SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Birmingham, AL (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + AL + Municipal
COL Index: 108.46 (+8.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 72.0% Realized
$56,614 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $78,660 $37.82/hr
Effective Tax Drag 22.03% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$17,326 $666.39/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $37.82 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,720/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,038/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,437
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,877
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,141
Alabama Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,085
Birmingham occupational tax
1.00%
-$787
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$56,614 ($2,177.47 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Birmingham, AL Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $78,660
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $52.1k 25th $63.2k Median: $78,660 50th (Median) $78.7k 75th $98.3k 90th $129k You: $78,660
10th (Entry) $52,140 $25.07/hr
25th (Junior) $63,200 $30.38/hr
50th (Median) $78,660 $37.82/hr
75th (Senior) $98,350 $47.28/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $128,530 $61.79/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Birmingham, AL
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$52,641$25.31/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$62,981$30.28/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$78,679$37.83/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$103,213$49.62/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$135,455$65.12/hr · 14+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Birmingham, AL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
27% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,263/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,375/month Requires minimum annual gross of $55,000
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.99/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.14/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Birmingham, AL.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$78,660-$17,326$56,614$2,177.47
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$93,409-$22,193$65,612$2,523.52
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$108,158-$27,059$74,609$2,869.57
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$122,906-$31,926$83,606$3,215.62
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$137,655-$36,936$92,459$3,556.12
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Birmingham, AL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Alabama tax codes.

Market Baseline
$78,660/yr
$37.82/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
22.03% Effective
-$17,326 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
27% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,455/mo
Post-$1,263/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Birmingham, AL: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Birmingham, AL report a median annual wage of $78,660, 6.0% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $52,140 to $128,530, and HUD’s $1,263 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.99 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+54.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+40.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+34.3%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+29.8%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+29.7%
Midland, TX$100,890+28.3%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+27.7%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+27.3%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+27.2%
Boulder, CO$99,990+27.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Birmingham, AL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$167,080$80.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$166,670$80.13/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$156,710$75.34/hr
Financial Manager$153,930$74.00/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$140,230$67.42/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$139,050$66.85/hr
Training and Development Managers$133,980$64.41/hr
Actuary$132,840$63.87/hr
Marketing Managers$130,160$62.58/hr
Administrative Services Managers$129,380$62.20/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Birmingham, AL (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Birmingham, AL is $78,660 a year ($37.82/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Birmingham, AL?

The median annual wage is $78,660 ($37.82 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $52,140 and $128,530. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Birmingham, AL after taxes?

On the median wage of $78,660, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $60,111 a year ($5,009 a month) after $18,549 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 23.58%, using 2026 tax rules.