Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Alabama

Each occupation's median wage in Alabama compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Alabama pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$80,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,430 – $94,120+38.4%
2Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,310 – $70,340+29.7%
3Engineers, All Other$152,550
Bachelor's degree
$87,780 – $195,190+24.1%
4Business Operations Specialists, All Other$100,240
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $164,280+20.7%
5Logisticians$98,450
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $142,670+19.6%
6Transportation Inspectors$108,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,150 – $112,530+17.4%
7Avionics Technicians$95,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,330 – $100,220+16.6%
8Real Estate Sales Agents$60,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,750 – $236,210+15.3%
9Facilities Managers$121,010
Bachelor's degree
$82,450 – $174,990+13.5%
10Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$118,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,710 – $198,970+10.3%
11Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,230 – $73,750+9.4%
12Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $67,640+8.9%
13Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,370 – $59,720+8.8%
14Budget Analysts$99,490
Bachelor's degree
$61,050 – $142,670+8.6%
15Chemists$97,830
Bachelor's degree
$61,050 – $150,410+7.2%
16Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,170 – $78,370+6.5%
17Management Analysts$108,040
Bachelor's degree
$63,400 – $193,370+6.1%
18Foundry Mold and Coremakers$51,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $55,340+6.1%
19General and Operations Managers$111,790
Bachelor's degree
$55,160 – $243,600+5.7%
20Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$50,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,240 – $74,710+5.3%
21Insurance Sales Agents$65,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,540 – $184,800+5.2%
22Cargo and Freight Agents$54,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,040 – $83,510+5.0%
23Power Plant Operators$107,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,250 – $123,520+4.9%
24Electrical Engineers$125,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,840 – $180,220+4.1%
25Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$40,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,100 – $50,850+4.0%
26Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $79,660+4.0%
27Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$52,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,320 – $76,360+3.3%
28Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$82,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,350 – $98,440+3.0%
29Physicians, All Other$272,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,690 – $424,420+2.5%
30Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$79,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $106,370+2.2%
31Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$52,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $66,820+1.7%
32Tool and Die Makers$64,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,520 – $80,430+1.2%
33Driver/Sales Workers$39,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,310 – $61,100+1.1%
34Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $77,550+1.1%
35Teachers and Instructors, All Other$66,510
Bachelor's degree
$36,590 – $98,330+0.6%
36Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,510
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $98,940+0.6%
37Administrative Services Managers$114,550
Bachelor's degree
$46,690 – $207,300+0.4%
38Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,620
No formal educational credential
$22,190 – $53,040-0.1%
39Chefs and Head Cooks$62,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,940 – $85,990-0.1%
40Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,540 – $66,680-0.1%
41Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$54,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,130 – $79,780-0.3%
42Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$54,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $66,390-0.3%
43Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$79,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,100 – $122,930-0.7%
44Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,800 – $60,120-0.8%
45Postal Service Clerks$61,640
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-0.8%
46Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,520
Bachelor's degree
$50,510 – $77,150-0.9%
47Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,390
No formal educational credential
$30,330 – $36,580-1.0%
48Project Management Specialists$100,820
Bachelor's degree
$63,550 – $164,910-1.5%
49Telemarketers$34,840
No formal educational credential
$29,740 – $35,460-1.7%
50Civil Engineers$99,010
Bachelor's degree
$63,930 – $168,370-1.8%

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	vs. national
1	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,330	$38,430 – $94,120	+38.4%
2	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$38,310 – $70,340	+29.7%
3	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$152,550	$87,780 – $195,190	+24.1%
4	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,240	$61,110 – $164,280	+20.7%
5	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,450	$61,320 – $142,670	+19.6%
6	Transportation InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,140	$69,150 – $112,530	+17.4%
7	Avionics TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$95,920	$62,330 – $100,220	+16.6%
8	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,890	$24,750 – $236,210	+15.3%
9	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,010	$82,450 – $174,990	+13.5%
10	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$118,320	$63,710 – $198,970	+10.3%
11	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$30,230 – $73,750	+9.4%
12	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,930	$38,110 – $67,640	+8.9%
13	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,840	$29,370 – $59,720	+8.8%
14	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,490	$61,050 – $142,670	+8.6%
15	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$97,830	$61,050 – $150,410	+7.2%
16	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,380	$39,170 – $78,370	+6.5%
17	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,040	$63,400 – $193,370	+6.1%
18	Foundry Mold and CoremakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,040	$37,180 – $55,340	+6.1%
19	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,790	$55,160 – $243,600	+5.7%
20	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,600	$38,240 – $74,710	+5.3%
21	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,510	$36,540 – $184,800	+5.2%
22	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,890	$40,040 – $83,510	+5.0%
23	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,080	$76,250 – $123,520	+4.9%
24	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,630	$77,840 – $180,220	+4.1%
25	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,210	$34,100 – $50,850	+4.0%
26	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,290	$36,670 – $79,660	+4.0%
27	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,380	$38,320 – $76,360	+3.3%
28	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,260	$48,350 – $98,440	+3.0%
29	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$272,610	$98,690 – $424,420	+2.5%
30	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,710	$49,190 – $106,370	+2.2%
31	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,220	$38,180 – $66,820	+1.7%
32	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,800	$45,520 – $80,430	+1.2%
33	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,190	$24,310 – $61,100	+1.1%
34	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,710	$39,660 – $77,550	+1.1%
35	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,510	$36,590 – $98,330	+0.6%
36	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,510	$44,950 – $98,940	+0.6%
37	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,550	$46,690 – $207,300	+0.4%
38	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$36,620	$22,190 – $53,040	-0.1%
39	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,400	$39,940 – $85,990	-0.1%
40	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,690	$31,540 – $66,680	-0.1%
41	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,260	$36,130 – $79,780	-0.3%
42	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,040	$37,430 – $66,390	-0.3%
43	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,690	$48,100 – $122,930	-0.7%
44	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,010	$31,800 – $60,120	-0.8%
45	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,640	$42,600 – $75,030	-0.8%
46	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,520	$50,510 – $77,150	-0.9%
47	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$35,390	$30,330 – $36,580	-1.0%
48	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,820	$63,550 – $164,910	-1.5%
49	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$34,840	$29,740 – $35,460	-1.7%
50	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,010	$63,930 – $168,370	-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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Alabama

More for Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama

By field in Alabama

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state