By State · Alabama

Women in Alabama: Pay, Representation, and Firsts

Everything the data says about women in Alabama — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.

77.5%
Women’s earnings as % of men’s in Alabama
Census ACS S2001
#44
of 51 US jurisdictions for pay equity (1 = highest)
Computed from state ratios
17.1%
Women in the Alabama state legislature
CAWP Rutgers 2024
#46
Rank for women’s legislative representation
Computed from CAWP data
1
Women from Alabama in 119th US Congress
CAWP 2025
2003
Year of first woman governor
CAWP State Executive

Where Alabama sits

Women in Alabama earn 77.5 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 22.5%. That puts Alabama #44 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity — bottom decile. The women-in-legislature figure of 17.1% ranks Alabama #46 nationally — below 20%, among the lowest.

Notable firsts & figures

Lurleen Wallace (1967) — second US state to elect a woman governor. Dixie Bibb Graves (1937) — first US woman appointed to Senate.

Professions in Alabama

State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in Alabama. Each page combines national BLS medians with Alabama’s Census ACS wage environment.

SurgeonsWomen surgeons in AlabamaDoctorsWomen doctors in AlabamaLawyersWomen lawyers in AlabamaRegistered NursesWomen nurses in AlabamaSoftware DevelopersWomen software developers in AlabamaChief ExecutivesWomen CEOs in AlabamaEngineersWomen engineers in AlabamaElementary TeachersWomen teachers in AlabamaAccountantsWomen accountants in AlabamaProfessorsWomen professors in AlabamaDentistsWomen dentists in AlabamaPharmacistsWomen pharmacists in AlabamaArchitectsWomen architects in AlabamaPsychologistsWomen psychologists in AlabamaAirline PilotsWomen airline pilots in AlabamaElectriciansWomen electricians in AlabamaPlumbersWomen plumbers in AlabamaPolice OfficersWomen police officers in AlabamaJournalistsWomen journalists in AlabamaFinancial AnalystsWomen financial analysts in Alabama

Fields in Alabama

AcademiaWomen in Academia in AlabamaConstruction and the Skilled Trades (2026)Women in Construction and the Skilled Trades (2026) in AlabamaEngineeringWomen in Engineering in AlabamaFinanceWomen in Finance in AlabamaLawWomen in Law in AlabamaMedicineWomen in Medicine in AlabamaSportsWomen in Sports in AlabamaTechWomen in Tech in AlabamaUS PoliticsWomen in US Politics in Alabama

Related national data

HistoricalWomen at work, 2000 NationalWomen in US politics ToolPay Gap Lookup (Alabama) CompareWomen vs men at work HubAll 51 US states

Frequently asked

What is the gender pay gap in Alabama?

Women in Alabama earn 77.5% of what men earn — a gap of 22.5%. Census ACS S2001 data.

How many women are in Alabama’s state legislature?

17.1% of Alabama state legislators are women — rank #46 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).

Has Alabama elected a woman governor?

Yes — the first woman governor of Alabama took office in 2003.

Has Alabama elected a woman US Senator?

Yes — the first woman US Senator from Alabama took office in 2017.

How many women does Alabama send to Congress?

1 women from Alabama serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).