Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Alabama make a median of $32,590 a year, or about $15.67 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $41K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $36,883 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 48.8% 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 $33K get you in Alabama?
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for receptionists and information clerks in Alabama runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 48.7% 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 receptionists and information clerkss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $41K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $36K | +9% | 3,030 |
| Huntsville | $35K | +8% | 1,470 |
| Decatur | $33K | +2% | 250 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $32K | -2% | 190 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $32K | -3% | 460 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $32K | -3% | 330 |
| Montgomery | $31K | -6% | 750 |
| Mobile | $31K | -6% | 880 |
| Tuscaloosa | $31K | -6% | 510 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $31K | -6% | 330 |
| Dothan | $30K | -8% | 400 |
| Gadsden | $29K | -10% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 48.7% 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 $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for receptionists and information clerks in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,370/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 79% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is receptionists and information clerk a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $33K here vs. $38K 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 receptionists and information clerks?
Alabama pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Alabama?
The median is $32,590 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,830, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $40,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,230/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 48.7% 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 receptionists and information clerks 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 receptionists and information clerks salary is worth about $36,883 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do receptionists and information clerks 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.