Average Nurse Salary in
Alabama

Average Nurse Salary in Alabama

Alabama is one of the lowest paying states for registered nurses. The registered nurse salary in Alabama is $60,510 per year. This means that nurses in Alabama earn an average of $29.09 per hour.  On the other hand, the national average for registered nurses is $77,600 per year. This annual salary is approximately $37.31 per hour.

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Use Salary Explorer to see which cities in Alabama are paying registered nurses the most.

Highest Paying Cities in
Alabama
for...

Highest Paying Cities in Alabama for...

Travel Nurse

Average gross weekly nurse pay in the top cities/wider metro area

  1. Birmingham - $1,815
  2. Alabaster - $1,761
  3. Enterprise - $1,535
  4. Muscle Shoals - $1,503
  5. Gardendale - $1,381
  6. Tuscumbia - $1,372
  7. Decatur - $1,322
  8. Elmore - $1,235
  9. Florence - $1,078

(Data courtesy of Trusted Health, May 2021)

Registered Nurse

Average annual nurse salary in the following cities/wider metro areas

  1. Columbus - $73,450
  2. Birmingham - $61,650
  3. Tuscaloosa - $61,300
  4. Montgomery - $60,740
  5. Daphne - $60,320
  6. Anniston -$59,820
  7. Auburn - $59,660
  8. Huntsville - $59,660
  9. Mobile - $59,640
  10. Dothan - $57,880

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Nurse Specialties

Average annual nurse salary for the following nurse specialties

  1. Med/Surg Nurse - $91,129 (Range of $82,442 - $101,520)
  2. Progressive Care Nurse - $81,244 (Range of $71,515 - $92,101)
  3. Operating Room Nurse - $73,897 (Range of $66,303 - $81,692)
  4. Emergency Nurse - $71,895 (Range of $64,202 - $79,855)
  5. ICU Nurse - $71,413 (Range of $64,344 - $77,607)
  6. Labor and Delivery Nurse - $69,400 (Range of $63,200 - $78,600)
  7. Pediatric Nurse - $67,900 (Range of $61,600 - $77,800)

(Data courtesy of Salary.com, May 2021)

Cost of Living

Although nurse salaries in Alabama may be 22% lower than the national average, living in Alabama is more affordable. Alabama ranks below the national cost of living index. While your nursing salary may be lower, the cost of rent alone may make up for it. For more detailed cost of living by city, check out the nurse Salary Explorer.

(Data courtesy of World Population Review)

Job Growth for Nurses

Alabama is a popular destination for staff and travel nurses alike. In 2021, Alabama was home to more than 51,250 nurses. However, Alabama has a strong job outlook, as the number of nurses in Alabama is expected to grow. Registered nurse jobs are forecasted to grow by more than 3.4% between 2021 and 2023, bringing the total number of working nurses in Alabama to more than 52,900. ‍

(Data courtesy of Projections Central)

See What Your Nursing Salary Could Be in Your City

We combined proprietary data with official nurse salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create the most comprehensive view of nurse salary in the United States. We present our findings in hourly pay for staff nurses and gross weekly pay for travel nurses to account for the different ways nurses think about pay.

Use Salary Explorer to:

  • View facilities in any city and save them for later when you’re ready to find your next job.
  • Get detailed insights on what it actually costs to live in the city, including average rent, groceries and more.
  • Toggle between Staff Nurse and Travel Nurse pay and compare against state and national pay.

Login to you profile to compare average nursing salaries in cities near you!

Salary Explorer