Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs in Birmingham for high school graduates

The average college graduate in 2020 earned $1,305 a week, while the average high school graduate takes home just $781, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of course, college isn’t for everyone. There are many reasons high-school graduates may choose to not continue on to college, not the least of which being cost. Average tuition costs continue to rise each year, the exception being the 2020-2021 school year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Average tuition at a public, in-state university coming in at $9,687; tuition for out-of-state students at public schools, and for everyone at private universities, is significantly higher at $21,874 and $35,087, respectively.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs for high school graduates in Birmingham-Hoover, AL using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

Keep reading to see which jobs in your city pay the most for high school graduates.

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Pixabay

#50. Surveying and mapping technicians

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $48,910
– #121 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $49,770
– Employment: 53,370
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,710)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($77,840)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,960)

Hulton Archive // Getty Images

#49. Electricians

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,150
– #418 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,650

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,550
– Employment: 656,510
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP // Getty Images

#48. Helpers–extraction workers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,280
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,150
– Employment: 12,740
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($60,670)
— Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area ($51,010)
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($50,240)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#47. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,410
– #102 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,950
– Employment: 54,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

Kawin Ounprasertsuk // Shutterstock

#46. Locksmiths and safe repairers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,510
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $46,240
– Employment: 16,180
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Reno, NV ($66,780)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,200)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,970)

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GolF2532 // Shutterstock

#45. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $49,810
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 360

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,150
– Employment: 68,920
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Eugene, OR ($70,940)
— Salem, OR ($68,640)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

#44. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,020
– #119 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 620

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,440
– Employment: 105,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
— Wausau, WI ($55,060)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#43. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $50,380
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,710
– Employment: 110,020
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tulsa, OK ($58,060)
— Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,720)
— Columbus, OH ($53,800)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $51,980
– #431 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,530

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,350
– Employment: 385,980
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
— Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
— Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,490
– #113 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

National
– Annual mean salary: $52,000
– Employment: 362,090
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
— Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
— West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($67,770)

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rlat // Shutterstock

#40. Postal service clerks

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $53,850
– #147 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

National
– Annual mean salary: $51,200
– Employment: 86,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
— Florence, SC ($59,360)
— Monroe, MI ($59,320)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

#39. Millwrights

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,130
– #134 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

National
– Annual mean salary: $59,080
– Employment: 44,400
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,590)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,580)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($80,780)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

#38. Postal service mail carriers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,620
– #111 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,430

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,180
– Employment: 333,570
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Modesto, CA ($57,160)
— Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

#37. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $54,700
– #112 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $68,170
– Employment: 29,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
— South Illinois nonmetropolitan area ($101,630)

goodluz // Shutterstock

#36. Real estate sales agents

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,910
– #174 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,990
– Employment: 168,740
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Midland, TX ($100,060)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
— Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)

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LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#35. Brokerage clerks

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $55,930
– #38 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,460
– Employment: 44,720
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,310)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($69,330)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,970)

welcomia // Shutterstock

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $56,530
– #149 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,250

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,000
– Employment: 147,680
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

Canva

#33. Construction and building inspectors

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $57,580
– #252 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $66,470
– Employment: 113,770
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New Haven, CT ($121,510)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#32. Advertising sales agents

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,410
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 500

National
– Annual mean salary: $68,040
– Employment: 110,040
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

#31. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $59,870
– #214 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 590

National
– Annual mean salary: $73,210
– Employment: 219,800
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
— Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
— Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area ($105,220)

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Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

#30. Occupational health and safety technicians

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $60,850
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $57,870
– Employment: 20,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Evansville, IN-KY ($77,880)
— Anchorage, AK ($77,690)
— Oklahoma City, OK ($77,100)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,160
– #142 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,440

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,010
– Employment: 1,427,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

Tim Goode/PA Images // Getty Images

#28. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,560
– #267 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,390

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,490
– Employment: 977,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
— Boulder, CO ($101,630)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#27. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $61,640
– #68 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $77,610
– Employment: 40,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($105,090)
— Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($101,900)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($97,860)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#26. Chefs and head cooks

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,340
– #42 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $58,740
– Employment: 101,490
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
— Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area ($79,820)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#25. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,360
– #147 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

National
– Annual mean salary: $62,400
– Employment: 50,660
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#24. Real estate brokers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $62,710
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,630
– Employment: 44,610
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
— Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

#23. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $63,940
– #104 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $67,600
– Employment: 53,420
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

#22. Gas plant operators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $64,810
– #54 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $73,290
– Employment: 14,990
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($98,750)
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($97,080)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,270
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,860
– Employment: 122,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
— Salinas, CA ($88,050)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,380
– #77 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,060

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,230
– Employment: 503,390
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#19. Lodging managers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $65,710
– #86 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $65,270
– Employment: 31,790
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area ($122,290)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $68,890
– #129 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,690

National
– Annual mean salary: $66,800
– Employment: 599,900
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
— Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
— West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area ($96,900)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#17. Private detectives and investigators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $69,920
– #24 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available

National
– Annual mean salary: $60,100
– Employment: 32,200
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Jackson, MI ($93,360)
— Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
— Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

sculpies // Shutterstock

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $70,320
– #210 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,460

National
– Annual mean salary: $72,990
– Employment: 614,080
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#15. Food service managers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $70,390
– #51 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 620

National
– Annual mean salary: $61,000
– Employment: 197,010
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#14. Insurance sales agents

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $70,540
– #98 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,540

National
– Annual mean salary: $69,100
– Employment: 409,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
— Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $71,660
– #132 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,090

National
– Annual mean salary: $70,650
– Employment: 287,150
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
— Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area ($92,500)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

#12. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $74,320
– #73 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,500

National
– Annual mean salary: $73,500
– Employment: 1,278,670
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
— Napa, CA ($92,620)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $74,770
– #123 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,880

National
– Annual mean salary: $73,100
– Employment: 475,000
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

#10. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $75,170
– #309 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 500

National
– Annual mean salary: $90,120
– Employment: 240,290
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

Canva

#9. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $82,830
– #33 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $86,200
– Employment: 24,730
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,290)
— Kansas City, MO-KS ($113,590)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($113,480)

Canva

#8. Transportation inspectors

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $83,890
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $81,320
– Employment: 27,360
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($112,260)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($111,930)
— Anchorage, AK ($108,140)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#7. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $84,990
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $79,660
– Employment: 13,880
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL ($97,930)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($96,450)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,460)

Canva

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $86,460
– #218 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

National
– Annual mean salary: $97,180
– Employment: 122,310
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $86,630
– #108 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 530

National
– Annual mean salary: $74,410
– Employment: 114,930
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
— Salinas, CA ($110,180)
— North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area ($109,740)

Prath // Shutterstock

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $87,870
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $89,300
– Employment: 105,980
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
— Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $109,560
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280

National
– Annual mean salary: $105,100
– Employment: 132,210
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
— Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

#2. Commercial pilots

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $113,870
– #49 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $110,830
– Employment: 37,120
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
— Savannah, GA ($177,450)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
– Annual mean salary: $123,540
– #3 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180

National
– Annual mean salary: $93,260
– Employment: 9,940
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($131,560)
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($129,570)
— Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($123,540)

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