Cost of hiring in Tuscaloosa, AL
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 16 jobs in Tuscaloosa, with about 2,330 people1. Medians run from $30,630 a year for virtual receptionists to $93,380 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Tuscaloosa
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | -8.7% | 70 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.6% | 2,330 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.6% | 130 | |
| Office Manager | -13.8% | 970 | |
| Accountant | -14.3% | 960 | |
| Bookkeeper | -14.3% | 900 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -15.1% | 860 | |
| Recruiter | -16.8% | 520 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -19.4% | 510 | |
| HR Assistant | -20.1% | 40 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -20.2% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -21.1% | 660 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -21.8% | 40 | |
| Paralegal | -27.1% | 190 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -29.1% | 360 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -32.6% | 310 |
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 $41,550 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $53,613 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Tuscaloosa against the US
Tuscaloosa pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for project coordinators (-8.7%) and administrative assistants (-12.6%) and largest for marketing specialists (-32.6%). The middle gap across all 16 is -18.1%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #177 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for data entry specialists, #385 of 394.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Tuscaloosa has more administrative assistants (26.2% of these jobs here, against 10.8% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (7.4% against 6.1%), and fewer project coordinators (0.8% against 6.8%) and payroll specialists (0.4% against 1.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR is nearest, at -18.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocatello, ID | -18.0% | 13 | 3,780 |
| Rome, GA | -18.0% | 13 | 3,220 |
| Mansfield, OH | -18.0% | 15 | 3,440 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -18.1% (this area) | 16 | 8,910 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -18.1% | 17 | 32,430 |
| Lake Charles, LA | -18.1% | 14 | 7,080 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Tuscaloosa span $36,000–$109,890, the widest band (3.1×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $30,750–$40,280. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 16 roles, data entry specialists most ($31,200–$58,790 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 ($62,590 against a $49,640 median for sales development representatives).
Tuscaloosa against Alabama
Against Alabama as a whole, Tuscaloosa pays about the same or less for all 16 roles, and less for 14, most of all sales development representatives (-15.6%). It has the lowest median in Alabama for data entry specialists.
Other areas in Alabama
By jobs in these roles, Tuscaloosa is #6 of 16 areas in Alabama. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Birmingham to the Southwest Alabama nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 57,280 | 16 |
| Huntsville, AL | 24,650 | 16 |
| Montgomery, AL | 18,070 | 16 |
| Mobile, AL | 17,970 | 16 |
| Northeast Alabama (Nonmetro) | 11,230 | 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 Tuscaloosa?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $93,380 a year, about $120,490 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,630.
Is hiring in Tuscaloosa cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-32.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.