High paying jobs in Alabama

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Alabama. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$272,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,690 – $424,4203,980
2Nurse Anesthetists$190,300
Master's degree
$101,450 – $270,2201,810
3Chief Executives$166,420
Bachelor's degree
$101,670 – $317,400810
4Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,350
Bachelor's degree
$106,100 – $236,2303,790
5Engineers, All Other$152,550
Bachelor's degree
$87,780 – $195,1903,460
6Financial Managers$140,500
Bachelor's degree
$86,340 – $256,7507,200
7Computer and Information Systems Managers$138,670
Bachelor's degree
$83,260 – $213,4607,670
8Computer Hardware Engineers$136,990
Bachelor's degree
$80,680 – $195,190680
9Managers, All Other$135,890
Bachelor's degree
$55,490 – $203,5301,970
10Pharmacists$134,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,010 – $161,9405,400
11Lawyers$131,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,310 – $249,0906,730
12Computer Network Architects$130,810
Bachelor's degree
$76,960 – $173,4004,200
13Purchasing Managers$130,710
Bachelor's degree
$77,990 – $188,1401,520
14Aerospace Engineers$127,540
Bachelor's degree
$78,660 – $195,1905,820
15Electrical Engineers$125,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,840 – $180,2204,600
16Sales Managers$124,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,050 – $218,2704,670
17Information Security Analysts$122,730
Bachelor's degree
$66,090 – $170,6904,010
18Software Developers$122,540
Bachelor's degree
$71,590 – $175,33017,450
19Industrial Production Managers$122,520
Bachelor's degree
$69,560 – $204,0503,620
20Facilities Managers$121,010
Bachelor's degree
$82,450 – $174,990940
21Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$120,720
Bachelor's degree
$77,100 – $195,1901,940
22Marketing Managers$120,160
Bachelor's degree
$70,790 – $225,3001,540
23Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$118,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,710 – $198,9701,250
24Administrative Services Managers$114,550
Bachelor's degree
$46,690 – $207,300860
25Human Resources Managers$113,210
Bachelor's degree
$70,520 – $195,5702,160
26General and Operations Managers$111,790
Bachelor's degree
$55,160 – $243,60030,170
27Transportation Inspectors$108,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,150 – $112,530670
28Management Analysts$108,040
Bachelor's degree
$63,400 – $193,3704,900
29Power Plant Operators$107,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,250 – $123,520790
30Computer Occupations, All Other$106,330
Bachelor's degree
$59,260 – $151,3002,630
31Nurse Practitioners$105,750
Master's degree
$86,300 – $134,6505,640
32Veterinarians$105,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,430 – $172,2901,020
33Physician Assistants$104,960
Master's degree
$83,020 – $145,100930
34Data Scientists$103,120
Bachelor's degree
$59,130 – $161,5901,740
35Environmental Engineers$102,650
Bachelor's degree
$66,720 – $158,910780
36Computer Systems Analysts$101,770
Bachelor's degree
$64,880 – $163,1106,560
37Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$101,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,670 – $162,6001,760
38Commercial Pilots$101,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,030 – $163,100780
39Project Management Specialists$100,820
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $164,9103,190
40Business Operations Specialists, All Other$100,240
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $164,2806,990
41Education Administrators, Postsecondary$100,030
Master's degree
$62,570 – $211,3703,760
42Industrial Engineers$99,880
Bachelor's degree
$68,410 – $152,9707,650
43Budget Analysts$99,490
Bachelor's degree
$61,050 – $142,670870
44Civil Engineers$99,010
Bachelor's degree
$63,930 – $168,3705,370
45Logisticians$98,450
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $142,6705,190
46Chemists$97,830
Bachelor's degree
$61,050 – $150,410700
47Medical and Health Services Managers$97,790
Bachelor's degree
$64,640 – $159,45010,360
48Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$97,480
Master's degree
$76,150 – $123,0703,020
49Physical Therapists$97,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,770 – $133,7103,040
50Construction Managers$96,960
Bachelor's degree
$61,970 – $157,4608,560

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	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$272,610	$98,690 – $424,420	3,980
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$190,300	$101,450 – $270,220	1,810
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$166,420	$101,670 – $317,400	810
4	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,350	$106,100 – $236,230	3,790
5	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$152,550	$87,780 – $195,190	3,460
6	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,500	$86,340 – $256,750	7,200
7	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,670	$83,260 – $213,460	7,670
8	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$136,990	$80,680 – $195,190	680
9	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$135,890	$55,490 – $203,530	1,970
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,630	$90,010 – $161,940	5,400
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,970	$62,310 – $249,090	6,730
12	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$130,810	$76,960 – $173,400	4,200
13	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,710	$77,990 – $188,140	1,520
14	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,540	$78,660 – $195,190	5,820
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,630	$77,840 – $180,220	4,600
16	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,040	$66,050 – $218,270	4,670
17	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$122,730	$66,090 – $170,690	4,010
18	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,540	$71,590 – $175,330	17,450
19	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,520	$69,560 – $204,050	3,620
20	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,010	$82,450 – $174,990	940
21	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$120,720	$77,100 – $195,190	1,940
22	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,160	$70,790 – $225,300	1,540
23	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$118,320	$63,710 – $198,970	1,250
24	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,550	$46,690 – $207,300	860
25	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,210	$70,520 – $195,570	2,160
26	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,790	$55,160 – $243,600	30,170
27	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,140	$69,150 – $112,530	670
28	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,040	$63,400 – $193,370	4,900
29	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,080	$76,250 – $123,520	790
30	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,330	$59,260 – $151,300	2,630
31	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$105,750	$86,300 – $134,650	5,640
32	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,630	$65,430 – $172,290	1,020
33	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$104,960	$83,020 – $145,100	930
34	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$103,120	$59,130 – $161,590	1,740
35	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,650	$66,720 – $158,910	780
36	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,770	$64,880 – $163,110	6,560
37	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$101,500	$62,670 – $162,600	1,760
38	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,420	$57,030 – $163,100	780
39	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,820	$63,550 – $164,910	3,190
40	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,240	$61,110 – $164,280	6,990
41	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$100,030	$62,570 – $211,370	3,760
42	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,880	$68,410 – $152,970	7,650
43	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,490	$61,050 – $142,670	870
44	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,010	$63,930 – $168,370	5,370
45	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,450	$61,320 – $142,670	5,190
46	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,830	$61,050 – $150,410	700
47	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,790	$64,640 – $159,450	10,360
48	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$97,480	$76,150 – $123,070	3,020
49	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,290	$74,770 – $133,710	3,040
50	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$96,960	$61,970 – $157,460	8,560

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Alabama. 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.

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.

High paying jobs in Alabama

More for Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama

By field in Alabama

Without a degree

By state