Average Salaries in Gadsden, AL
Explore salaries across 154 occupations in Gadsden, AL. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $49.4K, -24.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 154 occupations and 27,380 total jobs in Gadsden, AL.
How the metro compares
Gadsden, AL is among the lower-paying metros. Most occupations here earn less than their national averages, though cost of living is typically lower too.
Gadsden, AL is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Family Medicine Physicians. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Gadsden, AL
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Gadsden, AL
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $226.5K | N/A |
| Physicians, All Other | $207.5K | 60 |
| Pharmacists | $129.1K | 100 |
| Financial Managers | $122.5K | 70 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $115.4K | 40 |
| Physical Therapists | $106.7K | 100 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $103.7K | 130 |
| Lawyers | $94.2K | 70 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary | $92.1K | 60 |
| General And Operations Managers | $91.5K | 400 |
Largest occupations in Gadsden, AL
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,210 | $77.8K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | $28.3K |
| Cashiers | 910 | $25.8K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 810 | $22.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 770 | $31.3K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 670 | $38.9K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 630 | $25.9K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 620 | $34.1K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 560 | $24K |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | $30.4K |
What Gadsden, AL specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Gadsden, AL than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Gadsden, AL
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Helpers--Production Workers | 7.61 | $34.7K |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 6.78 | $65.1K |
| Cutting, Punching, And Press Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 6.70 | $38.4K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 4.59 | $25.9K |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 4.28 | $57.4K |
| Coating, Painting, And Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.14 | $37.4K |
| Molding, Coremaking, And Casting Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 3.63 | $38.4K |
| Tax Examiners And Collectors, And Revenue Agents | 3.29 | $45.7K |
| Cleaners Of Vehicles And Equipment | 3.17 | $36.1K |
| Structural Metal Fabricators And Fitters | 3.02 | $39.9K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Gadsden, AL
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.