Average Salaries in Alabama
Explore salaries across 713 occupations in Alabama. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $59.3K, -3.7% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 713 occupations and 2,058,930 total jobs in Alabama.
How the state compares
Wages in Alabama track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Alabama has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, Pathologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Alabama
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Alabama
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, Pathologists | $238.0K | 60 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $229.8K | 30 |
| Orthodontists | $222.0K | 130 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $204.6K | 80 |
| Pediatricians, General | $202.3K | 330 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $198.9K | 380 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $181.5K | N/A |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $179.2K | 1,410 |
| Chief Executives | $164.4K | 830 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $157.5K | 3,480 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Alabama
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 60,330 | $29.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 53,340 | $71.0K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 51,030 | $40.6K |
| Cashiers | 48,790 | $26.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 44,120 | $32.1K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 42,180 | $40.2K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 37,960 | $35.8K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 37,500 | $23.5K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 37,490 | $50.1K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 33,720 | $37.7K |
What Alabama specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Alabama than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Alabama
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Dredge Operators | 7.53 | $51.1K |
| Patternmakers, Metal And Plastic | 7.36 | $48.7K |
| Logging Equipment Operators | 6.38 | $49.0K |
| Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 6.23 | $39.7K |
| Aerospace Engineers | 6.00 | $133.1K |
| Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, And Kettle Operators And Tenders | 5.02 | $49.0K |
| Meat, Poultry, And Fish Cutters And Trimmers | 5.00 | $28.4K |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 4.90 | $51.0K |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, And Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.61 | $39.0K |
| Textile Knitting And Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.53 | $37.9K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
Metros inside Alabama
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in Alabama
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | $60.3K | 495,390 |
| Huntsville, AL | $64.0K | 247,970 |
| Mobile, AL | $56.0K | 159,770 |
| Montgomery, AL | $55.5K | 155,930 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $57.6K | 98,860 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $53.4K | 77,610 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $55.1K | 61,670 |
| Dothan, AL | $50.2K | 53,720 |
| Decatur, AL | $56.5K | 53,340 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $51.7K | 48,600 |
Common salary questions for Alabama
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.