Accountant salary in Rochester, MN
For this job Rochester sits right at the US figure, with a median of $83,960 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $83,680, and 2.9% above the Minnesota statewide median of $81,600. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#71 of 521). About 760 accountants work here, 2% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Rochester, MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $59,900 | $83,960 | $136,540 | |
| Minnesota | $58,280 | $81,600 | $138,960 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Rochester earns $70,340–$109,220. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $136,540, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($92,400) is 10% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $38,880 wide, between the figure for Minnesota ($36,830) and the US figure ($42,790).
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $59,900 | $4,992 | $28.80 | $77,290 |
| 25th percentile | $70,340 | $5,862 | $33.82 | $90,761 |
| Median | $83,960 | $6,997 | $40.37 | $108,335 |
| 75th percentile | $109,220 | $9,102 | $52.51 | $140,929 |
| 90th percentile | $136,540 | $11,378 | $65.64 | $176,181 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $25,260 over the median, the 25th only $13,620 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $32,594 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Rochester, and the Minnesota statewide median of $81,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
At the $83,960 median, a local hire costs about $108,335 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $24,375 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Rochester
Of the 14 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($106,270); recruiters come next at $83,810.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +26.6% | 460 | |
| Accountant | this role | 760 | |
| Recruiter | -0.2% | 500 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -1.1% | 320 | |
| Executive Assistant | -2.1% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #11 of the 14 roles we track in Rochester (+0.3%), between project coordinators (+3.9%) and paralegals (-2.6%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 10.1% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Rochester, 11.2% across Minnesota and 9.9% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $73,830 in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area to $86,500 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $12,670 a year. Of the 6 areas in Minnesota with more accountants than Rochester, 5 pay less, the largest of them the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($73,830), the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area ($78,450) and Duluth, MN-WI ($77,400).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +3.0% | 21,820 | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 760 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -6.6% | 990 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -7.4% | 800 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -7.8% | 940 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -8.0% | 260 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -8.5% | 930 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #259 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Richmond and Amherst Town-Northampton pay just above Rochester and Riverside-San Bernardino and Casper just below. All four are within $430 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +14.5% | 760 | jobs | |
| Bend, OR | +2.5% | 750 | jobs | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.5% | 490 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | +0.3% | 7,920 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 760 | ||
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -0.0% | 9,240 | pay | |
| Casper, WY | -0.1% | 390 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -13.7% | 770 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Rochester, MN?
About $108,335 a year at the median, or $9,028 a month: $83,960 in pay plus about $24,375 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Rochester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $83,960 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,900, the 90th $136,540, and the middle half earned $70,340 to $109,220.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for accountants?
No, it costs more: a median of $83,960 against $81,600 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Minneapolis-St. Paul at $86,500, the next down the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area at $78,450.
How many accountants work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 760 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Minnesota total of 30,530. 6 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is St. Cloud, with about 800.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Rochester?
Yes: $150 a year more at the median. The medians are $83,960 and $83,810.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.