Electrical Engineers Salary
In Birmingham, AL, electrical engineers earn $112,960 at the median, or about $54.31 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $123,265 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,266/month, or 17.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $113K 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 electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Electrical engineers pay in Birmingham tracks closely to the national median, $113K locally vs. $121K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,266/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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 electrical engineers in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $130K | $140K |
| Mobile | $104K | $118K |
| Montgomery | $105K | $117K |
| Decatur | $124K | $143K |
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 electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $113K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $113K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical engineers in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,878/month. At HUD’s $1,266/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 electrical engineer a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $113K locally vs. $121K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
Birmingham pays $113K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $112,960 a year, that works out to about $54 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,630, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $166,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $113K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,864/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 18.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $123,265 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers 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.