Bookkeeper salary in Tuscaloosa, AL
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Tuscaloosa than in Alabama or the country as a whole. The median is $43,400 a year1: 2.8% below the Alabama statewide median of $44,640 and 14.3% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#467 of 521). BLS counts about 900 people in this job here, 5% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $29,490 | $43,400 | $58,700 | |
| Alabama | $30,460 | $44,640 | $60,250 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $58,700, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Tuscaloosa earns $35,640–$49,630. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,990 wide, against $14,290 across Alabama and $17,950 nationally: employers in Tuscaloosa 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 | $29,490 | $2,458 | $14.18 | $38,052 |
| 25th percentile | $35,640 | $2,970 | $17.13 | $45,987 |
| Median | $43,400 | $3,617 | $20.87 | $56,000 |
| 75th percentile | $49,630 | $4,136 | $23.86 | $64,039 |
| 90th percentile | $58,700 | $4,892 | $28.22 | $75,742 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,760 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,230, or about $8,039 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 Tuscaloosa, 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 Tuscaloosa
At the $43,400 median, a local hire costs about $56,000 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,600 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 Tuscaloosa
Of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($45,540) and administrative assistants ($41,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,380.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +5.7% | 190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.9% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 900 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.3% | 2,330 | |
| HR Assistant | -6.8% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa (-14.3%), between accountants (-14.3%) and customer support specialists (-15.1%). The typical role here is at -18.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Tuscaloosa than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tuscaloosa, 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 6 areas in Alabama with more bookkeepers than Tuscaloosa, 1 pays less: the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($40,630).
| Area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +2.0% | 560 | |
| Montgomery, AL | +0.7% | 1,400 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +0.6% | 1,000 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 900 | |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 610 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -3.8% | 330 | |
| Dothan, AL | -4.8% | 560 |
Tuscaloosa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tuscaloosa is #300 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, Sierra Vista-Douglas and Cleveland pay just above Tuscaloosa and Charleston and Albany just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Tuscaloosa. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London, CT | +32.6% | 910 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +8.4% | 890 | jobs | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +1.8% | 900 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, TN | +0.6% | 400 | pay | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | +0.5% | 210 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 900 | ||
| Charleston, WV | -0.1% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Albany, GA | -0.3% | 420 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Tuscaloosa, AL?
About $56,000 a year at the median, or $4,667 a month: $43,400 in pay plus about $12,600 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Tuscaloosa?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,490, the 90th $58,700, and the middle half earned $35,640 to $49,630.
Is Tuscaloosa cheaper than the rest of Alabama for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,400 against $44,640 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Daphne-Fairhope at $43,660, the next down the Northwest Alabama nonmetro area at $43,140.
How many bookkeepers work in Tuscaloosa?
BLS counts about 900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Alabama total of 19,890. 6 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is Daphne-Fairhope, with about 1,000.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Tuscaloosa?
Yes: $1,850 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,400 and $41,550.
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.