Fastest-growing jobs in Alabama
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Alabama. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Alabama.
#50. Nursing assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (2,690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 22,430
--- Employment in 2022: 19,740
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,540
#49. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,330
--- Employment in 2022: 3,810
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,660
#48. Animal caretakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.9% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,770
--- Employment in 2022: 3,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,090
#47. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.0% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,250
#46. Budget analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.4% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,190
#45. Industrial production managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.8% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,110
--- Employment in 2022: 2,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $113,480
#44. Avionics technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.9% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,140
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $86,980
#43. Emergency medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.2% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,660
--- Employment in 2022: 2,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,550
#42. Food batchmakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.8% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,680
#41. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.9% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,430
--- Employment in 2022: 2,960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,220
#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.6% (980 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,900
--- Employment in 2022: 5,920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,050
#39. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.6% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,460
--- Employment in 2022: 2,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,270
#38. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.1% (1,550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 10,620
--- Employment in 2022: 9,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,120
#37. Electrical engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.2% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,360
--- Employment in 2022: 3,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $105,580
#36. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.2% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,610
--- Employment in 2022: 3,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,630
#35. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.6% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,320
#34. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (1,800 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,740
--- Employment in 2022: 9,940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,110
#33. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.3% (400 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Employment in 2022: 2,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,310
#32. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.4% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,250
--- Employment in 2022: 1,900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $84,990
#31. Education administrators, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.9% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,640
--- Employment in 2022: 2,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $90,750
#30. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.6% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,230
--- Employment in 2022: 2,700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,590
#29. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.7% (2,970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 18,010
--- Employment in 2022: 15,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,870
#28. Machinists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.0% (1,040 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,230
--- Employment in 2022: 5,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,310
#27. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.2% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,270
--- Employment in 2022: 2,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,310
#26. Cooks, fast food
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.5% (4,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 23,480
--- Employment in 2022: 19,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,310
#25. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,430
--- Employment in 2022: 2,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $21,340
#24. Computer systems analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,950
--- Employment in 2022: 4,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,560
#23. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,580
#22. Legislators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.6% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $24,470
#21. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.8% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,480
#20. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.8% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,030
--- Employment in 2022: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,400
#19. Dental assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (920 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,630
--- Employment in 2022: 3,710
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,120
#18. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.1% (1,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,340
--- Employment in 2022: 4,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,860
#17. Aerospace engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.9% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,950
--- Employment in 2022: 3,900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $130,870
#16. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.4% (970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,390
--- Employment in 2022: 3,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,040
#15. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.5% (1,080 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,870
--- Employment in 2022: 3,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $20,840
#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.3% (1,120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,940
--- Employment in 2022: 3,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $77,820
#13. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.4% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,430
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,530
#12. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.9% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,520
--- Employment in 2022: 1,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,970
#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.3% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,280
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $70,240
#10. Bus drivers, school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.5% (2,960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 11,800
--- Employment in 2022: 8,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $17,620
#9. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.6% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,090
#8. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.9% (690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,560
--- Employment in 2022: 1,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#7. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,340
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: Data unavailable
#6. Physician assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.8% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $97,360
#5. Millwrights
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.1% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,050
#4. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.8% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 690
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,780
#3. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.7% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,090
--- Employment in 2022: 700
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,430
#2. Opticians, dispensing
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +60.8% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Employment in 2022: 790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,000
#1. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +84.4% (4,290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,370
--- Employment in 2022: 5,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,350
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
