001 | 4-year, Public | 17521 | 14000 | 39% | 36% | $12,146 |
| Tuskegee University | Kresge Center, 3rd Floor, Tuskegee, Alabama 36088-1920 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 3289 | 2833 | 52% | 14% | $30,847 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Administration Bldg Suite 1070, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0110 | 4-year, Public | 20902 | 13134 | 53% | 28% | $17,016 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | 301 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville, Alabama 35899 | 4-year, Public | 9101 | 7090 | 49% | 29% | $14,766 |
| University of Mobile | 5735 College Parkway Drive, Mobile, Alabama 36613-2842 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit | 1604 | 1443 | 45% | 6% | $22,190 |
| University of Montevallo | Station 6001, Montevallo, Alabama 35115-6000 | 4-year, Public | 2717 | 2346 | 50% | 29% | $16,075 |
| University of North Alabama | One Harrison Plaza, Florence, Alabama 35632-0001 | 4-year, Public | 7204 | 6064 | 45% | 33% | $12,103 |
| University of South Alabama | 307 N University Blvd, Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002 | 4-year, Public | 15569 | 10988 | 40% | 35% | $12,968 |
| University of West Alabama | Station One, Livingston, Alabama 35470 | 4-year, Public | 4646 | 2111 | 33% | 27% | $13,326 |
Healthcare support roles in the state of Alabama
While many people think of physicians and other professional-level positions as typical healthcare workers, the truth is that the majority of those employed in the industry work in either nursing or Healthcare Support Occupations (53,300 people in Alabama). These support positions usually require an associate’s degree or less, and still offer an annual median salary ($26,500 for all Healthcare Support Occupations in Alabama) that is competitive for jobs that don’t require college degrees.
Salaries for Healthcare Careers in Alabama
The following table reflects 10 of the most-popular support positions in Alabama, job numbers in the state, and median annual salaries.
| Alabama Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | 480 | 27.22 | 56610 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 1130 | 26.80 | 55750 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 3920 | 14.29 | 29720 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 7340 | 14.02 | 29170 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 12860 | 17.71 | 36830 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 2700 | 17.04 | 35450 |
| Home Health Aides | 4820 | 9.97 | 20730 |
| Nursing Assistants | 23280 | 11.08 | 23050 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 1890 | 26.45 | 55020 |
| Dental Assistants | 3270 | 16.10 | 33490 |
| Medical Assistants | 8570 | 13.33 | 27730 |
| Phlebotomists | 2090 | 14.17 | 29470 |
How to Start an Alabama Medical Field Career
Although it is possible to start working in a number of positions without first completing a formal training program, the majority of employers in the state prefer to hire individuals with prior training. For this reason, it is highly recommended that anyone who is seriously considering a career in healthcare consider completing an accredited, formal training program.
Most of these programs can be completed in two years or less, and many of them can be completed in less than a year.
Find healthcare career programs in Alabama
To review available training programs for some of Alabama’s most popular healthcare care careers, click on any of the links below. You can also click on the name of any of the listed professions to learn more about how to get started on that career path.
- CNA classes in Alabama
- Dental assistant schools in Alabama
- EMT training in Alabama
- HHA classes in Alabama
- LPN programs in Alabama
- Medical assistant programs in Alabama
- Medical billing & coding schools in Alabama
- Pharmacy tech schools in Alabama
- Phlebotomy training in Alabama
- Ultrasound tech schools in Alabama
- Patient care tech schools in Alabama
Where to find healthcare jobs in Alabama
While it is possible to find Healthcare Support Occupations in almost every corner of Alabama, the Northeast area of the state has the greatest concentration of positions. The majority of these positions (5,430) are in the Huntsville metropolitan area.
Major cities in Alabama where there is a large concentration of healthcare jobs are:
- Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville
- Auburn-Opelika
- Columbus
- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
- Decatur
- Dothan
- Florence-Muscle Shoals
- Gadsden
- Huntsville
- Mobile
- Montgomery
- Tuscaloosa