Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Auburn-Opelika, AL make a median of $31,600 a year, or about $15.19 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $35,938 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $995/month, about 46.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K get you in Auburn-Opelika?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Auburn-Opelika’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Auburn-Opelika
Pay for receptionists and information clerks in Auburn-Opelika runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $995/month, which is 45.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for receptionists and information clerks in metros near Auburn-Opelika, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $36K | $39K |
| Huntsville | $35K | $38K |
| Mobile | $31K | $35K |
| Montgomery | $31K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Auburn-Opelika, AL
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Receptionists and Information Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49K | +29% | 2,000 |
| Alaska | $45K | +18% | 1,530 |
| Washington | $45K | +18% | 26,500 |
| California | $44K | +16% | 82,470 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +15% | 18,970 |
| New York | $43K | +13% | 65,010 |
| Rhode Island | $43K | +12% | 4,270 |
| Maine | $42K | +12% | 3,440 |
| Colorado | $42K | +11% | 11,020 |
| New Jersey | $42K | +10% | 42,060 |
| Hawaii | $42K | +9% | 3,510 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | +8% | 25,580 |
| Oregon | $41K | +8% | 13,590 |
| Connecticut | $41K | +7% | 14,980 |
| North Dakota | $40K | +4% | 1,930 |
| Arizona | $39K | +2% | 23,220 |
| Vermont | $38K | +1% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $38K | +1% | 5,760 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +0% | 5,320 |
| Maryland | $38K | +0% | 18,390 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -0% | 6,750 |
| Minnesota | $38K | -1% | 11,800 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 25,230 |
| Illinois | $37K | -2% | 40,370 |
| Montana | $37K | -2% | 1,280 |
| Iowa | $37K | -2% | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 23,360 |
| Nevada | $37K | -3% | 10,650 |
| Utah | $37K | -3% | 12,020 |
| Idaho | $37K | -3% | 5,340 |
| Florida | $37K | -3% | 63,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 37,830 |
| Delaware | $36K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Indiana | $36K | -5% | 17,360 |
| Georgia | $36K | -5% | 26,080 |
| Kansas | $36K | -5% | 7,290 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 30,850 |
| Missouri | $36K | -6% | 18,890 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -7% | 11,280 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -7% | 20,080 |
| Texas | $35K | -7% | 78,330 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -8% | 5,650 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -8% | 11,460 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -8% | 10,870 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 9,380 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -13% | 9,290 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -14% | 12,820 |
| Alabama | $33K | -14% | 10,460 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -16% | 5,470 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -18% | 6,920 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Auburn-Opelika?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 45.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $995/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 Auburn-Opelika?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,354/month. At HUD’s $995/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Auburn-Opelika?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Auburn-Opelika compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Auburn-Opelika pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
The median is $31,600 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,570, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $38,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Auburn-Opelika?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,168/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $995/month, which eats 45.9% 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 receptionists and information clerks salary go in Auburn-Opelika?
Auburn-Opelika has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (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 $35,938 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.