Boilermakers Salary
In Decatur, AL, boilermakers earn $64,060 at the median, or about $30.8 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $73,455 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $961/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $64K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Decatur
Pay for boilermakers in Decatur runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $961/month, 22.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Decatur can be a reasonable trade-off for boilermakerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for boilermakers in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $64K | $70K |
| 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, Decatur, AL
Entry-level boilermakers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $57K 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
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 Decatur numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a boilermaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 22.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for boilermakers in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new boilermakers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,894/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Decatur?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $64K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for boilermakers?
Decatur pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do boilermakers make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $64,060 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,230, and experienced boilermakers can clear $105,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,201/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 22.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a boilermakers salary go in Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $73,455 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.