Accountant salary in Tuscaloosa, AL
Hiring an accountant costs less in Tuscaloosa than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $71,690 a year1: 4.3% below the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 and 14.3% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#416 of 521). BLS counts about 960 people in this job here, 4% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Tuscaloosa, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tuscaloosa against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $49,070 | $71,690 | $123,120 | |
| Alabama | $50,240 | $74,880 | $123,170 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $123,120, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Tuscaloosa earns $60,750–$92,800. The mean ($79,420) is 11% 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 $32,050 wide, against $35,030 across Alabama and $42,790 nationally: employers in Tuscaloosa 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 | $49,070 | $4,089 | $23.59 | $63,316 |
| 25th percentile | $60,750 | $5,062 | $29.21 | $78,387 |
| Median | $71,690 | $5,974 | $34.47 | $92,503 |
| 75th percentile | $92,800 | $7,733 | $44.62 | $119,742 |
| 90th percentile | $123,120 | $10,260 | $59.19 | $158,865 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $21,110 over the median, the 25th only $10,940 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $27,239 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 Tuscaloosa, and the Alabama statewide median of $74,880 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tuscaloosa
At the $71,690 median, a local hire costs about $92,503 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,813 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 Tuscaloosa
Of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($93,380); executive assistants come next at $66,930.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +30.3% | 70 | |
| Accountant | this role | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.6% | 130 | |
| Recruiter | -11.8% | 520 | |
| Office Manager | -16.5% | 970 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa (-14.3%), between office managers (-13.8%) and bookkeepers (-14.3%). The typical role here is at -18.1%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost more in Tuscaloosa than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tuscaloosa, 11.2% across Alabama and 9.2% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 5 areas in Alabama with more accountants than Tuscaloosa, 1 pays less: the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($66,010).
| Area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +1.2% | 680 | |
| Mobile, AL | +0.6% | 2,010 | |
| Decatur, AL | +0.5% | 530 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 960 | |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 480 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -0.6% | 820 | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -5.7% | 460 |
Tuscaloosa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tuscaloosa is #203 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, Morgantown and College Station-Bryan pay just above Tuscaloosa and Kankakee and Bowling Green just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Tuscaloosa. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | +8.0% | 940 | jobs | |
| Lubbock, TX | +3.8% | 960 | jobs | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | +0.2% | 810 | pay | |
| Morgantown, WV | +0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 960 | ||
| Kankakee, IL | -0.1% | 210 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -2.4% | 970 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Tuscaloosa, AL?
About $92,503 a year at the median, or $7,709 a month: $71,690 in pay plus about $20,813 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Tuscaloosa?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,690 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,070, the 90th $123,120, and the middle half earned $60,750 to $92,800.
Is Tuscaloosa cheaper than the rest of Alabama for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,690 against $74,880 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Decatur at $72,030, the next down the Northwest Alabama nonmetro area at $71,420.
How many accountants work in Tuscaloosa?
BLS counts about 960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Alabama total of 24,300. 5 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, with about 980.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Tuscaloosa?
Yes: $4,760 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,690 and $66,930.
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.