Administrative Assistant salary in Huntsville, AL
Huntsville is the most expensive place in Alabama to hire an administrative assistant. The median is $46,090 a year1, 10.7% above the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 and 3.1% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #207 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 4,700 people in this job here, 10% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Huntsville, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Huntsville against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | $31,370 | $46,090 | $61,680 | |
| Alabama | $29,170 | $41,630 | $59,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $61,680, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in Huntsville earns $37,440–$52,920. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,480 wide, between the figure for Alabama ($13,540) and the US figure ($19,170).
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,370 | $2,614 | $15.08 | $40,477 |
| 25th percentile | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| Median | $46,090 | $3,841 | $22.16 | $59,471 |
| 75th percentile | $52,920 | $4,410 | $25.44 | $68,284 |
| 90th percentile | $61,680 | $5,140 | $29.65 | $79,587 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,830 a year in pay and about $8,813 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,650 in pay. 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 $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Huntsville, and the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Huntsville
At the $46,090 median, a local hire costs about $59,471 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,381 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 administrative assistants 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 Huntsville
Of the 16 roles we track in Huntsville, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between paralegals ($46,580) and HR assistants ($43,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $112,130.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +2.3% | 1,830 | |
| Paralegal | +1.1% | 440 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 4,700 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.4% | 110 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -8.9% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Huntsville (-3.1%), between executive assistants (-2.5%) and accountants (-5.3%). The typical role here is at -7.8%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Huntsville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 19.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Huntsville, 20.7% across Alabama and 10.8% 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 $37,480 in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area to $46,090 in Huntsville, a gap of $8,610 a year. The one area in Alabama with more administrative assistants, Birmingham, AL ($44,580), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Huntsville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | this area | 4,700 | |
| Birmingham, AL | -3.3% | 10,900 | |
| Decatur, AL | -4.8% | 1,260 | |
| Mobile, AL | -7.1% | 3,780 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -9.9% | 2,330 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -12.2% | 1,570 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -12.6% | 4,060 |
Huntsville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Huntsville is #66 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Alabama, Utica-Rome and Watertown-Fort Drum pay just above Huntsville and Las Vegas-Henderson and Flagstaff just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Huntsville. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Huntsville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +11.5% | 4,630 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +2.2% | 4,770 | jobs | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | +0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.0% | 1,490 | pay | |
| Huntsville, AL | this area | 4,700 | ||
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.1% | 11,080 | pay | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | -0.2% | 550 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -1.4% | 4,710 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Huntsville, AL?
About $59,471 a year at the median, or $4,956 a month: $46,090 in pay plus about $13,381 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in Huntsville?
The median was $46,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,370, the 90th $61,680, and the middle half earned $37,440 to $52,920.
Is Huntsville the most expensive area in Alabama for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $46,090 is the highest of 16 areas in Alabama. Birmingham comes next at $44,580.
How many administrative assistants work in Huntsville?
BLS counts about 4,700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Alabama total of 45,050. Only Birmingham has more in Alabama.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in Huntsville?
Yes: $2,470 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,090 and $43,620.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: 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.