Cost of hiring in Birmingham, AL
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 16 jobs in Birmingham, with about 10,900 people1. Medians run from $35,610 a year for virtual receptionists to $100,820 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Birmingham
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | -0.3% | 900 | |
| Project Coordinator | -1.5% | 910 | |
| Accountant | -6.0% | 7,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.2% | 10,900 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.3% | 3,030 | |
| Bookkeeper | -6.6% | 5,430 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -7.3% | 220 | |
| Office Manager | -7.7% | 5,820 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -9.5% | 9,850 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.1% | 180 | |
| Recruiter | -10.6% | 3,060 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.2% | 3,770 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.8% | n/a | |
| Paralegal | -15.5% | 2,420 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -17.0% | 340 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -21.0% | 2,660 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $44,580 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $57,523 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Birmingham against the US
Birmingham pays below the US median for 15 of the 16 roles, furthest for marketing specialists (-21.0%). For executive assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is -8.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #57 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for payroll specialists, #393 of 486.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Birmingham has more administrative assistants (19.0% of these jobs here, against 11.5% nationally) and paralegals (4.2% against 2.6%), and fewer project coordinators (1.6% against 7.2%) and data entry specialists (0.4% against 0.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Lincoln, NE is nearest, at -8.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WY | -8.4% | 14 | 4,190 |
| Lincoln, NE | -8.6% | 17 | 18,600 |
| Birmingham, AL | -8.6% (this area) | 16 | 57,280 |
| Decatur, IL | -8.6% | 14 | 3,000 |
| Lawrence, KS | -8.7% | 13 | 5,490 |
| Casper, WY | -8.8% | 13 | 3,000 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Birmingham span $38,460–$117,770, the widest band (3.1×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $31,830–$50,810. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 16 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, recruiters and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($70,940 against a $60,040 median for sales development representatives).
Birmingham against Alabama
Against Alabama as a whole, Birmingham pays more for 15 of 16 roles, led by paralegals (+12.5%) and executive assistants (+9.9%). It has the highest median in Alabama for executive assistants, office managers and marketing specialists and 4 more roles.
Other areas in Alabama
By jobs in these roles, Birmingham is #1 of 16 areas in Alabama. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Huntsville to the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 24,650 | 16 |
| Montgomery, AL | 18,070 | 16 |
| Mobile, AL | 17,970 | 16 |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | 11,230 | 16 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 8,910 | 16 |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | 8,510 | 16 |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | 6,900 | 15 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 6,570 | 15 |
| Dothan, AL | 5,820 | 14 |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | 5,550 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Birmingham?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $100,820 a year, about $130,090 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,610.
Is hiring in Birmingham cheaper than the US median?
Mostly: no role pays more than the US median, and 15 of 16 pay less.
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.