Office Manager salary in Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuscaloosa pays office managers close to the Alabama norm. The median is $59,880 a year1, about level with the Alabama statewide median of $60,360 and 13.8% below the US median of $69,500. Among US areas it comes in at #373 of 519. BLS counts about 970 people in this job here, 5% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, 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 | $40,260 | $59,880 | $85,090 | |
| Alabama | $39,470 | $60,360 | $93,560 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Tuscaloosa earns $47,330–$73,160. The top tenth earns $85,090 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $25,830 wide, against $28,810 across Alabama and $29,140 nationally: employers in Tuscaloosa pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,260 | $3,355 | $19.36 | $51,948 |
| 25th percentile | $47,330 | $3,944 | $22.75 | $61,071 |
| Median | $59,880 | $4,990 | $28.79 | $77,265 |
| 75th percentile | $73,160 | $6,097 | $35.17 | $94,400 |
| 90th percentile | $85,090 | $7,091 | $40.91 | $109,794 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,280 a year in pay and about $17,135 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,550 in pay. 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 $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Tuscaloosa, and the Alabama statewide median of $60,360 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tuscaloosa
At the $59,880 median, a local hire costs about $77,265 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,385 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 office managers 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 #5 by median pay, between recruiters ($63,220) and marketing specialists ($53,090). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,380.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +11.8% | 130 | |
| Recruiter | +5.6% | 520 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 970 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.3% | 310 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.1% | 360 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Tuscaloosa (-13.8%), between executive assistants (-12.6%) and accountants (-14.3%). The typical role here is at -18.1%, so, measured against the US, office managers cost more in Tuscaloosa than the area's general pay level would suggest. Office managers hold 10.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tuscaloosa, 9.3% across Alabama and 9.1% 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 $52,750 in the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area to $64,170 in Birmingham, a gap of $11,420 a year. Of the 5 areas in Alabama with more office managers than Tuscaloosa, 2 pay less: Mobile, AL ($57,760) and the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area ($52,750).
| Area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | +5.1% | 2,030 | |
| Decatur, AL | +1.4% | 510 | |
| Montgomery, AL | +0.4% | 1,690 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 970 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -1.0% | 660 | |
| Northwest Alabama (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 590 | |
| Mobile, AL | -3.5% | 1,910 |
Tuscaloosa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tuscaloosa is #244 of 517 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Alabama, Asheville and Tyler pay just above Tuscaloosa and Las Cruces and College Station-Bryan just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Tuscaloosa. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tuscaloosa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | +15.8% | 960 | jobs | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.7% | 970 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.0% | 1,130 | pay | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.0% | 1,380 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | this area | 970 | ||
| Las Cruces, NM | -0.1% | 640 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.2% | 1,970 | pay | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -4.6% | 960 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Tuscaloosa, AL?
About $77,265 a year at the median, or $6,439 a month: $59,880 in pay plus about $17,385 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Tuscaloosa?
The median was $59,880 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,260, the 90th $85,090, and the middle half earned $47,330 to $73,160.
Is Tuscaloosa cheaper than the rest of Alabama for office managers?
About the same: a median of $59,880 against $60,360 statewide. The next area up in Alabama is Montgomery at $60,100, the next down Auburn-Opelika at $59,310.
How many office managers work in Tuscaloosa?
BLS counts about 970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Alabama total of 20,140. 5 areas in Alabama have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Alabama nonmetro area, with about 1,020.
Does an office manager cost more than a marketing specialist in Tuscaloosa?
Yes: $6,790 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,880 and $53,090.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: 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.