Credit Counselors Salary
Credit Counselors in Alabama make a median of $48,120 a year, or about $23.14 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $54,459 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Alabama?
About credit counselors
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What this looks like in Alabama
Credit counselors pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level credit counselors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Credit Counselors salary by metro in Alabama
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $46K | -5% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track credit counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a credit counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for credit counselors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new credit counselors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,356/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is credit counselor a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for credit counselors?
Alabama pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do credit counselors make in Alabama?
The median is $48,120 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,260, and experienced credit counselors can clear $73,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,205/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 33.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a credit counselors 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 credit counselors salary is worth about $54,459 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do credit counselors 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.