Accountant salary in Gadsden, AL
No other area in Alabama pays accountants less than Gadsden. The median is $63,250 a year1, 15.5% below the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 and 24.4% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally that is #512 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. The market is small, about 280 people, 1% of the Alabama total, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Gadsden, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Gadsden against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden, AL | $46,290 | $63,250 | $106,750 | |
| Alabama | $50,240 | $74,880 | $123,170 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Gadsden earns $53,190–$76,980. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $106,750, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($71,200) is 13% 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 $23,790 wide, against $35,030 across Alabama and $42,790 nationally: employers in Gadsden 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 | $46,290 | $3,858 | $22.25 | $59,729 |
| 25th percentile | $53,190 | $4,432 | $25.57 | $68,632 |
| Median | $63,250 | $5,271 | $30.41 | $81,613 |
| 75th percentile | $76,980 | $6,415 | $37.01 | $99,329 |
| 90th percentile | $106,750 | $8,896 | $51.32 | $137,742 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,060 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,730, or about $17,716 once benefits are added. 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Gadsden, and the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local accountants earn.
What a hire really costs in Gadsden
At the $63,250 median, a local hire costs about $81,613 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,363 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 Gadsden
Accountants have the highest median of the 11 roles we track in Gadsden; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $29,450.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | this role | 280 | |
| Recruiter | -11.9% | 120 | |
| Office Manager | -13.8% | 260 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -23.1% | 90 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -25.6% | 140 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #6 of the 11 roles we track in Gadsden (-24.4%), between virtual receptionists (-22.5%) and medical administrative assistants (-24.5%). The typical role here is at -24.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 11 roles in Gadsden, 11.7% across Alabama and 10.4% 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. All 15 areas in Alabama with more accountants than Gadsden also pay more, among them Birmingham, AL ($78,660) and Huntsville, AL ($79,220).
| Area | Median | vs Gadsden | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +6.9% | 460 | |
| Dothan, AL | +6.5% | 610 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +4.8% | 340 | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | +4.4% | 980 | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | +4.3% | 720 | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | +2.9% | 520 | |
| Gadsden, AL | this area | 280 |
Gadsden against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Gadsden is #468 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, Laredo and Twin Falls pay just above Gadsden and Terre Haute and Fort Smith just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Gadsden. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Gadsden | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT | +14.6% | 280 | jobs | |
| Lawton, OK | +13.1% | 280 | jobs | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | +7.2% | 280 | jobs | |
| Twin Falls, ID | +0.3% | 180 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | +0.3% | 510 | pay | |
| Gadsden, AL | this area | 280 | ||
| Terre Haute, IN | -0.1% | 510 | pay | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -0.4% | 520 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Gadsden, AL?
About $81,613 a year at the median, or $6,801 a month: $63,250 in pay plus about $18,363 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Gadsden?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $63,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,290, the 90th $106,750, and the middle half earned $53,190 to $76,980.
Is Gadsden the cheapest area in Alabama for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $63,250 is the lowest of 16 areas in Alabama. The Southwest Alabama nonmetro area is next at $65,100.
How many accountants work in Gadsden?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Alabama total of 24,300. 15 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Anniston-Oxford, with about 340.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Gadsden?
Yes: $7,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,250 and $55,720.
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 2026-11-13.