Bookkeeper salary in Decatur, AL
Decatur pays bookkeepers more than Alabama as a whole but less than the country. The median is $46,060 a year1: 3.2% above the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 and 9.1% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #356 of 521. BLS counts about 580 people in this job here, 3% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Decatur, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Decatur against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, AL | $31,390 | $46,060 | $64,540 | |
| Alabama | $30,460 | $44,640 | $60,250 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Decatur earns $37,820–$54,680. The top tenth earns $64,540 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,860 wide, between the figure for Alabama ($14,290) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,390 | $2,616 | $15.09 | $40,503 |
| 25th percentile | $37,820 | $3,152 | $18.18 | $48,800 |
| Median | $46,060 | $3,838 | $22.14 | $59,432 |
| 75th percentile | $54,680 | $4,557 | $26.29 | $70,555 |
| 90th percentile | $64,540 | $5,378 | $31.03 | $83,277 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,620 a year in pay and about $11,123 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,240 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Decatur, and the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Decatur
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 $13,372 to the $46,060 median and brings it to $59,432 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 bookkeepers 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 Decatur
Of the 15 roles we track in Decatur, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($46,810) and administrative assistants ($43,900). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,140.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +8.1% | 260 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +1.6% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 580 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.7% | 1,260 | |
| Paralegal | -7.7% | 60 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in Decatur (-9.1%), between customer support specialists (-8.3%) and executive assistants (-11.4%). The typical role here is at -12.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Decatur than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.1% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Decatur, 9.2% across Alabama and 8.7% 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 $38,810 in Florence-Muscle Shoals to $47,330 in Birmingham, a gap of $8,520 a year. Of the 10 areas in Alabama with more bookkeepers than Decatur, 8 pay less, the largest of them Mobile, AL ($44,470), Montgomery, AL ($43,710) and the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($40,630).
| Area | Median | vs Decatur | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | +2.8% | 5,430 | |
| Huntsville, AL | +2.3% | 1,830 | |
| Decatur, AL | this area | 580 | |
| Mobile, AL | -3.5% | 1,600 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -3.9% | 560 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -5.1% | 1,400 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -5.2% | 1,000 |
Decatur against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Decatur is #386 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Alabama, Sandusky and Warner Robins pay just above Decatur and Terre Haute and Farmington just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Decatur. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Decatur | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +6.3% | 580 | jobs | |
| Logan, UT-ID | +0.3% | 580 | jobs | |
| Warner Robins, GA | +0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| Sandusky, OH | +0.1% | 390 | pay | |
| Decatur, AL | this area | 580 | ||
| Terre Haute, IN | +0.0% | 550 | pay | |
| Farmington, NM | -0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -3.5% | 580 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Decatur, AL?
About $59,432 a year at the median, or $4,953 a month: $46,060 in pay plus about $13,372 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Decatur?
The median was $46,060 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,390, the 90th $64,540, and the middle half earned $37,820 to $54,680.
Is Decatur cheaper than the rest of Alabama for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $46,060 against $44,640 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Huntsville at $47,130, the next down Mobile at $44,470.
How many bookkeepers work in Decatur?
BLS counts about 580 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Alabama total of 19,890. 10 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Alabama nonmetro area, with about 610.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Decatur?
Yes: $2,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,060 and $43,900.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: 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.