Plan and oversee the drilling of oil and gas wells safely and efficiently. Median salary in Birmingham: $120K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Birmingham, Alabama. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Drilling Engineers in Birmingham earn approximately 8% lower than the US national median for this role — a $10,000 discount on annual base salary. Birmingham's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 82 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Birmingham's cost-of-living index (82), the median Drilling Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $146,341 in a US-average-cost city. That's $16,341 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Only 10% of Drilling Engineer positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the Birmingham salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $120K by 2030.
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The median Drilling Engineer salary in Birmingham, AL is $120,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Birmingham–AL metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Drilling Engineers in Birmingham with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $92,000 and $120,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $120,000 to $152,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $152,000 to $189,000 or more.
Birmingham has a cost of living index of 82 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 18% further in Birmingham than the national average. Alabama has a 5% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's degree. 10% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.