Alabama · BLS, May 2025 wages

$30-an-hour jobs without a degree in Alabama

Name: $30-an-hour jobs without a degree in Alabama, 2025
Creator: Degreeless Jobs
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

66 occupations in Alabama pay a median of $30 an hour or more and typically need less than a bachelor’s degree to enter. The highest is nuclear power reactor operators at $57.21 an hour.

By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS

All 66, sorted by hourly median

State medians for employed workers. The 25th to 75th range is annual. Occupations reported on an annual basis only are not included.

Occupations in Alabama with a median of $30 an hour or more that typically require less than a bachelor's degree
Occupation	Hourly median	Annual median	25th to 75th	Employed	Typical entry education
Nuclear power reactor operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57.21	$119,000	$115,520 to $146,140	360	High school diploma or equivalent
Transportation, storage, and distribution managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56.88	$118,320	$91,120 to $149,540	1,250	High school diploma or equivalent
Air traffic controllersAssociate's degree	$55.27	$114,960	$100,310 to $138,050	240	Associate's degree
Power distributors and dispatchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55.08	$114,570	$106,080 to $138,260	190	High school diploma or equivalent
Nuclear techniciansAssociate's degree	$53.00	$110,240	$105,880 to $118,110	280	Associate's degree
Transportation inspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51.99	$108,140	$101,440 to $108,140	670	High school diploma or equivalent
Power plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51.48	$107,080	$86,770 to $118,380	790	High school diploma or equivalent
Elevator and escalator installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49.86	$103,700	$96,290 to $105,440	170	High school diploma or equivalent
Media and communication equipment workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46.20	$96,100	$70,220 to $125,240	40	High school diploma or equivalent
Ship engineersPostsecondary nondegree award	$46.17	$96,030	$95,540 to $101,320	50	Postsecondary nondegree award
Avionics techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$46.12	$95,920	$77,910 to $96,310	910	Postsecondary nondegree award
Postmasters and mail superintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46.03	$95,740	$90,650 to $102,590	280	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayPostsecondary nondegree award	$45.75	$95,150	$81,660 to $105,370	280	Postsecondary nondegree award
Electrical power-line installers and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44.24	$92,030	$63,020 to $102,160	2,730	High school diploma or equivalent
Chemical plant and system operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44.04	$91,610	$78,080 to $96,210	230	High school diploma or equivalent
Radiation therapistsAssociate's degree	$41.99	$87,330	$69,150 to $99,830	120	Associate's degree
Protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41.51	$86,350	$43,950 to $99,340	330	High school diploma or equivalent
Real estate brokersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39.73	$82,630	$75,260 to $82,630	460	High school diploma or equivalent
Nuclear medicine technologistsAssociate's degree	$39.72	$82,630	$77,530 to $91,100	320	Associate's degree
Aircraft mechanics and service techniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$39.55	$82,260	$67,190 to $94,970	4,310	Postsecondary nondegree award
Chemical equipment operators and tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.62	$80,330	$48,580 to $84,740	3,280	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of correctional officersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.57	$80,230	$62,120 to $93,080	470	High school diploma or equivalent
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38.32	$79,710	$62,260 to $97,070	4,040	High school diploma or equivalent
Magnetic resonance imaging technologistsAssociate's degree	$37.93	$78,890	$68,580 to $85,750	490	Associate's degree
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.91	$78,850	$44,220 to $92,390	120	High school diploma or equivalent
Airfield operations specialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.79	$78,590	$76,400 to $80,540	—	High school diploma or equivalent
Fire inspectors and investigatorsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37.55	$78,110	$61,780 to $80,460	40	Postsecondary nondegree award
Locomotive engineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.31	$77,600	$56,580 to $78,740	590	High school diploma or equivalent
Gas plant operatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.08	$77,120	$64,750 to $82,880	—	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37.05	$77,070	$58,810 to $92,070	2,410	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of police and detectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36.53	$75,970	$61,330 to $95,860	1,900	High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$36.27	$75,450	$57,610 to $82,120	50	Postsecondary nondegree award
Tank car, truck, and ship loadersNo formal educational credential	$36.27	$75,450	$70,060 to $93,600	240	No formal educational credential
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.98	$74,830	$59,070 to $96,050	13,390	High school diploma or equivalent
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all otherAssociate's degree	$35.89	$74,650	$47,640 to $96,310	690	Associate's degree
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$35.82	$74,500	$54,860 to $91,840	1,620	Associate's degree
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.34	$73,510	$48,180 to $87,870	90	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersPostsecondary nondegree award	$35.25	$73,320	$55,500 to $89,230	1,440	Postsecondary nondegree award
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35.13	$73,060	$57,300 to $93,770	20,670	High school diploma or equivalent
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all otherPostsecondary nondegree award	$33.43	$69,520	$46,040 to $101,420	80	Postsecondary nondegree award
Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33.39	$69,450	$56,760 to $83,140	2,880	High school diploma or equivalent
Lodging managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33.38	$69,420	$59,740 to $88,340	570	High school diploma or equivalent
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$33.13	$68,920	$45,500 to $102,410	350	Postsecondary nondegree award
Diagnostic medical sonographersAssociate's degree	$32.78	$68,180	$61,760 to $78,320	1,510	Associate's degree
Rotary drill operators, oil and gasNo formal educational credential	$32.41	$67,400	$50,790 to $91,810	40	No formal educational credential
Court reporters and simultaneous captionersPostsecondary nondegree award	$32.37	$67,340	$42,130 to $80,110	350	Postsecondary nondegree award
Roof bolters, miningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.22	$67,020	$66,010 to $69,390	80	High school diploma or equivalent
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.16	$66,890	$50,570 to $73,260	100	High school diploma or equivalent
Bridge and lock tendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32.13	$66,830	$60,420 to $74,730	70	High school diploma or equivalent
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$32.05	$66,660	$49,220 to $85,280	70	Associate's degree
Industrial engineering technologists and techniciansAssociate's degree	$31.97	$66,510	$50,560 to $77,790	1,010	Associate's degree
Detectives and criminal investigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.87	$66,290	$49,860 to $92,610	1,340	High school diploma or equivalent
Respiratory therapistsAssociate's degree	$31.81	$66,150	$57,480 to $76,920	2,350	Associate's degree
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.54	$65,600	$57,640 to $80,450	930	Postsecondary nondegree award
Insurance sales agentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31.50	$65,510	$47,740 to $103,100	7,430	High school diploma or equivalent
Tool and die makersPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.15	$64,800	$51,430 to $73,050	690	Postsecondary nondegree award
Computer numerically controlled tool programmersPostsecondary nondegree award	$31.05	$64,590	$50,220 to $78,920	420	Postsecondary nondegree award
Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all otherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.96	$64,400	$46,930 to $73,890	130	High school diploma or equivalent
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific productsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.84	$64,140	$48,090 to $89,840	20,470	High school diploma or equivalent
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.83	$64,120	$55,640 to $80,340	13,580	High school diploma or equivalent
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except enginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.70	$63,850	$55,270 to $75,890	4,640	High school diploma or equivalent
Transportation security screenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.66	$63,770	$61,710 to $67,890	260	High school diploma or equivalent
BoilermakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.56	$63,570	$50,190 to $73,440	180	High school diploma or equivalent
Food service managersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.29	$63,010	$57,080 to $79,000	4,330	High school diploma or equivalent
Funeral home managersAssociate's degree	$30.29	$63,010	$49,990 to $76,170	490	Associate's degree
Chefs and head cooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30.00	$62,400	$50,900 to $74,130	1,000	High school diploma or equivalent

Sources and method

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates. Typical entry education from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2). An occupation is listed when its typical entry education is below a bachelor’s degree and its Alabama median hourly wage is $30.00 or more. Medians include experienced workers; entry pay is lower. Read the full method.

All 66, sorted by hourly median

Other states

Sources and method