Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Alabama
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Alabama. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Alabama
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 17 building trades in Alabama — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $21.30 | $30.78 | $48.26 | 13,810 |
| Carpenters | $16.76 | $23.02 | $30.73 | 5,700 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $15.28 | $21.03 | $29.11 | 2,040 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $16.78 | $22.54 | $28.29 | 640 |
| Tile & stone setters | $14.77 | $20.55 | $26.02 | 310 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $17.00 | $22.77 | $28.62 | 130 |
| Carpet installers | $13.76 | $18.08 | $30.43 | 230 |
| Painters | $14.64 | $21.97 | $27.95 | 1,750 |
| Glaziers | $16.17 | $22.70 | $31.46 | 440 |
| Insulation workers | $15.31 | $22.72 | $31.02 | 780 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $15.47 | $23.47 | $34.49 | 380 |
| Roofers | $17.16 | $21.74 | $29.21 | 1,010 |
| Electricians | $17.82 | $25.20 | $36.73 | 9,740 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $16.82 | $25.89 | $35.81 | 7,880 |
| HVAC technicians | $17.28 | $23.70 | $33.34 | 7,330 |
| Equipment operators | $16.84 | $22.54 | $29.44 | 9,640 |
| Construction laborers | $11.24 | $17.45 | $23.17 | 17,260 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Alabama's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$19.43 in 2019 → $23.02 in 2024
$22.24 in 2019 → $25.20 in 2024
$22.36 in 2019 → $25.89 in 2024
$15.11 in 2019 → $17.45 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Alabama's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$30.78/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
17,260 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Insulation workers
-$0.52/hr vs $23.24
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Floor layers (non-carpet)
+ 40% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Alabama
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Alabama's contractor licensing board.