High paying jobs in Tuscaloosa, AL that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Tuscaloosa, AL and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Tuscaloosa, AL run 12.3% below the national average (2024), so a Tuscaloosa, AL salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Tuscaloosa, AL

OccupationMedian, Tuscaloosa, AL · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$125,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,460 – $215,33050
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$95,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,660 – $102,16090
3Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$89,610
Associate's degree
$49,550 – $103,09040
4Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$82,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $82,25040
5Lodging Managers$80,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,090 – $105,61040
6First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$78,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,430 – $114,21080
7First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$75,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,520 – $121,690860
8First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,990 – $108,9901,040
9Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$74,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,470 – $97,07060
10First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$74,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,980 – $124,30070
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$74,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,660 – $128,590700
12First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$72,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,370 – $123,65060
13Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$70,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,310 – $86,990100
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$69,040
Associate's degree
$57,870 – $85,95080
15Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$66,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,760 – $95,250130
16Chefs and Head Cooks$65,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,830 – $89,71070
17Construction and Building Inspectors$64,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $80,76060
18Respiratory Therapists$64,140
Associate's degree
$51,670 – $77,060110
19Detectives and Criminal Investigators$64,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,570 – $97,71040
20Physical Therapist Assistants$64,040
Associate's degree
$51,010 – $76,500100
21Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,960 – $78,260230
22Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $84,9101,590
23Insurance Sales Agents$62,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,110 – $211,100170
24Food Service Managers$62,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,260 – $100,660240
25Real Estate Sales Agents$61,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,410 – $107,41070
26Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$61,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,570 – $73,650160
27First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$61,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,000 – $103,99040
28Millwrights$61,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,910 – $74,570120
29Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$61,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $114,930680
30Postal Service Clerks$61,050
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,03060
31Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$60,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,470 – $90,910110
32Dental Hygienists$60,500
Associate's degree
$51,440 – $62,100130
33Electricians$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,540 – $83,040560
34First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$59,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,260 – $85,090970
35Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$59,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,440 – $85,600710
36Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$59,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,410 – $74,150370
37Structural Iron and Steel Workers$59,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,030 – $68,610100
38Chemical Technicians$59,060
Associate's degree
$44,980 – $76,20040
39Postal Service Mail Carriers$58,690
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040270
40Firefighters$58,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,530 – $87,400450
41Automotive Body and Related Repairers$58,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $86,94090
42Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$57,730
No formal educational credential
$50,720 – $61,110120
43Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $63,080210
44First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$57,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,880 – $94,070530
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$56,720
Associate's degree
$43,060 – $80,300170
46Information and Record Clerks, All Other$55,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,910 – $72,65040
47Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$55,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,880 – $65,040680
48Surveying and Mapping Technicians$53,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,870 – $73,20050
49Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$53,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,470 – $70,9707,320
50Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$52,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,620 – $75,920290

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

#	Occupation	MedianTuscaloosa, AL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,100	$66,460 – $215,330	50
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,290	$46,660 – $102,160	90
3	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$89,610	$49,550 – $103,090	40
4	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,250	$34,670 – $82,250	40
5	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,240	$46,090 – $105,610	40
6	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,280	$47,430 – $114,210	80
7	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,380	$47,520 – $121,690	860
8	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,940	$46,990 – $108,990	1,040
9	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,670	$52,470 – $97,070	60
10	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,510	$52,980 – $124,300	70
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,010	$45,660 – $128,590	700
12	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,770	$39,370 – $123,650	60
13	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,610	$40,310 – $86,990	100
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$69,040	$57,870 – $85,950	80
15	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,930	$47,760 – $95,250	130
16	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,900	$37,830 – $89,710	70
17	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,700	$48,210 – $80,760	60
18	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$64,140	$51,670 – $77,060	110
19	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,140	$49,570 – $97,710	40
20	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,040	$51,010 – $76,500	100
21	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,030	$45,960 – $78,260	230
22	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,990	$44,990 – $84,910	1,590
23	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,230	$40,110 – $211,100	170
24	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,130	$43,260 – $100,660	240
25	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,770	$35,410 – $107,410	70
26	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,680	$29,570 – $73,650	160
27	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,500	$44,000 – $103,990	40
28	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,380	$41,910 – $74,570	120
29	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,090	$36,370 – $114,930	680
30	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,050	$42,600 – $75,030	60
31	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,510	$43,470 – $90,910	110
32	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$60,500	$51,440 – $62,100	130
33	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$37,540 – $83,040	560
34	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,880	$40,260 – $85,090	970
35	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,670	$38,440 – $85,600	710
36	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,530	$38,410 – $74,150	370
37	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,230	$46,030 – $68,610	100
38	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$59,060	$44,980 – $76,200	40
39	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$58,690	$42,390 – $81,040	270
40	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,400	$36,530 – $87,400	450
41	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,240	$36,360 – $86,940	90
42	Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningNo formal educational credential	$57,730	$50,720 – $61,110	120
43	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,460	$37,360 – $63,080	210
44	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,020	$35,880 – $94,070	530
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$56,720	$43,060 – $80,300	170
46	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,490	$44,910 – $72,650	40
47	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,360	$39,880 – $65,040	680
48	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,850	$26,870 – $73,200	50
49	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,050	$39,470 – $70,970	7,320
50	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,180	$37,620 – $75,920	290

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Tuscaloosa, 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 Tuscaloosa, AL to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Tuscaloosa, AL that need no degree

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