Cost of hiring an administrative assistant in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI
No other area in Minnesota pays administrative assistants more than Minneapolis-St. Paul: the median is $54,080 a year[1]. That is 5.2% above the Minnesota statewide median of $51,400, and 13.8% above the US median of $47,540. Nationally that is #28 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. With about 19,180 administrative assistants, no area in Minnesota employs more.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Minneapolis-St. Paul against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | $39,380 | $54,080 | $70,390 | |
| Minnesota | $38,080 | $51,400 | $66,830 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Minneapolis-St. Paul earns $46,960–$61,810. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $70,390, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read.
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,380 | $3,282 | $18.93 | $56,257 |
| 25th percentile | $46,960 | $3,913 | $22.58 | $67,086 |
| Median | $54,080 | $4,507 | $26.00 | $77,257 |
| 75th percentile | $61,810 | $5,151 | $29.72 | $88,300 |
| 90th percentile | $70,390 | $5,866 | $33.84 | $100,557 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,120 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,730, or about $11,043 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
What a hire really costs in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $23,177 to the $54,080 median and brings it to $77,257 a year. 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 administrative assistants 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Other roles in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Of the 17 roles we track in Minneapolis-St. Paul, this one ranks #12 by median pay. Marketing Specialist is the highest at $97,910 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $38,000.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +81.0% | 16,760 | |
| Project Coordinator | +81.0% | 15,450 | |
| Accountant | +59.9% | 21,820 | |
| Recruiter | +48.5% | 12,660 | |
| Executive Assistant | +48.0% | 6,150 | |
| Office Manager | +45.0% | 14,480 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +42.6% | 14,070 | |
| Paralegal | +40.9% | 5,990 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +16.6% | 1,920 | |
| Bookkeeper | +6.9% | 16,510 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.8% | 2,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 19,180 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.1% | 8,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.4% | 620 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.5% | 38,630 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -14.3% | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -29.7% | 8,780 |
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $46,640 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $54,080 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $7,440 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Minneapolis-St. Paul | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | this area | 19,180 | |
| Rochester, MN | -2.2% | 1,000 | |
| Mankato, MN | -4.9% | 660 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -8.2% | 1,740 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -8.5% | 1,230 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -9.6% | 2,220 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -11.1% | 1,300 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI?
About $77,257 a year at the median, or $6,438 a month: $54,080 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
The median was $54,080 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,380, the 90th $70,390, and the middle half earned $46,960 to $61,810.
Is Minneapolis-St. Paul the most expensive area in Minnesota for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $54,080 is the highest of 9 areas in Minnesota. Rochester comes next at $52,890.
How many administrative assistants work in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
BLS counts about 19,180 in the May 2025 survey.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Yes: $2,210 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,080 and $51,870.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436014.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-06.