Accountant salary in Auburn-Opelika, AL
Hiring an accountant costs less in Auburn-Opelika than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $72,570 a year1: 3.1% below the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 and 13.3% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#395 of 521). BLS counts about 680 people in this job here, 3% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Auburn-Opelika, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Auburn-Opelika against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $50,090 | $72,570 | $121,130 | |
| Alabama | $50,240 | $74,880 | $123,170 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Auburn-Opelika earns $60,990–$91,760. The top tenth earns $121,130 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($79,040) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $30,770 wide, against $35,030 across Alabama and $42,790 nationally: employers in Auburn-Opelika pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,090 | $4,174 | $24.08 | $64,632 |
| 25th percentile | $60,990 | $5,082 | $29.32 | $78,697 |
| Median | $72,570 | $6,048 | $34.89 | $93,639 |
| 75th percentile | $91,760 | $7,647 | $44.12 | $118,400 |
| 90th percentile | $121,130 | $10,094 | $58.24 | $156,297 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $19,190 over the median, the 25th only $11,580 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $24,761 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Auburn-Opelika, and the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Auburn-Opelika
At the $72,570 median, a local hire costs about $93,639 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,069 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Auburn-Opelika
Of the 15 roles we track in Auburn-Opelika, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($77,690); recruiters come next at $63,030.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +7.1% | 60 | |
| Accountant | this role | 680 | |
| Recruiter | -13.1% | 350 | |
| Executive Assistant | -13.4% | 110 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -17.8% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in Auburn-Opelika (-13.3%), between bookkeepers (-12.6%) and office managers (-14.7%). The typical role here is at -17.2%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Auburn-Opelika than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Auburn-Opelika, 11.3% across Alabama and 9.3% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Alabama
Across the 16 areas of Alabama with data for this job, the median runs from $63,250 in Gadsden to $79,220 in Huntsville, a gap of $15,970 a year. Of the 8 areas in Alabama with more accountants than Auburn-Opelika, 5 pay less, the largest of them Mobile, AL ($72,130), the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($66,010) and Tuscaloosa, AL ($71,690).
| Area | Median | vs Auburn-Opelika | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | +9.2% | 3,010 | |
| Birmingham, AL | +8.4% | 7,790 | |
| Montgomery, AL | +3.4% | 2,530 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | this area | 680 | |
| Mobile, AL | -0.6% | 2,010 | |
| Decatur, AL | -0.7% | 530 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -1.2% | 960 |
Auburn-Opelika against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Auburn-Opelika is #284 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, Homosassa Springs and Dover pay just above Auburn-Opelika and Joplin and Michigan City-La Porte just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Auburn-Opelika. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Auburn-Opelika | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg, VA | +8.8% | 680 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | +3.4% | 690 | jobs | |
| Dover, DE | +0.2% | 710 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | this area | 680 | ||
| Joplin, MO-KS | -0.0% | 560 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -8.4% | 690 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
About $93,639 a year at the median, or $7,803 a month: $72,570 in pay plus about $21,069 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Auburn-Opelika?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,090, the 90th $121,130, and the middle half earned $60,990 to $91,760.
Is Auburn-Opelika cheaper than the rest of Alabama for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,570 against $74,880 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Montgomery at $75,040, the next down Mobile at $72,130.
How many accountants work in Auburn-Opelika?
BLS counts about 680 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Alabama total of 24,300. 8 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, with about 720.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Auburn-Opelika?
Yes: $9,540 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,570 and $63,030.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.