Cost of hiring in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
BLS counts about 6,900 people in these 15 roles in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($90,300 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($29,670), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,740 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | -1.4% | 80 | |
| Project Coordinator | -11.7% | 30 | |
| HR Assistant | -15.0% | 50 | |
| Recruiter | -16.1% | 400 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -16.6% | 910 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.4% | 240 | |
| Bookkeeper | -19.8% | 740 | |
| Office Manager | -21.0% | 740 | |
| Accountant | -21.1% | 720 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -21.2% | 1,740 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -21.9% | 380 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -23.4% | 480 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -26.6% | 60 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -29.2% | 180 | |
| Paralegal | -43.1% | 150 |
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 $37,480 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $48,361 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against the US
The Southeast Alabama nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 15 roles. The gap is smallest for executive assistants (-1.4%) and project coordinators (-11.7%) and largest for paralegals (-43.1%). The middle gap across all 15 is -21.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #65 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #506 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area has more administrative assistants (25.2% of these jobs here, against 10.9% nationally) and HR assistants (0.7% against 0.6%), and fewer project coordinators (0.4% against 6.8%) and executive assistants (1.2% against 2.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Texarkana, TX-AR is nearest, at -21.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawton, OK | -20.5% | 15 | 3,720 |
| Southeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | -21.0% (this area) | 15 | 6,900 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -21.1% | 15 | 4,440 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -21.5% | 15 | 5,210 |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -21.6% | 17 | 28,300 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -22.1% | 16 | 7,690 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area span $30,600–$105,680, the widest band (3.5×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $28,860–$47,350. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 15 roles, project coordinators most ($61,580–$167,970 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, accountants, marketing specialists and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($66,930 against a $57,800 median for sales development representatives).
the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area against Alabama
Against Alabama as a whole, the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 15 roles, led by executive assistants (+8.7%) and HR assistants (+2.1%), and less for 13, most of all paralegals (-24.3%). It has the lowest median in Alabama for administrative assistants and paralegals.
Other areas in Alabama
By jobs in these roles, the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area is #8 of 16 areas in Alabama. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Montgomery to the Northwest Alabama nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 6,570 | 15 |
| Dothan, AL | 5,820 | 14 |
| Southwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | 5,550 | 15 |
| Decatur, AL | 5,210 | 15 |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | 5,170 | 13 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $90,300 a year, about $116,516 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $29,670.
Is hiring in the Southeast Alabama nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 15 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for paralegals (-43.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.