Bookkeeper salary in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $40,650 a year1: 8.9% below the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 and 19.8% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #504 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 740 bookkeepers work here, 4% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | $29,400 | $40,650 | $57,210 | |
| Alabama | $30,460 | $44,640 | $60,250 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area earns $33,790–$47,950. The top tenth earns $57,210 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,160 wide, against $14,290 across Alabama and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area 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 | $29,400 | $2,450 | $14.13 | $37,935 |
| 25th percentile | $33,790 | $2,816 | $16.25 | $43,600 |
| Median | $40,650 | $3,388 | $19.54 | $52,452 |
| 75th percentile | $47,950 | $3,996 | $23.05 | $61,871 |
| 90th percentile | $57,210 | $4,768 | $27.50 | $73,819 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,860 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,300, or about $9,419 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 $50,670 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, 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 the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
At the $40,650 median, a local hire costs about $52,452 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,802 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 the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($42,740) and administrative assistants ($37,480). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,300.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.8% | 50 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.1% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 740 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.8% | 1,740 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.2% | 910 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area (-19.8%), between sales development representatives (-17.4%) and office managers (-21.0%). The typical role here is at -21.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, 9.2% across Alabama and 8.8% 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 $38,810 in Florence-Muscle Shoals to $47,330 in Birmingham, a gap of $8,520 a year. Of the 7 areas in Alabama with more bookkeepers than the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($40,630).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | +2.7% | 330 | |
| Dothan, AL | +1.7% | 560 | |
| Gadsden, AL | +0.4% | 290 | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 740 | |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 1,270 | |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 640 | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -4.5% | 580 |
the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area is #338 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, Johnson City and El Paso pay just above the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area and Gulfport-Biloxi and Hattiesburg just below. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | +24.7% | 730 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +14.4% | 760 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | +11.4% | 730 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | +2.2% | 2,790 | pay | |
| Johnson City, TN | +0.1% | 870 | pay | |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | this area | 740 | ||
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | -0.3% | 1,500 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -1.0% | 630 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro)?
About $52,452 a year at the median, or $4,371 a month: $40,650 in pay plus about $11,802 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $40,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,400, the 90th $57,210, and the middle half earned $33,790 to $47,950.
Is the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Alabama for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,650 against $44,640 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Gadsden at $40,810, the next down the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area at $40,630.
How many bookkeepers work in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 740 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Alabama total of 19,890. 7 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Tuscaloosa, with about 900.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,170 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,650 and $37,480.
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.