The Average Salary of an RN in Alabama

Registered nurses, or RNs, are highly-trained workers, who provide physical treatment as well as emotional support to patients and their families. Though nursing can be a stressful job, the work can be very rewarding both personally and financially. If you are interested in becoming a nurse in Alabama, then you may be interested in learning about the job outlook and earnings.

Alabama

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2009 report, registered nurses earned an hourly mean wage of $27.82 and an annual mean wage of $57,860 in Alabama.

National Comparison

• According to the same Bureau of Labor Statistics report, registered nurses earned a national hourly mean wage of $31.99 and an annual mean wage of $66,530. The national hourly wage was $4.17 above Alabama's hourly wage. The national mean salary was $8,670 above Alabama's annual mean.

Metropolitan Areas

• Salaries for registered nurses in Alabama varied across metropolitan areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Some examples include the Anniston-Oxford metropolitan area, where registered nurses earned an annual mean wage of $53,830. In the Birmingham-Hoover area, they earned $60,980. In Florence-Muscle Shoals, they earned $52,640, and in Mobile, they earned $56,820.

Regional

• Salaries for registered nurses in Alabama differed across regions, according to the May 2009 report. Registered nurses in Northwest Alabama earned an annual mean wage of $54,700. In Northeast Alabama, they earned $51,960. In the Southwest part of the state they earned $56,070; in Southeast part, they earned $55,290.

Job Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, national employment for registered nurses is expected to increase at a rate of 22 percent from 2008 through 2018. Employment for registered nurses in Alabama is projected to show a 29 percent increase through 2016.