Alabama Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Alabama.
The average salary in Alabama is $94,647 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Birmingham). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Pediatrician at $189,650 median; 24 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 90, the average median equates to $105,163 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Alabama has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Alabama job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Alabama
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 80 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($189,650)
Lawyer
Legal · 2,800 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($170,230)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 110 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($162,890)
Financial Manager
Finance · 2,700 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($153,930)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 2,230 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($140,230)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 1,550 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($138,800)
Computer Network Architect
Technology · 880 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($131,140)
Marketing Manager
Management · 660 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($130,160)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 620 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($127,080)
Business Professor (Postsecondary)
Education · 190 jobs in state · top metro: Birmingham ($125,940)
Cities in Alabama
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Alabama is $94,647 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Pediatrician at $189,650 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Alabama, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Pediatrician ($189,650), Lawyer ($170,230), Optometrist ($162,890), Financial Manager ($153,930), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($140,230). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/alabama.
24 of the 60 BLS-tracked occupations in Alabama have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Birmingham, AL leads Alabama with an average median salary of $94,647 across 60 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Alabama's tracked metros is 90 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $94,647 translates to $105,163 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Alabama, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
60 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.