Accountant salary in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
The Southeast Alabama nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $65,990 a year1 is 11.9% below the Alabama statewide median of $74,880, and 21.1% below the US median of $83,680. Only 38 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 720 people in this job here, 3% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | $47,420 | $65,990 | $110,570 | |
| Alabama | $50,240 | $74,880 | $123,170 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $110,570, 2.3 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area earns $57,060–$88,610. The mean ($75,260) is 14% 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 $31,550 wide, against $35,030 across Alabama and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area 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 | $47,420 | $3,952 | $22.80 | $61,187 |
| 25th percentile | $57,060 | $4,755 | $27.43 | $73,626 |
| Median | $65,990 | $5,499 | $31.73 | $85,148 |
| 75th percentile | $88,610 | $7,384 | $42.60 | $114,335 |
| 90th percentile | $110,570 | $9,214 | $53.16 | $142,671 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $22,620 over the median, the 25th only $8,930 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,187 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 the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, and the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,158 to the $65,990 median and brings it to $85,148 a year. 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 the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between executive assistants ($75,520) and recruiters ($63,680). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,300.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +36.8% | 30 | |
| Executive Assistant | +14.4% | 80 | |
| Accountant | this role | 720 | |
| Recruiter | -3.5% | 400 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -12.4% | 240 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #9 of the 15 roles we track in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area (-21.1%), between office managers (-21.0%) and administrative assistants (-21.2%). The typical role here is at -21.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, 11.2% 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. All 7 areas in Alabama with more accountants than the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area also pay more, among them Birmingham, AL ($78,660) and Huntsville, AL ($79,220).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +2.4% | 460 | |
| Dothan, AL | +2.0% | 610 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +0.4% | 340 | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 980 | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 720 | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 520 | |
| Gadsden, AL | -4.2% | 280 |
the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area is #272 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, El Paso and Jonesboro pay just above the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area and Eagle Pass and Manhattan just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala, FL | +12.7% | 730 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +11.0% | 730 | jobs | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +5.6% | 730 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +0.0% | 320 | pay | |
| El Paso, TX | +0.0% | 2,120 | pay | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 720 | ||
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.1% | 80 | pay | |
| Manhattan, KS | -0.1% | 470 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro)?
About $85,148 a year at the median, or $7,096 a month: $65,990 in pay plus about $19,158 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $65,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,420, the 90th $110,570, and the middle half earned $57,060 to $88,610.
Is the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Alabama for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,990 against $74,880 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area at $66,010, the next down the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area at $65,100.
How many accountants work in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 720 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Alabama total of 24,300. 7 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Daphne-Fairhope, with about 820.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,310 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,990 and $63,680.
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.