Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL

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

Cost of living: prices in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL run 15.2% below the national average (2024), so a Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL salary is worth about 1.18× 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL

OccupationMedian, Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL · vs. national

1Machinists$82,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,060 – $105,370+40.7%
2Facilities Managers$140,000
Bachelor's degree
$79,170 – $166,820+31.3%
3Driver/Sales Workers$48,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,590 – $60,670+24.3%
4Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$72,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,410 – $87,030+20.0%
5Structural Iron and Steel Workers$69,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,570 – $79,900+10.8%
6Postal Service Clerks$68,620
No formal educational credential
$55,660 – $76,360+10.4%
7Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,850 – $55,930+9.7%
8Electrical Engineers$131,330
Bachelor's degree
$76,970 – $158,500+8.9%
9Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$49,610
No formal educational credential
$35,070 – $62,030+6.9%
10Tool and Die Makers$68,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,720 – $75,630+6.6%
11Chemical Technicians$64,070
Associate's degree
$39,780 – $78,720+6.1%
12Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$81,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,570 – $110,740+4.7%
13Mechanical Engineers$108,510
Bachelor's degree
$66,100 – $152,110+4.2%
14Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,820 – $80,010+3.3%
15Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$55,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $67,230+2.1%
16Logging Equipment Operators$49,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $82,490+0.5%
17Tree Trimmers and Pruners$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,560 – $56,9700.0%
18Civil Engineers$100,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,930 – $152,090-0.5%
19Business Operations Specialists, All Other$82,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,490 – $139,260-1.1%
20Insurance Sales Agents$61,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,860 – $97,300-1.1%
21Painters, Construction and Maintenance$48,190
No formal educational credential
$36,550 – $48,190-2.4%
22Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$58,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $89,580-2.7%
23Management Analysts$98,270
Bachelor's degree
$54,960 – $178,950-3.5%
24Postal Service Mail Carriers$58,410
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-3.5%
25Industrial Engineers$98,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,720 – $141,950-3.8%
26Recreation Workers$34,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,800 – $36,400-4.3%
27Industrial Production Managers$120,490
Bachelor's degree
$64,490 – $208,270-4.4%
28Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$60,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,730 – $83,120-5.0%
29Electricians$59,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $98,470-5.4%
30Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$90,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,970 – $96,400-5.6%
31Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$47,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,360 – $66,800-5.7%
32Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,540 – $48,190-5.8%
33Logisticians$76,640
Bachelor's degree
$45,280 – $136,380-6.9%
34First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$45,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,930 – $73,670-6.9%
35Pharmacists$130,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,670 – $154,760-7.4%
36Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$63,170
Master's degree
$31,910 – $75,380-7.5%
37Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$97,940
Master's degree
$76,580 – $118,160-7.5%
38General and Operations Managers$97,600
Bachelor's degree
$51,010 – $206,930-7.7%
39Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$45,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $78,180-7.9%
40First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$57,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,150 – $92,490-8.0%
41Architectural and Engineering Managers$157,570
Bachelor's degree
$112,400 – $201,740-8.0%
42Industrial Machinery Mechanics$59,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,510 – $81,180-8.0%
43Training and Development Specialists$63,600
Bachelor's degree
$40,410 – $118,630-8.2%
44Project Management Specialists$93,950
Bachelor's degree
$60,480 – $131,040-8.2%
45Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$34,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,120 – $42,750-8.6%
46First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$43,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,640 – $75,060-9.4%
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$58,250
Master's degree
$35,870 – $77,640-9.5%
48Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$36,370
No formal educational credential
$27,830 – $44,690-9.6%
49First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$52,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,490 – $75,460-9.8%
50Dentists, General$153,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,010 – $376,810-10.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianFlorence-Muscle Shoals, AL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,690	$35,060 – $105,370	+40.7%
2	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,000	$79,170 – $166,820	+31.3%
3	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,190	$24,590 – $60,670	+24.3%
4	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,010	$40,410 – $87,030	+20.0%
5	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,530	$41,570 – $79,900	+10.8%
6	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$68,620	$55,660 – $76,360	+10.4%
7	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,430	$36,850 – $55,930	+9.7%
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,330	$76,970 – $158,500	+8.9%
9	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$49,610	$35,070 – $62,030	+6.9%
10	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,290	$47,720 – $75,630	+6.6%
11	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,070	$39,780 – $78,720	+6.1%
12	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,700	$38,570 – $110,740	+4.7%
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,510	$66,100 – $152,110	+4.2%
14	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,690	$36,820 – $80,010	+3.3%
15	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,360	$37,430 – $67,230	+2.1%
16	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,990	$36,660 – $82,490	+0.5%
17	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$40,560 – $56,970	0.0%
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,300	$60,930 – $152,090	-0.5%
19	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,120	$47,490 – $139,260	-1.1%
20	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,590	$30,860 – $97,300	-1.1%
21	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$48,190	$36,550 – $48,190	-2.4%
22	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,450	$39,660 – $89,580	-2.7%
23	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,270	$54,960 – $178,950	-3.5%
24	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$58,410	$42,390 – $81,040	-3.5%
25	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,550	$64,720 – $141,950	-3.8%
26	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,980	$20,800 – $36,400	-4.3%
27	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,490	$64,490 – $208,270	-4.4%
28	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,590	$36,730 – $83,120	-5.0%
29	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,770	$36,670 – $98,470	-5.4%
30	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,000	$82,970 – $96,400	-5.6%
31	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,780	$39,360 – $66,800	-5.7%
32	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,170	$36,540 – $48,190	-5.8%
33	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$76,640	$45,280 – $136,380	-6.9%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,220	$27,930 – $73,670	-6.9%
35	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,540	$78,670 – $154,760	-7.4%
36	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$63,170	$31,910 – $75,380	-7.5%
37	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$97,940	$76,580 – $118,160	-7.5%
38	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,600	$51,010 – $206,930	-7.7%
39	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,660	$31,200 – $78,180	-7.9%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,850	$32,150 – $92,490	-8.0%
41	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,570	$112,400 – $201,740	-8.0%
42	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,370	$39,510 – $81,180	-8.0%
43	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,600	$40,410 – $118,630	-8.2%
44	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$93,950	$60,480 – $131,040	-8.2%
45	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,880	$28,120 – $42,750	-8.6%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,960	$27,640 – $75,060	-9.4%
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$58,250	$35,870 – $77,640	-9.5%
48	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,370	$27,830 – $44,690	-9.6%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,710	$39,490 – $75,460	-9.8%
50	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$153,870	$57,010 – $376,810	-10.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL

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