Boilermakers Salary
In Birmingham, AL, boilermakers earn $64,000 at the median, or about $30.77 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $69,838 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About boilermakers
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Pay for boilermakers in Birmingham runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,266/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for boilermakers in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $64K | $73K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $64K | $64K |
| Knoxville | $51K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level boilermakers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Boilermakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Boilermakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118K | +55% | 720 |
| Mississippi | $106K | +39% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $101K | +32% | 300 |
| Illinois | $100K | +31% | 110 |
| Michigan | $98K | +29% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $98K | +28% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $96K | +26% | 140 |
| Washington | $95K | +25% | 190 |
| Indiana | $91K | +20% | 170 |
| Colorado | $89K | +17% | 40 |
| Idaho | $88K | +16% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $87K | +14% | 260 |
| Ohio | $86K | +12% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | +12% | 60 |
| New York | $85K | +11% | 410 |
| Iowa | $82K | +8% | 50 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +8% | 280 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +5% | 50 |
| Missouri | $79K | +3% | 100 |
| Arizona | $78K | +2% | 170 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +2% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | +2% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $77K | +1% | 50 |
| Texas | $76K | -1% | 2,340 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -2% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $75K | -2% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -3% | 1,220 |
| Kansas | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Florida | $70K | -9% | 400 |
| Virginia | $68K | -12% | 150 |
| Georgia | $64K | -16% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $64K | -16% | 30 |
| Alabama | $64K | -17% | 180 |
| Nevada | $61K | -20% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -32% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -35% | 150 |
| Maryland | $42K | -45% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track boilermakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a boilermaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 30.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for boilermakers in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new boilermakers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,930/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is boilermaker a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $64K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for boilermakers?
Birmingham pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do boilermakers make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $64,000 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,840, and experienced boilermakers can clear $80,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,198/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 30.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a boilermakers salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median boilermakers salary is worth about $69,838 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do boilermakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.