Bookkeeper salary in Mobile, AL
Mobile pays bookkeepers close to the Alabama norm. The median is $44,470 a year1, about level with the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 and 12.2% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#437 of 521). BLS counts about 1,600 people in this job here, 8% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Mobile, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Mobile against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, AL | $30,640 | $44,470 | $58,830 | |
| Alabama | $30,460 | $44,640 | $60,250 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Mobile earns $36,870–$49,320. The top tenth earns $58,830 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. The mean ($44,370) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,450 wide, against $14,290 across Alabama and $17,950 nationally: employers in Mobile pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,640 | $2,553 | $14.73 | $39,535 |
| 25th percentile | $36,870 | $3,072 | $17.73 | $47,574 |
| Median | $44,470 | $3,706 | $21.38 | $57,381 |
| 75th percentile | $49,320 | $4,110 | $23.71 | $63,639 |
| 90th percentile | $58,830 | $4,902 | $28.28 | $75,910 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,850 over it, while the 25th sits $7,600 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $6,258 more a year with benefits. 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Mobile, and the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Mobile
At the $44,470 median, a local hire costs about $57,381 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,911 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 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 Mobile
Of the 16 roles we track in Mobile, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($45,280) and administrative assistants ($42,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,300.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +11.2% | 520 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +1.8% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,600 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.7% | 3,780 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.9% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 16 roles we track in Mobile (-12.2%), between administrative assistants (-9.9%) and sales development representatives (-13.6%). The typical role here is at -15.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Mobile than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Mobile, 9.2% across Alabama and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 2 areas in Alabama with more bookkeepers than Mobile also pay more, among them Birmingham, AL ($47,330) and Huntsville, AL ($47,130).
| Area | Median | vs Mobile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | +6.4% | 5,430 | |
| Huntsville, AL | +6.0% | 1,830 | |
| Decatur, AL | +3.6% | 580 | |
| Mobile, AL | this area | 1,600 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -0.4% | 560 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -1.7% | 1,400 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -1.8% | 1,000 |
Mobile against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Mobile is #158 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Alabama, Little Rock-North Little Rock and Slidell-Mandeville pay just above Mobile and Las Cruces and Homosassa Springs just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Mobile. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Mobile | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +14.7% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Green Bay, WI | +10.5% | 1,570 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +3.3% | 1,570 | jobs | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +0.1% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | +0.0% | 3,480 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | this area | 1,600 | ||
| Las Cruces, NM | -0.0% | 580 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -0.2% | 310 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Mobile, AL?
About $57,381 a year at the median, or $4,782 a month: $44,470 in pay plus about $12,911 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Mobile?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,470 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,640, the 90th $58,830, and the middle half earned $36,870 to $49,320.
Is Mobile cheaper than the rest of Alabama for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $44,470 against $44,640 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Decatur at $46,060, the next down Auburn-Opelika at $44,270.
How many bookkeepers work in Mobile?
BLS counts about 1,600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Alabama total of 19,890. Only Birmingham and Huntsville have more in Alabama.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Mobile?
Yes: $1,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,470 and $42,840.
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.