Carpenter Salary in Birmingham, AL
Carpenters in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $50,400 a year — 17% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $40,421 take-home, or $3,368 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median carpenter salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,868
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,125
- Medicare (1.45%)$731
- Alabama income tax$2,255
- Take-home pay$40,421
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Carpenter pay by experience in Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,480 | $18.02 | $30,686 | $2,557 |
| 25th percentile | $45,760 | $22.00 | $36,925 | $3,077 |
| Median (50th) | $50,400 | $24.23 | $40,421 | $3,368 |
| 75th percentile | $60,210 | $28.95 | $47,813 | $3,984 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,380 | $30.47 | $50,202 | $4,183 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,400 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median carpenter's $40,421 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,107 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Carpenter jobs are less concentrated in Birmingham, AL than nationally (location quotient 0.74), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for carpenters, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #146 of 194 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oshkosh, WI | $84,430 | $65,132 | $70,088 |
| 2 | Peoria, IL | $75,280 | $58,208 | $63,803 |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $94,310 | $69,540 | $62,670 |
| 4 | Rockford, IL | $72,770 | $56,566 | $61,382 |
| 5 | Springfield, MA | $75,520 | $58,402 | $60,797 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $80,440 | $61,583 | $59,445 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $70,990 | $56,372 | $59,284 |
| 8 | Elkhart, IN | $65,520 | $52,922 | $58,591 |
| 146 | Birmingham, AL | $50,400 | $40,421 | $44,107 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 194 metros →
Carpenter salaries elsewhere in Alabama
- Mobile, AL — $48,540
Frequently asked questions
How much does a carpenter make in Birmingham, AL?
The median carpenter salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $50,400 a year, or about $24.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,760 and $60,210.
What is a carpenter’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $50,400 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $40,421 a year ($3,368 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,255 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a carpenter?
Pay here is 17% below the national median of $60,580. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,107 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #146 of 194 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a carpenter afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 33% of a median carpenter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Birmingham, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $71,280
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $60,090
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $59,180
- Electrician — $56,630
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $54,330
- Sheet Metal Worker — $48,090
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $46,390
- Construction Laborer — $38,370
- Helpers--Electrician — $36,880