Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Birmingham, AL
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $62,650 a year — 13% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,652 take-home, or $4,138 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,338
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,884
- Medicare (1.45%)$908
- Alabama income tax$2,868
- Take-home pay$49,652
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $627 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $49,025 ($4,085 a month). Choose “Birmingham” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay by experience in Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,860 | $23.49 | $39,261 | $3,272 |
| 25th percentile | $61,210 | $29.43 | $48,567 | $4,047 |
| Median (50th) | $62,650 | $30.12 | $49,652 | $4,138 |
| 75th percentile | $74,310 | $35.73 | $57,657 | $4,805 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $75,990 | $36.53 | $58,754 | $4,896 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,650 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education's $49,652 take-home pay has the buying power of $54,179 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education jobs are less concentrated in Birmingham, AL than nationally (location quotient 0.80), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #60 of 84 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $102,670 | $81,058 | $72,938 |
| 2 | Fresno, CA | $100,750 | $73,258 | $71,710 |
| 3 | Bakersfield, CA | $99,150 | $72,302 | $71,667 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $98,970 | $73,701 | $71,144 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $105,060 | $75,833 | $71,091 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $108,230 | $77,727 | $70,390 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $92,110 | $70,792 | $69,559 |
| 8 | Akron, OH | $81,820 | $64,923 | $69,533 |
| 60 | Birmingham, AL | $62,650 | $49,652 | $54,179 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 84 metros →
About the job: secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.2% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in Birmingham, AL?
The median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $62,650 a year, or about $30.12 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $61,210 and $74,310.
What is a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $62,650 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $49,652 a year ($4,138 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,868 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education?
Pay here is 13% below the national median of $72,040. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $54,179 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #60 of 84 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education 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) — 27% of a median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.