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An internet presentation of the Occupational Outlook Handbook plus related career guidance information

Highest paying to lowest paying occupations

Decatur, AL

This list of OES earnings and employment estimates for occupations in the Decatur, Alabama, area is ordered by average earnings. The occupation title is a link to the section of the Occupational Outlook Handbook that includes the occupation. (In some cases two or more OES occupations are included together in one OOH article.)

Occupations ranked by mean annual earnings

Decatur, Alabama

Metropolitian area, all industries, May 2005

Mean annual wageOccupationMedian annual wageEmployment
$177,920Internists, general
(area) (ind)
>$145Kn.a.
$164,860Family and general practitioners
(area) (ind)
>$145Kn.a.
$128,580Chief executives
(area) (ind)
$124,710 90
$94,240Environmental engineers
(area) (ind)
$72,180 40
$93,990Lawyers
(area) (ind)
$106,940 70
$93,820Marketing managers
(area) (ind)
$84,400 30
$82,760Engineers, all other
(area) (ind)
$84,020 120
$81,630Legal occupations
(area) (ind)
$69,940 110
$81,160Engineering managers
(area) (ind)
$82,320 80
$80,840Medical and health services managers
(area) (ind)
$71,620 50
$79,990Human resources managers, all other
(area) (ind)
$81,280n.a.
$79,660Industrial production managers
(area) (ind)
$70,730 120
$78,090Pharmacists
(area) (ind)
$82,770 210
$77,670Chemical engineers
(area) (ind)
$78,780 40
$77,320Computer and information systems managers
(area) (ind)
$70,970 30
$75,320Sales managers
(area) (ind)
$73,260 60
$74,250Chemists
(area) (ind)
$71,740 30
$73,970Business operations specialists, all other
(area) (ind)
$78,050 440
$72,080Financial managers
(area) (ind)
$72,370 100
$71,120General and operations managers
(area) (ind)
$56,960 710
$71,090Education administrators, elementary and secondary school
(area) (ind)
$72,310 90
$70,130Management analysts
(area) (ind)
$54,320 100
$69,990Management occupations
(area) (ind)
$62,920 1,870
$69,780Electrical engineers
(area) (ind)
$74,940 50
$69,490Computer software engineers, applications
(area) (ind)
$78,260n.a.
$67,880Computer programmers
(area) (ind)
$62,590 70
$67,500Teachers and instructors, all other
(area) (ind)
$72,790 60
$66,930Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
(area) (ind)
$60,280 50
$66,800Industrial engineers
(area) (ind)
$63,480 80
$65,930Mechanical engineers
(area) (ind)
$67,960 90
$64,540Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
(area) (ind)
$64,820 80
$62,530Computer systems analysts
(area) (ind)
$61,870 50
$61,200Physical therapists
(area) (ind)
$61,610 30
$61,110Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
(area) (ind)
$51,480 30
$60,810Instructional coordinators
(area) (ind)
$62,940n.a.
$59,310Architecture and engineering occupations
(area) (ind)
$58,400 1,000
$59,130Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
(area) (ind)
$62,100 310
$59,100Construction managers
(area) (ind)
$60,360 80
$58,760Training and development managers
(area) (ind)
$62,290n.a.
$57,270Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other
(area) (ind)
$61,620 110
$56,600First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers
(area) (ind)
$51,790 610
$56,000First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers
(area) (ind)
$52,140 80
$55,550Civil engineers
(area) (ind)
$52,990 60
$55,130Managers, all other
(area) (ind)
$55,840 50
$54,590Computer and mathematical occupations
(area) (ind)
$52,280 260
$52,650First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives
(area) (ind)
$51,600 30
$52,210Business and financial operations occupations
(area) (ind)
$46,300 1,570
$52,140Cost estimators
(area) (ind)
$50,450 80
$51,840Educational, vocational, and school counselors
(area) (ind)
$51,700 70
$51,650Purchasing managers
(area) (ind)
$45,540 50
$50,940Electrical and electronic engineering technicians
(area) (ind)
$49,150 30
$50,540First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers
(area) (ind)
$46,240 320
$50,000Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products
(area) (ind)
$48,810 110
$48,350Speech-language pathologists
(area) (ind)
$47,230 30
$47,340Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
(area) (ind)
$38,180 2,460
$46,900Vocational education teachers, secondary school
(area) (ind)
$47,090 80
$46,830Chemical plant and system operators
(area) (ind)
$48,600n.a.
$46,670Industrial engineering technicians
(area) (ind)
$46,750 40
$46,520First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators
(area) (ind)
$45,800 160
$46,380Life, physical, and social science occupations
(area) (ind)
$41,170 260
$44,820Accountants and auditors
(area) (ind)
$40,950 260
$44,090Loan officers
(area) (ind)
$43,580 120
$44,030Postal service clerks
(area) (ind)
$44,330 30
$43,790Registered nurses
(area) (ind)
$41,910 870
$43,590First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers
(area) (ind)
$43,370 290
$43,200Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
(area) (ind)
$35,760 440
$42,690Kindergarten teachers, except special education
(area) (ind)
$42,470 120
$42,380Postal service mail carriers
(area) (ind)
$42,630 160
$42,220Executive secretaries and administrative assistants
(area) (ind)
$37,030 190
$42,200Appraisers and assessors of real estate
(area) (ind)
$37,780 40
$42,130Physical therapist assistants
(area) (ind)
$40,590 60
$41,880Elementary school teachers, except special education
(area) (ind)
$41,050 750
$41,130Special education teachers, secondary school
(area) (ind)
$41,100 60
$40,800Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education
(area) (ind)
$40,550 690
$40,750Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school
(area) (ind)
$41,080 80
$40,540Insurance sales agents
(area) (ind)
$32,930 100
$39,470Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products
(area) (ind)
$41,220n.a.
$39,060Librarians
(area) (ind)
$42,120 80
$39,030Tool and die makers
(area) (ind)
$38,990 80
$38,540Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
(area) (ind)
$35,540 3,450
$38,370Automotive body and related repairers
(area) (ind)
$34,330 50
$38,220Mechanical drafters
(area) (ind)
$38,200 30
$38,140Construction and building inspectors
(area) (ind)
$35,350 30
$38,090Maintenance and repair workers, general
(area) (ind)
$37,670 950
$37,910Chemical technicians
(area) (ind)
$34,250 70
$37,590Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
(area) (ind)
$36,230 40
$37,530Advertising sales agents
(area) (ind)
$37,210 40
$37,490Dental assistants
(area) (ind)
$39,790n.a.
$37,440Community and social services occupations
(area) (ind)
$35,740 330
$37,430First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers
(area) (ind)
$34,270 600
$37,220Electricians
(area) (ind)
$33,720 320
$37,000Police and sheriff's patrol officers
(area) (ind)
$37,830 320
$36,930Radiologic technologists and technicians
(area) (ind)
$37,250 50
$36,640Training and development specialists
(area) (ind)
$36,930 40
$36,640Administrative services managers
(area) (ind)
$30,060 50
$36,460Food service managers
(area) (ind)
$34,480 30
$35,750Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
(area) (ind)
$34,360 1,530
$35,170Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
(area) (ind)
$33,350 80
$35,140Machinists
(area) (ind)
$35,510 270
$35,020Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists
(area) (ind)
$28,790 40
$35,010Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
(area) (ind)
$35,660 90
$34,450Millwrights
(area) (ind)
$33,490 180
$34,320Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
(area) (ind)
$33,760 190
$34,290Production, planning, and expediting clerks
(area) (ind)
$32,500 130
$34,140First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand
(area) (ind)
$32,780 70
$34,130Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators
(area) (ind)
$32,510n.a.
$34,100Education, training, and library occupations
(area) (ind)
$36,370 3,150
$33,680Medical and public health social workers
(area) (ind)
$32,260 70
$33,630Sales representatives, services, all other
(area) (ind)
$37,260 100
$33,560Architectural and civil drafters
(area) (ind)
$32,140 50
$32,850Industrial machinery mechanics
(area) (ind)
$31,660 180
$32,440Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
(area) (ind)
$28,540 280
$32,380Graphic designers
(area) (ind)
$26,190 30
$32,310Civil engineering technicians
(area) (ind)
$32,560 50
$32,140Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
(area) (ind)
$32,200 110
$31,970Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
(area) (ind)
$30,800 30
$31,930Child, family, and school social workers
(area) (ind)
$31,380 50
$31,810Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
(area) (ind)
$26,960 30
$31,190All Occupations
(area) (ind)
$25,900 56,280
$31,100Job printers
(area) (ind)
$31,370 30
$31,000Construction and extraction occupations
(area) (ind)
$29,940 2,940
$30,940Crane and tower operators
(area) (ind)
$29,100 100
$30,740Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
(area) (ind)
$30,760 130
$30,640Legal secretaries
(area) (ind)
$28,420 110
$30,590First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
(area) (ind)
$27,380 60
$30,550First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers
(area) (ind)
$27,950 490
$30,450Medical and clinical laboratory technicians
(area) (ind)
$29,010 50
$30,430Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
(area) (ind)
$30,330 390
$30,190Automotive service technicians and mechanics
(area) (ind)
$29,650 250
$30,150Driver/sales workers
(area) (ind)
$28,700 170
$30,140Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$27,800 40
$30,020Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$31,690 100
$29,900Production occupations
(area) (ind)
$26,990 11,370
$29,840Helpers--production workers
(area) (ind)
$28,850 880
$29,740Painters, construction and maintenance
(area) (ind)
$30,930 50
$29,670Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
(area) (ind)
$30,030 200
$29,400Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$25,820 170
$29,230Structural metal fabricators and fitters
(area) (ind)
$27,970 160
$29,230Carpenters
(area) (ind)
$28,960 360
$28,710Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
(area) (ind)
$28,120 400
$28,580Protective service occupations
(area) (ind)
$25,710 1,050
$28,570Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
(area) (ind)
$22,870 260
$28,400Sheet metal workers
(area) (ind)
$28,820 180
$28,100Printing machine operators
(area) (ind)
$27,070 60
$28,050Education administrators, preschool and child care center/program
(area) (ind)
$27,580n.a.
$27,950Truck drivers, light or delivery services
(area) (ind)
$25,600 450
$27,840Maintenance workers, machinery
(area) (ind)
$22,450 100
$27,720Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks
(area) (ind)
$25,760 340
$27,580Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
(area) (ind)
$25,820 800
$27,280Pest control workers
(area) (ind)
$26,820 110
$27,280First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping and janitorial workers
(area) (ind)
$25,740 60
$27,270Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
(area) (ind)
$24,890 160
$27,090Transportation and material moving occupations
(area) (ind)
$24,270 5,220
$27,010First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers
(area) (ind)
$25,460 70
$26,930Cement masons and concrete finishers
(area) (ind)
$26,100 140
$26,820Payroll and timekeeping clerks
(area) (ind)
$27,260 130
$26,790Dental laboratory technicians
(area) (ind)
$25,050 60
$26,390Drywall and ceiling tile installers
(area) (ind)
$26,140n.a.
$26,180Highway maintenance workers
(area) (ind)
$26,900 40
$26,110Machine feeders and offbearers
(area) (ind)
$25,940 40
$26,100Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
(area) (ind)
$25,550 650
$25,890Correctional officers and jailers
(area) (ind)
$24,280 160
$25,880Billing and posting clerks and machine operators
(area) (ind)
$25,920 240
$25,770Office and administrative support occupations
(area) (ind)
$23,290 7,860
$25,550Computer support specialists
(area) (ind)
$21,790 60
$25,510Social and human service assistants
(area) (ind)
$20,300 60
$25,470Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
(area) (ind)
$24,800n.a.
$25,430Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
(area) (ind)
$21,500 240
$25,160Sales and related occupations
(area) (ind)
$19,790 4,890
$25,080Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$21,800 90
$25,050Customer service representatives
(area) (ind)
$23,300 690
$25,040Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
(area) (ind)
$25,320 50
$24,910Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$24,810 290
$24,880Construction laborers
(area) (ind)
$21,690 300
$24,730Painting, coating, and decorating workers
(area) (ind)
$23,640n.a.
$24,690Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive
(area) (ind)
$23,560 870
$24,660Surveying and mapping technicians
(area) (ind)
$22,740 60
$24,500Sales and related workers, all other
(area) (ind)
$20,700n.a.
$24,440Bill and account collectors
(area) (ind)
$21,820 280
$24,400Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers
(area) (ind)
$22,970 50
$24,320Parts salespersons
(area) (ind)
$17,860 100
$24,150Industrial truck and tractor operators
(area) (ind)
$23,270 360
$23,990Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers
(area) (ind)
$23,850 30
$23,860Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
(area) (ind)
$22,230 400
$23,810Loan interviewers and clerks
(area) (ind)
$22,390 140
$23,690Tire repairers and changers
(area) (ind)
$24,000 70
$23,590Medical transcriptionists
(area) (ind)
$24,970 40
$23,510Floral designers
(area) (ind)
$23,420n.a.
$23,480Order clerks
(area) (ind)
$21,790 110
$23,160Office and administrative support workers, all other
(area) (ind)
$21,360 40
$23,060Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other
(area) (ind)
$13,480 110
$22,630Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
(area) (ind)
$21,160 30
$22,580Recreation workers
(area) (ind)
$21,220 60
$22,300First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers
(area) (ind)
$21,840 440
$22,300Chefs and head cooks
(area) (ind)
$23,860 50
$22,250Retail salespersons
(area) (ind)
$18,420 1,930
$22,220Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
(area) (ind)
$20,950n.a.
$22,160Refuse and recyclable material collectors
(area) (ind)
$20,310n.a.
$22,050Preschool teachers, except special education
(area) (ind)
$20,290 100
$21,840Healthcare support occupations
(area) (ind)
$19,020 1,400
$21,730Medical records and health information technicians
(area) (ind)
$20,450 50
$21,560Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
(area) (ind)
$22,180 40
$21,480Tellers
(area) (ind)
$20,850 230
$21,390Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
(area) (ind)
$20,900 40
$21,070Helpers--carpenters
(area) (ind)
$20,850 40
$21,040Office clerks, general
(area) (ind)
$20,230 990
$20,940Counter and rental clerks
(area) (ind)
$19,430 130
$20,920Medical assistants
(area) (ind)
$21,190 160
$20,910Pharmacy technicians
(area) (ind)
$20,960 150
$20,890Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
(area) (ind)
$20,590 60
$20,850Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
(area) (ind)
$20,580 30
$20,670Psychiatric aides
(area) (ind)
$20,790 140
$20,640Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
(area) (ind)
$18,250 90
$20,600Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
(area) (ind)
$18,940 960
$20,300Medical secretaries
(area) (ind)
$19,670 90
$20,230Fabric and apparel patternmakers
(area) (ind)
$20,380n.a.
$20,070Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
(area) (ind)
$17,730 1,420
$19,870Stock clerks and order fillers
(area) (ind)
$19,370 600
$19,390Team assemblers
(area) (ind)
$17,380 1,510
$19,040Switchboard operators, including answering service
(area) (ind)
$19,010 60
$18,870Security guards
(area) (ind)
$16,480 290
$18,810Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
(area) (ind)
$18,610n.a.
$18,680Photographic processing machine operators
(area) (ind)
$18,570 40
$18,640Data entry keyers
(area) (ind)
$17,870 60
$18,460File clerks
(area) (ind)
$17,530 80
$18,110Personal care and service occupations
(area) (ind)
$16,140n.a.
$18,050Cooks, restaurant
(area) (ind)
$17,780 230
$17,950Packers and packagers, hand
(area) (ind)
$18,370 470
$17,790Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
(area) (ind)
$18,310 150
$17,750Receptionists and information clerks
(area) (ind)
$17,780 310
$17,740Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
(area) (ind)
$17,330 640
$17,660Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
(area) (ind)
$17,050 660
$17,570Sewing machine operators
(area) (ind)
$18,380 100
$17,530Helpers, construction trades, all other
(area) (ind)
$16,880 30
$17,510Food servers, nonrestaurant
(area) (ind)
$15,930 50
$17,450Home health aides
(area) (ind)
$16,910 70
$17,150Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
(area) (ind)
$16,800 130
$17,050Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
(area) (ind)
$16,330 100
$16,590Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other
(area) (ind)
$16,260 50
$16,550Woodworkers, all other
(area) (ind)
$16,360n.a.
$16,190Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
(area) (ind)
$16,410 60
$15,870Personal and home care aides
(area) (ind)
$15,990n.a.
$15,720Cashiers
(area) (ind)
$15,140n.a.
$15,280Cooks, institution and cafeteria
(area) (ind)
$14,000 320
$14,980Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
(area) (ind)
$15,280 60
$14,800Food preparation and serving related occupations
(area) (ind)
$13,600 4,470
$14,770Food preparation workers
(area) (ind)
$13,860 270
$14,650Maids and housekeeping cleaners
(area) (ind)
$14,100 280
$14,470Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
(area) (ind)
$14,890 100
$14,300Cooks, short order
(area) (ind)
$14,700 190
$14,110Bus drivers, transit and intercity
(area) (ind)
$13,380n.a.
$13,980Legislators
(area) (ind)
$12,820n.a.
$13,930Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
(area) (ind)
$14,050 80
$13,930Dishwashers
(area) (ind)
$13,760 80
$13,820Child care workers
(area) (ind)
$13,200 180
$13,440Cooks, fast food
(area) (ind)
$13,420 290
$13,420Bartenders
(area) (ind)
$13,080 40
$13,280Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
(area) (ind)
$13,120 1,480
$13,030Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop
(area) (ind)
$12,920 150
$12,650Waiters and waitresses
(area) (ind)
$12,720 730
n.a.Real estate sales agents
(area) (ind)
n.a. 30
n.a.Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
(area) (ind)
n.a. 60

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates

The Decatur, Alabama metropolitan area consists of:

Lawrence County
Morgan County