High paying jobs in Alabama that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Alabama, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Transportation Inspectors$108,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,150 – $112,530670
2Power Plant Operators$107,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,250 – $123,520790
3Commercial Pilots$101,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,030 – $163,100780
4Avionics Technicians$95,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,330 – $100,220910
5Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$92,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,150 – $105,4002,730
6Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$82,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,350 – $98,4404,310
7Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$80,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,430 – $94,1203,280
8Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$79,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $106,3704,040
9Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$74,650
Associate's degree
$43,710 – $119,970690
10Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,500
Associate's degree
$45,500 – $108,7201,620
11Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$68,180
Associate's degree
$51,700 – $83,2201,510
12Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,510
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $98,9401,010
13Respiratory Therapists$66,150
Associate's degree
$50,250 – $81,0302,350
14Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$65,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,360 – $97,540930
15Insurance Sales Agents$65,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,540 – $184,8007,430
16Tool and Die Makers$64,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,520 – $80,430690
17Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$64,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $127,37020,470
18Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,350 – $79,1004,640
19Occupational Therapy Assistants$62,250
Associate's degree
$50,120 – $79,600750
20Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,940 – $91,84017,850
21Computer Network Support Specialists$61,890
Associate's degree
$40,290 – $99,270940
22Postal Service Clerks$61,640
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,0301,240
23Physical Therapist Assistants$61,430
Associate's degree
$49,340 – $79,0602,700
24Millwrights$61,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,300 – $76,0701,400
25Dental Hygienists$61,160
Associate's degree
$48,960 – $72,4103,170
26Real Estate Sales Agents$60,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,750 – $236,2101,580
27Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$60,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,320 – $90,5301,530
28Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $77,5501,350
29Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$60,700
Associate's degree
$41,060 – $80,3003,500
30Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,310 – $70,340930
31Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$59,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,750 – $91,7903,200
32Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$58,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,800 – $85,660950
33Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$58,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,450 – $114,99012,840
34Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$58,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,720 – $76,6906,950
35Chemical Technicians$58,150
Associate's degree
$37,990 – $84,9301,190
36Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,0405,840
37Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$57,430
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,2801,150
38Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$57,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,640 – $82,9202,680
39Architectural and Civil Drafters$57,100
Associate's degree
$39,040 – $77,6301,010
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$57,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,880 – $69,12011,580
41Structural Iron and Steel Workers$56,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,660 – $67,7001,740
42Electricians$55,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,640 – $78,23010,900
43Machinists$55,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,770 – $79,3805,170
44Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$55,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,780 – $96,350880
45Cargo and Freight Agents$54,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,040 – $83,5101,020
46Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$54,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,130 – $79,7801,250
47Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$54,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $66,3902,720
48Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $67,640780
49Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,170 – $78,3701,710
50Medical Equipment Repairers$53,140
Associate's degree
$32,320 – $95,6101,030

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	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,140	$69,150 – $112,530	670
2	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,080	$76,250 – $123,520	790
3	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,420	$57,030 – $163,100	780
4	Avionics TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$95,920	$62,330 – $100,220	910
5	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,030	$44,150 – $105,400	2,730
6	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,260	$48,350 – $98,440	4,310
7	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,330	$38,430 – $94,120	3,280
8	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,710	$49,190 – $106,370	4,040
9	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$74,650	$43,710 – $119,970	690
10	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,500	$45,500 – $108,720	1,620
11	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$68,180	$51,700 – $83,220	1,510
12	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,510	$44,950 – $98,940	1,010
13	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$66,150	$50,250 – $81,030	2,350
14	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,600	$46,360 – $97,540	930
15	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,510	$36,540 – $184,800	7,430
16	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,800	$45,520 – $80,430	690
17	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,140	$38,090 – $127,370	20,470
18	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,850	$46,350 – $79,100	4,640
19	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,250	$50,120 – $79,600	750
20	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,920	$42,940 – $91,840	17,850
21	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$61,890	$40,290 – $99,270	940
22	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,640	$42,600 – $75,030	1,240
23	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,430	$49,340 – $79,060	2,700
24	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,410	$45,300 – $76,070	1,400
25	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$61,160	$48,960 – $72,410	3,170
26	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,890	$24,750 – $236,210	1,580
27	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,890	$46,320 – $90,530	1,530
28	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,710	$39,660 – $77,550	1,350
29	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,700	$41,060 – $80,300	3,500
30	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$38,310 – $70,340	930
31	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,770	$43,750 – $91,790	3,200
32	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,990	$49,800 – $85,660	950
33	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,840	$37,450 – $114,990	12,840
34	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,670	$37,720 – $76,690	6,950
35	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,150	$37,990 – $84,930	1,190
36	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,700	$42,390 – $81,040	5,840
37	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$45,530 – $75,280	1,150
38	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,240	$39,640 – $82,920	2,680
39	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$57,100	$39,040 – $77,630	1,010
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,030	$39,880 – $69,120	11,580
41	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,640	$40,660 – $67,700	1,740
42	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,690	$37,640 – $78,230	10,900
43	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,560	$37,770 – $79,380	5,170
44	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,010	$41,780 – $96,350	880
45	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,890	$40,040 – $83,510	1,020
46	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,260	$36,130 – $79,780	1,250
47	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,040	$37,430 – $66,390	2,720
48	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,930	$38,110 – $67,640	780
49	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,380	$39,170 – $78,370	1,710
50	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$53,140	$32,320 – $95,610	1,030

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 that need no experience

More for Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama

By field in Alabama

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no experience