Highest-paying jobs in Birmingham
Highest-paying jobs in Birmingham
The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation's primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you'd expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Birmingham. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,210
- Median hourly wage: $47.22
- Total employment: 970 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Soil and plant scientists
- Median annual wage: $99,030
- Median hourly wage: $47.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $99,640
- Median hourly wage: $47.90
- Total employment: 320 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $100,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.18
- Total employment: 350 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $100,330
- Median hourly wage: $48.24
- Total employment: 3,560 people (7.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $100,520
- Median hourly wage: $48.33
- Total employment: 420 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,040
- Median hourly wage: $48.58
- Total employment: 940 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,140
- Median hourly wage: $48.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $101,910
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 550 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $102,360
- Median hourly wage: $49.21
- Total employment: 9,740 people (19.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $102,410
- Median hourly wage: $49.24
- Total employment: 220 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $102,710
- Median hourly wage: $49.38
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $102,820
- Median hourly wage: $49.43
- Total employment: 280 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $103,690
- Median hourly wage: $49.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $104,170
- Median hourly wage: $50.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $104,560
- Median hourly wage: $50.27
- Total employment: 550 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $104,850
- Median hourly wage: $50.41
- Total employment: 310 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $105,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.50
- Total employment: 220 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $105,210
- Median hourly wage: $50.58
- Total employment: 540 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $105,570
- Median hourly wage: $50.76
- Total employment: 1,190 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $105,970
- Median hourly wage: $50.95
- Total employment: 1,100 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $106,480
- Median hourly wage: $51.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $107,130
- Median hourly wage: $51.50
- Total employment: 200 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $107,370
- Median hourly wage: $51.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $108,550
- Median hourly wage: $52.19
- Total employment: 860 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $109,460
- Median hourly wage: $52.63
- Total employment: 510 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $110,680
- Median hourly wage: $53.21
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $118,150
- Median hourly wage: $56.81
- Total employment: 140 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Physicians, pathologists
- Median annual wage: $120,370
- Median hourly wage: $57.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $121,230
- Median hourly wage: $58.28
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $125,000
- Median hourly wage: $60.10
- Total employment: 520 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,130
- Median hourly wage: $60.16
- Total employment: 750 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $125,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.35
- Total employment: 110 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $127,450
- Median hourly wage: $61.27
- Total employment: 1,480 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $130,450
- Median hourly wage: $62.72
- Total employment: 1,620 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 420 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $133,580
- Median hourly wage: $64.22
- Total employment: 2,500 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $134,070
- Median hourly wage: $64.46
- Total employment: 210 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $134,260
- Median hourly wage: $64.55
- Total employment: 2,140 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $134,710
- Median hourly wage: $64.77
- Total employment: 130 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $182,760
- Median hourly wage: $87.87
- Total employment: 610 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Median annual wage: $201,640
- Median hourly wage: $96.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Surgeons, all other
- Median annual wage: $204,040
- Median hourly wage: $98.10
- Total employment: 350 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $218,960
- Median hourly wage: $105.27
- Total employment: 310 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $221,370
- Median hourly wage: $106.43
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 180 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
