Administrative Assistant salary in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $39,000 a year1: 6.3% below the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 and 18.0% below the US median of $47,540. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#445 of 520). BLS counts about 2,870 people in this job here, 6% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | $28,020 | $39,000 | $55,360 | |
| Alabama | $29,170 | $41,630 | $59,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area earns $33,590–$47,840. The top tenth earns $55,360 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $14,250 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 | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | $36,155 |
| 25th percentile | $33,590 | $2,799 | $16.15 | $43,342 |
| Median | $39,000 | $3,250 | $18.75 | $50,323 |
| 75th percentile | $47,840 | $3,987 | $23.00 | $61,729 |
| 90th percentile | $55,360 | $4,613 | $26.62 | $71,432 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,840 over the median, the 25th only $5,410 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,406 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 $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, and the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area
At the $39,000 median, a local hire costs about $50,323 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,323 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 the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($39,250) and HR assistants ($34,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,730.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +4.2% | 1,270 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.6% | 1,450 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,870 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.7% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -11.1% | 1,180 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 16 roles we track in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area (-18.0%), between customer support specialists (-12.3%) and data entry specialists (-19.5%). The typical role here is at -22.8%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 25.6% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, 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. All 4 areas in Alabama with more administrative assistants than the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area also pay more, among them Birmingham, AL ($44,580) and Huntsville, AL ($46,090).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +1.4% | 1,820 | |
| Dothan, AL | +1.3% | 1,190 | |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 1,440 | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,870 | |
| Gadsden, AL | -0.4% | 670 | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -0.4% | 1,160 | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,660 |
the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area is #105 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, McAllen-Edinburg and Altoona pay just above the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area and Little Rock-North Little Rock and Homosassa Springs just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +33.3% | 2,930 | jobs | |
| Lincoln, NE | +21.1% | 2,890 | jobs | |
| Topeka, KS | +1.3% | 2,920 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | +0.0% | 640 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | +0.0% | 3,180 | pay | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,870 | ||
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -0.4% | 2,160 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -0.4% | 400 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro)?
About $50,323 a year at the median, or $4,194 a month: $39,000 in pay plus about $11,323 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $39,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,020, the 90th $55,360, and the middle half earned $33,590 to $47,840.
Is the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Alabama for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,000 against $41,630 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is the Northwest Alabama nonmetro area at $39,430, the next down Gadsden at $38,860.
How many administrative assistants work in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,870 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Alabama total of 45,050. 4 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Mobile, with about 3,780.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,000 and $34,840.
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.