Administrative Assistant salary in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area
The Southwest Alabama nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $38,120 a year1 is 8.4% below the Alabama statewide median of $41,630, and 19.8% below the US median of $47,540. Only 51 of 520 US areas pay less for this job. About 1,660 administrative assistants work here, 4% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | $27,230 | $38,120 | $55,360 | |
| Alabama | $29,170 | $41,630 | $59,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $55,360, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area earns $31,320–$46,950. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,630 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 | $27,230 | $2,269 | $13.09 | $35,135 |
| 25th percentile | $31,320 | $2,610 | $15.06 | $40,413 |
| Median | $38,120 | $3,177 | $18.33 | $49,187 |
| 75th percentile | $46,950 | $3,912 | $22.57 | $60,581 |
| 90th percentile | $55,360 | $4,613 | $26.62 | $71,432 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,830 a year in pay and about $11,394 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,800 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area, and the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest 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 $11,067 to the $38,120 median and brings it to $49,187 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 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 Southwest Alabama nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between paralegals ($38,590) and customer support specialists ($37,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,000.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +4.0% | 640 | |
| Paralegal | +1.2% | 120 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,660 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.2% | 640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.5% | 450 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area (-19.8%), between customer support specialists (-16.7%) and recruiters (-20.1%). The typical role here is at -22.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 29.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area, 20.8% across Alabama and 10.9% 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. Of the 8 areas in Alabama with more administrative assistants than the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area ($37,480).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan, AL | +3.6% | 1,190 | |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | +3.4% | 1,440 | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | +2.3% | 2,870 | |
| Gadsden, AL | +1.9% | 670 | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +1.9% | 1,160 | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,660 | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | -1.7% | 1,740 |
the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area is #195 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, Huntington-Ashland and Macon-Bibb County pay just above the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area and Gulfport-Biloxi and Lafayette just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +28.9% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +24.7% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +19.9% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.7% | 960 | pay | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | +0.4% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,660 | ||
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | -0.1% | 1,670 | pay | |
| Lafayette, LA | -0.2% | 2,210 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro)?
About $49,187 a year at the median, or $4,099 a month: $38,120 in pay plus about $11,067 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $38,120 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,230, the 90th $55,360, and the middle half earned $31,320 to $46,950.
Is the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Alabama for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,120 against $41,630 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Florence-Muscle Shoals at $38,850, the next down the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area at $37,480.
How many administrative assistants work in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,660 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Alabama total of 45,050. 8 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, with about 1,740.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area?
Yes: $820 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,120 and $37,300.
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.