Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,460
- Median hourly wage: $51.67
- Total employment: 360 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Huntsville
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Huntsville. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $107,950
- Median hourly wage: $51.90
- Total employment: 720 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $108,180
- Median hourly wage: $52.01
- Total employment: 490 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $108,260
- Median hourly wage: $52.05
- Total employment: 630 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $108,440
- Median hourly wage: $52.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $109,050
- Median hourly wage: $52.43
- Total employment: 580 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $110,550
- Median hourly wage: $53.15
- Total employment: 3,050 people (11.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $112,680
- Median hourly wage: $54.17
- Total employment: 110 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $117,540
- Median hourly wage: $56.51
- Total employment: 820 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
10 / 50#39. Materials engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,270
- Median hourly wage: $56.86
- Total employment: 330 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
11 / 50#39. Management analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,270
- Median hourly wage: $56.86
- Total employment: 1,800 people (6.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $118,270
- Median hourly wage: $56.86
- Total employment: 220 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $118,780
- Median hourly wage: $57.11
- Total employment: 180 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $120,540
- Median hourly wage: $57.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,910
- Median hourly wage: $58.13
- Total employment: 3,130 people (12.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,320
- Median hourly wage: $58.33
- Total employment: 7,010 people (26.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $122,430
- Median hourly wage: $58.86
- Total employment: 700 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,520
- Median hourly wage: $59.39
- Total employment: 210 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $124,960
- Median hourly wage: $60.08
- Total employment: 3,010 people (11.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $126,770
- Median hourly wage: $60.95
- Total employment: 250 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $127,070
- Median hourly wage: $61.09
- Total employment: 120 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $127,120
- Median hourly wage: $61.11
- Total employment: 1,570 people (6.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $127,210
- Median hourly wage: $61.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $129,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 2,240 people (8.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $129,280
- Median hourly wage: $62.15
- Total employment: 160 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $130,660
- Median hourly wage: $62.82
- Total employment: 1,390 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Industrial production managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,440
- Median hourly wage: $63.67
- Total employment: 440 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Public relations managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,440
- Median hourly wage: $63.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $132,620
- Median hourly wage: $63.76
- Total employment: 330 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $132,700
- Median hourly wage: $63.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $133,750
- Median hourly wage: $64.30
- Total employment: 4,090 people (15.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $134,750
- Median hourly wage: $64.79
- Total employment: 570 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $134,850
- Median hourly wage: $64.83
- Total employment: 790 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $135,160
- Median hourly wage: $64.98
- Total employment: 330 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $136,060
- Median hourly wage: $65.42
- Total employment: 610 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $138,590
- Median hourly wage: $66.63
- Total employment: 610 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,110
- Median hourly wage: $66.88
- Total employment: 4,580 people (17.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $139,270
- Median hourly wage: $66.96
- Total employment: 650 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $139,800
- Median hourly wage: $67.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $144,000
- Median hourly wage: $69.23
- Total employment: 490 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $148,240
- Median hourly wage: $71.27
- Total employment: 570 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $148,430
- Median hourly wage: $71.36
- Total employment: 3,120 people (11.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $154,510
- Median hourly wage: $74.29
- Total employment: 750 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $154,520
- Median hourly wage: $74.29
- Total employment: 1,800 people (6.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $157,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $166,560
- Median hourly wage: $80.08
- Total employment: 1,560 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $198,930
- Median hourly wage: $95.64
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $203,010
- Median hourly wage: $97.60
- Total employment: 210 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $205,280
- Median hourly wage: $98.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $230,230
- Median hourly wage: $110.69
- Total employment: 440 people (1.69 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.
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