Highest-paying jobs in Birmingham for high school graduates

Stacker
#50. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 680 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $55,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: Not available

#47. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.36
- Total employment: 2,100 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 1,380 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 3,010 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 190 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Sales and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 550 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 3,140 people (6.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $61,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 3,420 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 910 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $61,250
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 540 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 290 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 3,000 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 260 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 270 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 90 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Animal trainers

- Median annual wage: $63,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 6,230 people (12.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 1,020 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Earth drillers, except oil and gas (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 5,900 people (11.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 320 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $66,360
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 450 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 3,910 people (7.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $70,450
- Median hourly wage: $33.87
- Total employment: 3,130 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $72,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 940 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $74,050
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 3,010 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 3,160 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $76,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 610 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,580
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 230 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 150 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $81,520
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $81,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,620
- Median hourly wage: $39.72
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $83,460
- Median hourly wage: $40.12
- Total employment: 1,760 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $90,200
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 470 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $92,580
- Median hourly wage: $44.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,140
- Median hourly wage: $45.74
- Total employment: 590 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.68
- Total employment: 260 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $103,640
- Median hourly wage: $49.83
- Total employment: 270 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $134,020
- Median hourly wage: $64.43
- Total employment: 110 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock