High paying entry level jobs in Decatur, AL

These occupations in Decatur, AL ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Decatur, AL run 12.8% below the national average (2024), so a Decatur, AL salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Decatur, AL

OccupationMedian, Decatur, AL · Employed

1Lawyers$139,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,990 – $189,45070
2Aerospace Engineers$138,460
Bachelor's degree
$83,930 – $175,020100
3Materials Engineers$134,370
Bachelor's degree
$74,480 – $166,09050
4Pharmacists$133,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,180 – $158,850120
5Environmental Engineers$129,290
Bachelor's degree
$81,380 – $165,98050
6Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$125,940
Bachelor's degree
$94,270 – $157,76090
7Electrical Engineers$124,440
Bachelor's degree
$82,780 – $159,840160
8Mechanical Engineers$115,750
Bachelor's degree
$78,560 – $159,990310
9Chemical Engineers$109,160
Bachelor's degree
$79,700 – $173,43060
10Chemists$109,110
Bachelor's degree
$69,570 – $152,59060
11Nurse Practitioners$107,760
Master's degree
$87,350 – $127,570120
12Software Developers$107,740
Bachelor's degree
$62,490 – $166,850160
13Industrial Engineers$106,230
Bachelor's degree
$78,000 – $166,380530
14Project Management Specialists$106,140
Bachelor's degree
$64,470 – $173,040100
15Civil Engineers$103,490
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $169,090180
16Financial and Investment Analysts$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,480 – $169,74040
17Computer Systems Analysts$99,740
Bachelor's degree
$65,330 – $175,10080
18Physical Therapists$97,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,700 – $131,19050
19Occupational Therapists$97,460
Master's degree
$63,290 – $123,52030
20Business Operations Specialists, All Other$92,290
Bachelor's degree
$58,510 – $164,01080
21Logisticians$89,500
Bachelor's degree
$55,270 – $138,940120
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$83,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,830 – $110,56040
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$79,500
Bachelor's degree
$50,990 – $110,700120
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$78,420
Bachelor's degree
$49,320 – $121,180100
25Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$72,380
Master's degree
$61,350 – $82,79080
26Accountants and Auditors$72,030
Bachelor's degree
$50,270 – $116,190530
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$70,310
Associate's degree
$52,170 – $100,87040
28Registered Nurses$68,320
Bachelor's degree
$51,170 – $91,740960
29Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$68,220
Master's degree
$51,870 – $76,59050
30Public Relations Specialists$63,780
Bachelor's degree
$42,620 – $135,35040
31Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$63,390
Bachelor's degree
$52,730 – $74,50040
32Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,350
Bachelor's degree
$49,690 – $78,190420
33Human Resources Specialists$63,030
Bachelor's degree
$39,270 – $107,590260
34Physical Therapist Assistants$62,810
Associate's degree
$52,730 – $88,21060
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,950
Bachelor's degree
$49,240 – $75,140360
36Dental Hygienists$61,340
Associate's degree
$47,390 – $72,39080
37Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$60,220
Associate's degree
$43,750 – $97,650190
38Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$59,650
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $72,86050
39Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$58,620
Associate's degree
$52,700 – $88,83080
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$58,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,350 – $72,270210
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$56,450
Bachelor's degree
$37,420 – $125,060180
42Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$55,360
Associate's degree
$38,130 – $72,49050
43Child, Family, and School Social Workers$48,980
Bachelor's degree
$38,980 – $78,110100
44Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$47,530
Bachelor's degree
$38,010 – $74,62090
45Graphic Designers$46,170
Bachelor's degree
$33,160 – $82,87050
46Surgical Technologists$46,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,980 – $60,75050
47Medical Records Specialists$44,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,210 – $59,59050
48Paralegals and Legal Assistants$42,510
Associate's degree
$31,300 – $76,48060
49Dental Assistants$40,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,120 – $48,81090
50Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$38,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,190 – $51,33040

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

#	Occupation	MedianDecatur, AL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$139,010	$64,990 – $189,450	70
2	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$138,460	$83,930 – $175,020	100
3	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,370	$74,480 – $166,090	50
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,410	$74,180 – $158,850	120
5	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,290	$81,380 – $165,980	50
6	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$125,940	$94,270 – $157,760	90
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,440	$82,780 – $159,840	160
8	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$115,750	$78,560 – $159,990	310
9	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,160	$79,700 – $173,430	60
10	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$109,110	$69,570 – $152,590	60
11	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$107,760	$87,350 – $127,570	120
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$107,740	$62,490 – $166,850	160
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,230	$78,000 – $166,380	530
14	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,140	$64,470 – $173,040	100
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,490	$65,500 – $169,090	180
16	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,560	$64,480 – $169,740	40
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,740	$65,330 – $175,100	80
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,600	$74,700 – $131,190	50
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,460	$63,290 – $123,520	30
20	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,290	$58,510 – $164,010	80
21	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$89,500	$55,270 – $138,940	120
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$83,120	$47,830 – $110,560	40
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$79,500	$50,990 – $110,700	120
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,420	$49,320 – $121,180	100
25	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$72,380	$61,350 – $82,790	80
26	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$72,030	$50,270 – $116,190	530
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$70,310	$52,170 – $100,870	40
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$68,320	$51,170 – $91,740	960
29	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$68,220	$51,870 – $76,590	50
30	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,780	$42,620 – $135,350	40
31	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,390	$52,730 – $74,500	40
32	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,350	$49,690 – $78,190	420
33	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,030	$39,270 – $107,590	260
34	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,810	$52,730 – $88,210	60
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,950	$49,240 – $75,140	360
36	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$61,340	$47,390 – $72,390	80
37	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$60,220	$43,750 – $97,650	190
38	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,650	$47,200 – $72,860	50
39	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,620	$52,700 – $88,830	80
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,010	$46,350 – $72,270	210
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,450	$37,420 – $125,060	180
42	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$55,360	$38,130 – $72,490	50
43	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$48,980	$38,980 – $78,110	100
44	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$47,530	$38,010 – $74,620	90
45	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$46,170	$33,160 – $82,870	50
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,060	$36,980 – $60,750	50
47	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,340	$30,210 – $59,590	50
48	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$42,510	$31,300 – $76,480	60
49	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,440	$36,120 – $48,810	90
50	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,820	$31,190 – $51,330	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Decatur, AL. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying entry level jobs in Decatur, AL

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