Administrative Assistant salary in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 9 areas in Minnesota with BLS pay data for this job, the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area has the lowest median: $46,640 a year1. That is 9.3% below the Minnesota statewide median of $51,400, and 1.9% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #184 of 520. BLS counts about 480 people in this job here, 2% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $36,830 | $46,640 | $60,620 | |
| Minnesota | $38,080 | $51,400 | $66,830 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area earns $40,580–$55,680. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,620, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,100 wide, against $15,680 across Minnesota and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
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 | $36,830 | $3,069 | $17.71 | $47,523 |
| 25th percentile | $40,580 | $3,382 | $19.51 | $52,361 |
| Median | $46,640 | $3,887 | $22.42 | $60,181 |
| 75th percentile | $55,680 | $4,640 | $26.77 | $71,845 |
| 90th percentile | $60,620 | $5,052 | $29.14 | $78,219 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,060 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,040, or about $11,665 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.
For scale, the US median of $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $51,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,541 to the $46,640 median and brings it to $60,181 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 fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($50,070) and customer support specialists ($44,430). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,150.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.0% | 230 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.4% | 460 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 480 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.7% | 540 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -24.2% | 170 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area (-1.9%), between bookkeepers (-1.2%) and recruiters (-2.7%). The typical role here is at -6.0%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 15.6% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area, 10.8% across Minnesota and 10.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. All 8 areas in Minnesota with more administrative assistants than the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area also pay more, among them Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($54,080) and the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($48,880).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato, MN | +10.2% | 660 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +6.4% | 1,740 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +6.1% | 1,230 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +4.8% | 2,220 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +3.1% | 1,300 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +2.4% | 1,220 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 480 |
the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area is #471 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Minnesota, Houston-Pasadena and Rochester pay just above the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area and Coeur d'Alene and Peoria just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | +2.2% | 480 | jobs | |
| Sheboygan, WI | +2.0% | 480 | jobs | |
| Rochester, NY | +0.3% | 6,230 | pay | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | +0.2% | 33,710 | pay | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 480 | ||
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Peoria, IL | -0.2% | 2,010 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | -8.9% | 480 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $60,181 a year at the median, or $5,015 a month: $46,640 in pay plus about $13,541 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
The median was $46,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,830, the 90th $60,620, and the middle half earned $40,580 to $55,680.
Is the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area the cheapest area in Minnesota for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $46,640 is the lowest of 9 areas in Minnesota. Duluth is next at $47,740.
How many administrative assistants work in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Minnesota total of 31,330. 8 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Mankato, with about 660.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,210 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,640 and $44,430.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: 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.