Pay data
Average Salary in Alabama (2026)
The average salary in Alabama is $57,500 a year and the median is $45,670, 10% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $51,420: 46th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 34th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $57,500US $69,770
- Median salary
- $45,670US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $21.96BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 88.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Alabama?
About the 79th percentile
You earn more than about 79% of workers in Alabama.
At Alabama prices, $75,000 buys what $84,440 buys at the national average, about the 76th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Alabama workers earn
| Percentile | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $26,090 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $32,050 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $45,670 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $66,790 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $101,250 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $57,500 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Alabama
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Alabama sits at 88.8 overall, with housing at 61.8. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $88,820 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items11% below US88.8
- Housing (rents)38% below US61.8
- Goods4% below US96.4
- Utilities15% below US84.6
- Other services3% below US96.7
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 88.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 61.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 84.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Alabama by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $103,980 | -18% | 112,960 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $100,030 | -8% | 57,370 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $99,990 | 0% | 49,580 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $76,390 | -8% | 108,150 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $74,070 | -10% | 14,570 |
| Legal | $73,480 | -28% | 14,110 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $67,360 | -22% | 145,300 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $56,690 | -6% | 113,630 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $56,530 | -5% | 108,070 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $49,140 | -22% | 18,140 |
| Community and Social Service | $49,020 | -16% | 24,610 |
| Construction and Extraction | $47,810 | -20% | 89,430 |
| Protective Service | $44,450 | -11% | 48,670 |
| Production | $44,250 | -6% | 215,430 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $40,460 | -15% | 226,670 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $38,220 | -14% | 208,000 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $37,750 | +3% | 6,260 |
| Sales | $35,000 | -9% | 202,240 |
| Healthcare Support | $33,790 | -12% | 75,330 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $32,240 | -14% | 53,490 |
| Personal Care and Service | $28,560 | -22% | 36,990 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $27,780 | -21% | 184,640 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Alabama's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Retail Salesperson60,880
- 2Registered Nurse54,340
- 3Stocker and Order Filler46,580
- 4Cashier46,420
- 5Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive45,050
- 6Fast Food and Counter Worker41,460
- 7Truck Driver36,650
- 8Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand36,140
- 9Customer Service Representative33,290
- 10General and Operations Manager30,170
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$272,610
- 2Nurse Anesthetist$190,300
- 3Chief Executive$166,420
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$162,350
- 5Energy Engineer, Except Wind and Solar$152,550
- 6Financial Manager$140,500
- 7IT Manager$138,670
- 8Computer Hardware Engineer$136,990
- 9Regulatory Affairs Manager$135,890
- 10Chemical Engineer$135,030
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Logging Equipment Operator6.5x
- 2Aerospace Engineer6.3x
- 3Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operator and Tender5.6x
- 4Metal-Refining Furnace Operator and Tender5.5x
- 5Engine and Other Machine Assembler5.5x
- 6Rolling Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic5.0x
- 7Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter and Trimmer4.6x
- 8Machine Feeder and Offbearer3.8x
- 9Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender3.5x
- 10Sawing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Wood3.4x
Cities
Average salary by city in Alabama
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | $51,740 | $71,090 | 93.1 |
| Birmingham, AL | $47,770 | $60,770 | 91.6 |
| Mobile, AL | $47,000 | $58,170 | 88.1 |
| Decatur, AL | $46,280 | $57,830 | 87.2 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $45,220 | $54,150 | 87.7 |
| Montgomery, AL | $44,950 | $55,740 | 89.7 |
| Anniston, AL | $42,680 | $50,950 | 85.9 |
| Florence, AL | $39,740 | $50,400 | 84.8 |
| Auburn, AL | $39,070 | $52,160 | 87.9 |
| Daphne, AL | $38,520 | $50,200 | 94.7 |
| Dothan, AL | $38,170 | $50,850 | 83.8 |
| Gadsden, AL | $36,660 | $47,400 | 85.7 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Alabama. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Alabama: FAQ
What is the average salary in Alabama?
The average (mean) annual wage in Alabama is $57,500 and the median is $45,670, 10% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 2,113,660 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Alabama?
$27.65 an hour on average and $21.96 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Alabama?
Above $45,670 out-earns half of Alabama workers; the top 25% start at $66,790 and the top 10% at $101,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Alabama run 11% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $112,580 buys nationally.
Is Alabama expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Alabama at 88.8 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 61.8, goods 96.4, utilities 84.6 and other services 96.7. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $88,820 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Alabama?
Allergist and Immunologist ($272,610), Nurse Anesthetist ($190,300), Chief Executive ($166,420), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($162,350), Energy Engineer, Except Wind and Solar ($152,550) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Alabama (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Alabama?
Retail Salesperson (60,880), Registered Nurse (54,340), Stocker and Order Filler (46,580), Cashier (46,420), Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (45,050) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).