Office Clerks, General Salary
Office Clerks, Generals in Alabama make a median of $31,200 a year, or about $15 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $35,310 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 51% 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 $31K get you in Alabama?
About office clerks, generals
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for office clerks, general in Alabama runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 50.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for office clerks, generals.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level office clerks, generals (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Office Clerks, General salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $34K | +10% | 3,310 |
| Montgomery | $33K | +6% | 1,560 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $32K | +4% | 550 |
| Huntsville | $32K | +2% | 1,050 |
| Mobile | $31K | -1% | 1,060 |
| Tuscaloosa | $31K | -2% | 770 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $30K | -4% | 360 |
| Decatur | $30K | -4% | 240 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $29K | -6% | 240 |
| Gadsden | $28K | -9% | 220 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $27K | -12% | 560 |
| Dothan | $27K | -13% | 420 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track office clerks, general salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a office clerks, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 50.6% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for office clerks, generals in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new office clerks, generals typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,246/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 87% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is office clerks, general a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $31K here vs. $45K 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 office clerks, generals?
Alabama pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do office clerks, generals make in Alabama?
The median is $31,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,770, and experienced office clerks, generals can clear $47,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,143/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 50.6% 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 office clerks, general 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 office clerks, general salary is worth about $35,310 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do office clerks, generals 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.