Decatur Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Decatur, AL: $22.25/hr median hourly wage, $46,280 median annual salary, cost of living index 84, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Alabama taxes.
Decatur Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Decatur, AL is $22.25/hr,and the median annual wage is $46,280. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.79/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $31.59/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Decatur, AL metropolitan statistical area (61,240 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Decatur shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$46,280
$22.25/hr
Cost of Living
84
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.5%
rate
Decatur, AL Overview
Population
57,938
Median Salary
$46,280
Average Salary
$57,830
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$160,000
Median Rent
$850/mo
Job Growth
+1%
Sales Tax
9%
Decatur is located in Alabama with a population of 57,938. The median annual wage across all occupations is $46,280 ($22.25/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Decatur, AL metro), which is $4,700 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1%.
Decatur Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Decatur, AL built around the $46,280 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Decatur, AL metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $28,694 | $13.79/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $46,280 | $22.25/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $65,718 | $31.59/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $82,378 | $39.61/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Decatur Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Decatur, AL, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$37,242
$3,103.50/month · $1,432.38/biweekly · Effective Rate: 19.5%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,432.38 take-home per paycheck after estimated Alabama and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$46,280
Federal Tax
-$3,374
State Tax
-$2,124
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,540
Net Pay
$37,242
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,856.67 | $46,280.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$281.13 | -$3,373.60 |
| Alabama State Tax (4.59% eff.) | -$177.00 | -$2,124.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$239.11 | -$2,869.36 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$55.92 | -$671.06 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,103.50 | $37,241.98 |
Salary Comparison: Decatur vs Other Cities
See how Decatur's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, AL | $46,280 | 84 | $55,095 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Shaler, PA | $46,287 | 90.6 | $51,089 |
| Rapid City, SD | $46,270 | 90 | $51,411 |
| Michigan City, IN | $46,291 | 82.5 | $56,110 |
| Mount Lebanon, PA | $46,293 | 93.5 | $49,511 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Decatur
Decatur's cost of living index is 84 (national average = 100). Living in Decatur is 16% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$160,000
Median Monthly Rent
$850
Annual Rent Cost
$10,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $37,242 annual take-home pay in Decatur has the purchasing power of approximately $44,336 in an average-cost US area. Your $46,280 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Decatur
Decatur's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $46,280.
Salary Tips for Decatur Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Decatur has a cost of living 16% below the national average. A salary of $46,280 here has the purchasing power of about $55,095 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Decatur's top industries include Manufacturing, Chemical, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $46,280 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Alabama
Dothan
Enterprise
Florence
Gadsden
Hoover
Huntsville
Madison
Mobile
Montgomery
Opelika
Phenix City
Prattville
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Decatur salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Decatur, AL metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Decatur indexed at 84.
- Median salary: $46,280 annual, $22.25 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Decatur, AL MSA (61,240 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $57,830 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Decatur was $48,000.
- Tax burden reflects Alabama 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 5%) (no local income tax), sales tax (9%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Decatur: 3.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Manufacturing, Chemical, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Alabama.
- Housing context: median home price $160,000, median rent $850/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Decatur, AL:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Decatur unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Decatur QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Alabama, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Decatur's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Alabama labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Decatur, AL?
The median hourly wage in Decatur, AL is $22.25 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Decatur, AL metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $46,280. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.79/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $31.59/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Decatur, AL?
The median salary in Decatur, AL is $46,280 per year, or $22.25 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Decatur, AL metro area). The BLS mean salary is $57,830. This is $4,700 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Decatur, AL?
Decatur's cost of living index is 84 (national average = 100), meaning it is 16% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $160,000 and the median monthly rent is $850.
What are the best industries in Decatur?
The top industries in Decatur, AL include Manufacturing, Chemical, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 1% and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $46,280.
How does Decatur's salary compare to other cities?
Decatur's median salary of $46,280 is 9.2% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 84), the real purchasing power is approximately $55,095.
What is the minimum wage in Decatur, AL?
The minimum wage in Decatur, AL is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.