Administrative Assistant salary in Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuscaloosa pays administrative assistants close to the Alabama norm. The median is $41,550 a year1, about level with the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 and 12.6% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #369 of 520. About 2,330 administrative assistants work here, 5% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, 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 | $28,750 | $41,550 | $56,670 | |
| Alabama | $29,170 | $41,630 | $59,090 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Tuscaloosa earns $35,090–$48,690. The top tenth earns $56,670 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 $13,600 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 | $28,750 | $2,396 | $13.82 | $37,097 |
| 25th percentile | $35,090 | $2,924 | $16.87 | $45,277 |
| Median | $41,550 | $3,462 | $19.98 | $53,613 |
| 75th percentile | $48,690 | $4,058 | $23.41 | $62,826 |
| 90th percentile | $56,670 | $4,722 | $27.25 | $73,123 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,460 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,140, or about $9,213 once benefits are added. 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 Tuscaloosa, and the Alabama statewide median of $41,630 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tuscaloosa
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 $12,063 to the $41,550 median and brings it to $53,613 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 Tuscaloosa
Of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($43,400) and HR assistants ($40,430). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,380.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +9.6% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | +4.5% | 900 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 2,330 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.7% | 40 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.6% | 860 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa (-12.6%), between project coordinators (-8.7%) and executive assistants (-12.6%). The typical role here is at -18.1%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Tuscaloosa than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 26.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tuscaloosa, 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. Of the 5 areas in Alabama with more administrative assistants than Tuscaloosa, 2 pay less: Montgomery, AL ($40,260) and the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($39,000).
| Area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | +7.3% | 10,900 | |
| Decatur, AL | +5.7% | 1,260 | |
| Mobile, AL | +3.1% | 3,780 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 2,330 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -2.6% | 1,570 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -3.1% | 4,060 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -4.2% | 900 |
Tuscaloosa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tuscaloosa is #129 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, Fayetteville-Springdale and Youngstown-Warren pay just above Tuscaloosa and Lynchburg and Wichita just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Tuscaloosa. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +21.4% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | +10.5% | 2,330 | jobs | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | +2.5% | 2,350 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | +0.1% | 1,680 | pay | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +0.0% | 1,550 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 2,330 | ||
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.1% | 910 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -0.2% | 6,290 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Tuscaloosa, AL?
About $53,613 a year at the median, or $4,468 a month: $41,550 in pay plus about $12,063 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Tuscaloosa?
The median was $41,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,750, the 90th $56,670, and the middle half earned $35,090 to $48,690.
Is Tuscaloosa cheaper than the rest of Alabama for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $41,550 against $41,630 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Mobile at $42,840, the next down Auburn-Opelika at $40,460.
How many administrative assistants work in Tuscaloosa?
BLS counts about 2,330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Alabama total of 45,050. 5 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, with about 2,870.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an HR assistant in Tuscaloosa?
Yes: $1,120 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,550 and $40,430.
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.