Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Birmingham, AL

Each occupation's median wage in Birmingham, AL 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 Birmingham, AL pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Birmingham, AL run 8.4% below the national average (2024), so a Birmingham, AL salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Birmingham, AL

OccupationMedian, Birmingham, AL · vs. national

1General Internal Medicine Physicians$334,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$161,370 – $369,200+30.2%
2Business Teachers, Postsecondary$125,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,480 – $214,320+27.1%
3Credit Analysts$101,720
Bachelor's degree
$58,560 – $167,190+21.8%
4Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$47,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,740 – $59,250+21.0%
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$128,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,970 – $212,330+20.1%
6Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$74,670
Bachelor's degree
$45,250 – $108,330+19.7%
7Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$57,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,900 – $77,500+19.1%
8Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,440 – $212,560+18.9%
9General and Operations Managers$123,560
Bachelor's degree
$61,350 – $278,780+16.8%
10Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$59,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,160 – $77,130+16.6%
11Administrative Services Managers$129,380
Bachelor's degree
$48,930 – $209,400+13.4%
12Driver/Sales Workers$43,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,510 – $62,300+13.2%
13Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$52,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,550 – $57,590+12.1%
14Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,640 – $92,500+9.4%
15Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,840 – $65,600+8.7%
16Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$84,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,980 – $113,380+8.5%
17Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$52,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,790 – $68,390+7.7%
18Real Estate Sales Agents$56,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,710 – $108,420+7.7%
19Facilities Managers$114,750
Bachelor's degree
$84,230 – $185,390+7.6%
20Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,360 – $108,100+7.5%
21Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,210 – $63,020+7.1%
22Insurance Sales Agents$66,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,630 – $139,300+7.0%
23Cargo and Freight Agents$55,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,400 – $83,710+6.6%
24Lawyers$170,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,650 – $272,900+6.6%
25Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$57,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,950 – $70,010+6.5%
26Management Analysts$108,220
Bachelor's degree
$64,270 – $203,800+6.2%
27Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$63,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,380 – $77,550+5.5%
28Power Plant Operators$106,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,710 – $120,660+4.9%
29Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48,570
No formal educational credential
$35,850 – $62,130+4.6%
30Business Operations Specialists, All Other$86,530
Bachelor's degree
$53,750 – $140,250+4.2%
31Machine Feeders and Offbearers$42,750
No formal educational credential
$29,900 – $52,090+3.7%
32Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $75,330+3.6%
33Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,980 – $75,600+3.6%
34Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$56,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,710 – $61,130+3.3%
35Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$67,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,320 – $80,780+2.6%
36Training and Development Specialists$71,040
Bachelor's degree
$43,560 – $102,910+2.5%
37Health Education Specialists$65,540
Bachelor's degree
$40,270 – $97,180+2.3%
38Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$59,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,360 – $89,670+2.1%
39Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$52,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,230 – $60,060+1.9%
40First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,990 – $114,430+1.8%
41Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,690 – $78,500+1.6%
42Tool and Die Makers$64,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,810 – $79,130+1.2%
43Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+0.8%
44Cost Estimators$79,330
Bachelor's degree
$48,290 – $129,330+0.7%
45Chefs and Head Cooks$62,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,900 – $91,080+0.5%
46Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$76,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,430 – $104,990-0.3%
47Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$77,880
Bachelor's degree
$52,130 – $123,900-0.4%
48Teachers and Instructors, All Other$65,830
Bachelor's degree
$31,340 – $80,760-0.5%
49Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$63,380
Bachelor's degree
$43,470 – $84,500-0.7%
50Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$65,720
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $93,620-0.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBirmingham, AL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$334,100	$161,370 – $369,200	+30.2%
2	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$125,940	$63,480 – $214,320	+27.1%
3	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,720	$58,560 – $167,190	+21.8%
4	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,680	$30,740 – $59,250	+21.0%
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$128,740	$67,970 – $212,330	+20.1%
6	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$74,670	$45,250 – $108,330	+19.7%
7	Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,220	$42,900 – $77,500	+19.1%
8	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,610	$61,440 – $212,560	+18.9%
9	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,560	$61,350 – $278,780	+16.8%
10	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,080	$41,160 – $77,130	+16.6%
11	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,380	$48,930 – $209,400	+13.4%
12	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,870	$26,510 – $62,300	+13.2%
13	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,010	$33,550 – $57,590	+12.1%
14	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$37,640 – $92,500	+9.4%
15	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,810	$37,840 – $65,600	+8.7%
16	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,640	$51,980 – $113,380	+8.5%
17	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,150	$30,790 – $68,390	+7.7%
18	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,920	$33,710 – $108,420	+7.7%
19	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,750	$84,230 – $185,390	+7.6%
20	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,470	$52,360 – $108,100	+7.5%
21	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,510	$32,210 – $63,020	+7.1%
22	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,640	$36,630 – $139,300	+7.0%
23	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,700	$43,400 – $83,710	+6.6%
24	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$170,230	$65,650 – $272,900	+6.6%
25	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,740	$40,950 – $70,010	+6.5%
26	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$108,220	$64,270 – $203,800	+6.2%
27	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,350	$48,380 – $77,550	+5.5%
28	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,990	$78,710 – $120,660	+4.9%
29	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,570	$35,850 – $62,130	+4.6%
30	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,530	$53,750 – $140,250	+4.2%
31	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$42,750	$29,900 – $52,090	+3.7%
32	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,860	$37,390 – $75,330	+3.6%
33	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,950	$38,980 – $75,600	+3.6%
34	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,250	$38,710 – $61,130	+3.3%
35	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,200	$48,320 – $80,780	+2.6%
36	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,040	$43,560 – $102,910	+2.5%
37	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,540	$40,270 – $97,180	+2.3%
38	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,870	$45,360 – $89,670	+2.1%
39	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,330	$40,230 – $60,060	+1.9%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,760	$46,990 – $114,430	+1.8%
41	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,600	$42,690 – $78,500	+1.6%
42	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,800	$41,810 – $79,130	+1.2%
43	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	+0.8%
44	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$79,330	$48,290 – $129,330	+0.7%
45	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,760	$46,900 – $91,080	+0.5%
46	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,330	$49,430 – $104,990	-0.3%
47	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,880	$52,130 – $123,900	-0.4%
48	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$65,830	$31,340 – $80,760	-0.5%
49	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$63,380	$43,470 – $84,500	-0.7%
50	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,720	$48,190 – $93,620	-0.8%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Birmingham, AL

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