Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Salary
In Birmingham, AL, engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others earn $45,720 at the median, or about $21.98 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers.
So what does $46K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.6). 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Pay for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other in Birmingham runs about 42% below the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,088/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $92K | , |
| Decatur | $60K | , |
| Mobile | $63K | , |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $68K | , |
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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $107K | +37% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $102K | +30% | 1,390 |
| Maryland | $100K | +28% | 2,630 |
| Washington | $100K | +27% | 2,310 |
| Virginia | $98K | +26% | 3,720 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | +21% | 380 |
| Nevada | $94K | +20% | 590 |
| Hawaii | $90K | +15% | 410 |
| Alaska | $90K | +15% | 380 |
| Indiana | $89K | +13% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +12% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | +4% | 870 |
| West Virginia | $81K | +4% | 450 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +4% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +3% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $81K | +3% | 620 |
| California | $80K | +3% | 7,330 |
| Illinois | $80K | +2% | 940 |
| Wyoming | $79K | +1% | 130 |
| Utah | $79K | +1% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $79K | +1% | 350 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 1,340 |
| Oregon | $77K | -2% | 1,010 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -2% | 340 |
| Colorado | $76K | -3% | 1,260 |
| Delaware | $76K | -3% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -4% | 480 |
| Connecticut | $75K | -4% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 690 |
| Michigan | $74K | -6% | 1,130 |
| Texas | $74K | -6% | 7,110 |
| Missouri | $72K | -8% | 590 |
| North Carolina | $72K | -8% | 1,530 |
| Florida | $71K | -10% | 2,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $69K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Georgia | $68K | -13% | 1,890 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -13% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | -14% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $67K | -14% | 260 |
| Idaho | $66K | -16% | 260 |
| Montana | $66K | -16% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -16% | 380 |
| New York | $66K | -16% | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $63K | -19% | 380 |
| Kansas | $62K | -21% | 920 |
| Arizona | $60K | -24% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -25% | 2,110 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -25% | 990 |
| Vermont | $53K | -33% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,088/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,333/month. At HUD’s $1,088/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Local pay runs 42% below the national median — $46K here vs. $78K 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others?
Birmingham pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -42%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $45,720 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,880, and experienced engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others can clear $99,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,054/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,088/month, which eats 35.6% 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary is worth about $49,913 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others 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.