Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Decatur, AL

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

Cost of living: prices in Decatur, AL run 12.8% below the national average (2024), so a Decatur, AL salary is worth about 1.15× 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 Decatur, AL

OccupationMedian, Decatur, AL · vs. national

1Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$114,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,650 – $131,190+128.3%
2Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$82,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,660 – $94,120+41.6%
3Training and Development Specialists$93,230
Bachelor's degree
$48,750 – $157,750+34.6%
4Physicians, All Other$351,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$219,140 – $351,790+32.3%
5Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $112,860+23.4%
6Facilities Managers$128,880
Bachelor's degree
$87,810 – $189,830+20.8%
7Environmental Engineers$129,290
Bachelor's degree
$81,380 – $165,980+20.7%
8Chemists$109,110
Bachelor's degree
$69,570 – $152,590+19.6%
9Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,770 – $104,380+19.3%
10Materials Engineers$134,370
Bachelor's degree
$74,480 – $166,090+19.1%
11Industrial Production Managers$150,030
Bachelor's degree
$86,430 – $222,890+19.0%
12Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$58,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,870 – $75,950+15.0%
13Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,760 – $84,100+14.6%
14Power Plant Operators$115,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,950 – $119,110+13.6%
15First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$84,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,820 – $131,990+13.2%
16Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$72,380
Master's degree
$61,350 – $82,790+12.5%
17Mechanical Engineers$115,750
Bachelor's degree
$78,560 – $159,990+11.2%
18Business Operations Specialists, All Other$92,290
Bachelor's degree
$58,510 – $164,010+11.1%
19General and Operations Managers$117,380
Bachelor's degree
$54,080 – $255,630+11.0%
20Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,570 – $58,690+9.8%
21Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$125,940
Bachelor's degree
$94,270 – $157,760+9.4%
22Logisticians$89,500
Bachelor's degree
$55,270 – $138,940+8.7%
23Chemical Technicians$64,840
Associate's degree
$44,060 – $101,810+7.4%
24Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,080 – $83,810+6.0%
25Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,570
No formal educational credential
$30,970 – $42,740+5.4%
26Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$37,680
No formal educational credential
$25,810 – $43,940+5.2%
27Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$52,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,930 – $76,610+3.9%
28Driver/Sales Workers$40,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,170 – $58,650+3.7%
29Project Management Specialists$106,140
Bachelor's degree
$64,470 – $173,040+3.7%
30Industrial Engineers$106,230
Bachelor's degree
$78,000 – $166,380+3.7%
31Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$44,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,290 – $52,000+3.7%
32Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$63,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,490 – $107,070+3.6%
33First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$50,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,560 – $76,870+3.4%
34Electrical Engineers$124,440
Bachelor's degree
$82,780 – $159,840+3.2%
35First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$82,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,960 – $132,400+2.9%
36Civil Engineers$103,490
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $169,090+2.6%
37Aerospace Engineers$138,460
Bachelor's degree
$83,930 – $175,020+2.6%
38Food Batchmakers$43,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,350 – $47,480+2.5%
39Postal Service Clerks$63,210
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+1.7%
40Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,320 – $48,620+1.5%
41Security Guards$38,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,840 – $63,440+1.3%
42First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$49,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,600 – $68,790+1.3%
43Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$59,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,920 – $80,170+1.3%
44Electricians$63,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,450 – $133,180+1.2%
45Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$83,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,830 – $110,560+1.1%
46Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $77,230+1.1%
47Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,020 – $84,130+0.9%
48Information Security Analysts$130,400
Bachelor's degree
$68,430 – $157,050+0.9%
49Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,410 – $107,180-0.1%
50Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$68,220
Master's degree
$51,870 – $76,590-0.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDecatur, AL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$114,470	$37,650 – $131,190	+128.3%
2	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,170	$79,660 – $94,120	+41.6%
3	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,230	$48,750 – $157,750	+34.6%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$351,790	$219,140 – $351,790	+32.3%
5	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$36,500 – $112,860	+23.4%
6	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,880	$87,810 – $189,830	+20.8%
7	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,290	$81,380 – $165,980	+20.7%
8	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$109,110	$69,570 – $152,590	+19.6%
9	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,990	$46,770 – $104,380	+19.3%
10	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,370	$74,480 – $166,090	+19.1%
11	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,030	$86,430 – $222,890	+19.0%
12	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,270	$43,870 – $75,950	+15.0%
13	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,160	$37,760 – $84,100	+14.6%
14	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$115,920	$57,950 – $119,110	+13.6%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,270	$51,820 – $131,990	+13.2%
16	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$72,380	$61,350 – $82,790	+12.5%
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$115,750	$78,560 – $159,990	+11.2%
18	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,290	$58,510 – $164,010	+11.1%
19	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,380	$54,080 – $255,630	+11.0%
20	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,810	$31,570 – $58,690	+9.8%
21	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$125,940	$94,270 – $157,760	+9.4%
22	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$89,500	$55,270 – $138,940	+8.7%
23	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,840	$44,060 – $101,810	+7.4%
24	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,990	$36,080 – $83,810	+6.0%
25	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,570	$30,970 – $42,740	+5.4%
26	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$37,680	$25,810 – $43,940	+5.2%
27	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,310	$36,930 – $76,610	+3.9%
28	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,220	$26,170 – $58,650	+3.7%
29	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,140	$64,470 – $173,040	+3.7%
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,230	$78,000 – $166,380	+3.7%
31	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,360	$38,290 – $52,000	+3.7%
32	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,780	$40,490 – $107,070	+3.6%
33	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,230	$30,560 – $76,870	+3.4%
34	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,440	$82,780 – $159,840	+3.2%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,200	$47,960 – $132,400	+2.9%
36	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,490	$65,500 – $169,090	+2.6%
37	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$138,460	$83,930 – $175,020	+2.6%
38	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,340	$28,350 – $47,480	+2.5%
39	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,210	$42,600 – $75,030	+1.7%
40	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,620	$39,320 – $48,620	+1.5%
41	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,500	$28,840 – $63,440	+1.3%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,750	$35,600 – $68,790	+1.3%
43	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,390	$41,920 – $80,170	+1.3%
44	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,930	$39,450 – $133,180	+1.2%
45	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$83,120	$47,830 – $110,560	+1.1%
46	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,200	$49,170 – $77,230	+1.1%
47	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,750	$31,020 – $84,130	+0.9%
48	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$130,400	$68,430 – $157,050	+0.9%
49	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,320	$31,410 – $107,180	-0.1%
50	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$68,220	$51,870 – $76,590	-0.1%

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