Fastest declining jobs in Alabama, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Alabama, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Alabama's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Alabama run 11.2% below the national average (2024), so a Alabama salary is worth about 1.13× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Alabama.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Alabama

OccupationMedian, Alabama · Growth 2024–34

1Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$32,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,640 – $38,260-24.7%
2Data Entry Keyers$35,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,330 – $47,210-22.0%
3Telemarketers$34,840
No formal educational credential
$29,740 – $35,460-18.9%
4Foundry Mold and Coremakers$51,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $55,340-17.8%
5Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$37,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,810 – $49,590-16.9%
6Power Plant Operators$107,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,250 – $123,520-15.3%
7Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$46,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,210 – $64,170-15.0%
8Tellers$37,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,980 – $45,860-13.0%
9Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$34,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,890 – $46,060-11.2%
10Meter Readers, Utilities$45,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,460 – $72,200-11.0%
11Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,170 – $78,370-9.8%
12Machine Feeders and Offbearers$38,810
No formal educational credential
$29,310 – $50,110-9.5%
13Bill and Account Collectors$40,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $60,080-7.9%
14Correctional Officers and Jailers$46,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,430 – $74,290-7.1%
15Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$57,430
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,280-7.0%
16Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$58,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,800 – $85,660-6.4%
17Advertising Sales Agents$50,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,410 – $106,530-6.2%
18Computer Programmers$93,800
Bachelor's degree
$58,100 – $132,330-6.0%
19Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$36,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,470 – $47,380-6.0%
20Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,390
No formal educational credential
$30,330 – $36,580-6.0%
21Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,230 – $73,750-5.8%
22Library Assistants, Clerical$27,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$21,700 – $38,110-5.5%
23Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,290 – $67,340-5.4%
24Cooks, Fast Food$27,870
No formal educational credential
$22,640 – $34,170-5.2%
25Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$40,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,100 – $50,850-5.1%
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$51,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,100 – $79,950-5.1%
27Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$33,870
No formal educational credential
$27,520 – $41,090-5.0%
28Office Clerks, General$31,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,770 – $47,940-4.9%
29Network and Computer Systems Administrators$81,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,690 – $135,080-4.6%
30Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,960 – $64,430-4.4%
31Insurance Underwriters$62,220
Bachelor's degree
$43,540 – $129,600-4.4%
32Labor Relations Specialists$48,120
Bachelor's degree
$17,880 – $96,990-4.3%
33Library Technicians$37,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,190 – $48,380-4.2%
34Engine and Other Machine Assemblers—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —-4.1%
35Travel Agents$47,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,910 – $63,240-3.9%
36Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$38,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,340 – $56,180-3.8%
37Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$79,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $106,370-3.7%
38Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$42,140
Associate's degree
$31,520 – $61,460-3.7%
39Packers and Packagers, Hand$31,770
No formal educational credential
$23,390 – $43,410-3.5%
40Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$52,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $66,820-3.5%
41Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$44,640
Some college, no degree
$30,460 – $60,250-3.4%
42Computer User Support Specialists$49,630
Some college, no degree
$35,320 – $75,790-3.3%
43Helpers--Production Workers$35,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,060 – $45,840-2.7%
44Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$52,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,320 – $76,360-2.6%
45First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$80,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,630 – $102,960-2.5%
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-2.2%
47Postal Service Clerks$61,640
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-2.1%
48Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$38,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,870 – $56,160-2.1%
49Database Administrators$93,900
Bachelor's degree
$60,500 – $134,810-1.9%
50Customer Service Representatives$38,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,920 – $55,670-1.8%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAlabama	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32,210	$27,640 – $38,260	-24.7%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,130	$29,330 – $47,210	-22.0%
3	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$34,840	$29,740 – $35,460	-18.9%
4	Foundry Mold and CoremakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,040	$37,180 – $55,340	-17.8%
5	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,340	$28,810 – $49,590	-16.9%
6	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,080	$76,250 – $123,520	-15.3%
7	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,170	$32,210 – $64,170	-15.0%
8	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,350	$29,980 – $45,860	-13.0%
9	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,180	$27,890 – $46,060	-11.2%
10	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,710	$33,460 – $72,200	-11.0%
11	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,380	$39,170 – $78,370	-9.8%
12	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$38,810	$29,310 – $50,110	-9.5%
13	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,330	$31,140 – $60,080	-7.9%
14	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,660	$30,430 – $74,290	-7.1%
15	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$45,530 – $75,280	-7.0%
16	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,990	$49,800 – $85,660	-6.4%
17	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,870	$22,410 – $106,530	-6.2%
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$93,800	$58,100 – $132,330	-6.0%
19	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,190	$24,470 – $47,380	-6.0%
20	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$35,390	$30,330 – $36,580	-6.0%
21	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$30,230 – $73,750	-5.8%
22	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$27,530	$21,700 – $38,110	-5.5%
23	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,950	$29,290 – $67,340	-5.4%
24	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$27,870	$22,640 – $34,170	-5.2%
25	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,210	$34,100 – $50,850	-5.1%
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,870	$35,100 – $79,950	-5.1%
27	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$33,870	$27,520 – $41,090	-5.0%
28	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,200	$20,770 – $47,940	-4.9%
29	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$81,400	$51,690 – $135,080	-4.6%
30	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,050	$34,960 – $64,430	-4.4%
31	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$62,220	$43,540 – $129,600	-4.4%
32	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$48,120	$17,880 – $96,990	-4.3%
33	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,150	$29,190 – $48,380	-4.2%
34	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	-4.1%
35	Travel AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,640	$38,910 – $63,240	-3.9%
36	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,170	$29,340 – $56,180	-3.8%
37	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,710	$49,190 – $106,370	-3.7%
38	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$42,140	$31,520 – $61,460	-3.7%
39	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$31,770	$23,390 – $43,410	-3.5%
40	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,220	$38,180 – $66,820	-3.5%
41	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$44,640	$30,460 – $60,250	-3.4%
42	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$49,630	$35,320 – $75,790	-3.3%
43	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,910	$27,060 – $45,840	-2.7%
44	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,380	$38,320 – $76,360	-2.6%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,230	$46,630 – $102,960	-2.5%
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,700	$42,390 – $81,040	-2.2%
47	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,640	$42,600 – $75,030	-2.1%
48	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,940	$29,870 – $56,160	-2.1%
49	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,900	$60,500 – $134,810	-1.9%
50	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,400	$29,920 – $55,670	-1.8%

More for Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Alabama

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Alabama to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Alabama, 2024–34

More for Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama

By field in Alabama

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34