Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Alabama is $74,880/year ($36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $84,744 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $75K get you in Alabama?
About accountants and auditors
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for accountants and auditors in Alabama runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $84K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for accountants and auditorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Accountants and Auditors salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $79K | +6% | 3,010 |
| Birmingham | $79K | +5% | 7,790 |
| Montgomery | $75K | +0% | 2,530 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $73K | -3% | 680 |
| Mobile | $72K | -4% | 2,010 |
| Decatur | $72K | -4% | 530 |
| Tuscaloosa | $72K | -4% | 960 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $71K | -5% | 820 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $68K | -10% | 460 |
| Dothan | $67K | -10% | 610 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $66K | -12% | 340 |
| Gadsden | $63K | -16% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track accountants and auditors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,014/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is accountants and auditor a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $75K here vs. $84K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Alabama pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Alabama?
The median is $74,880 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,240, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $123,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,790/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 22.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a accountants and auditors salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median accountants and auditors salary is worth about $84,744 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do accountants and auditors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
