Administrative Assistant salary in Rochester, MN
Rochester is a higher-paying market for administrative assistants: the median of $52,890 a year1 is 2.9% above the Minnesota statewide median of $51,400, and 11.3% above the US median of $47,540. Only 38 of 520 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 1,000 people in this job here, 3% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, 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 | $37,280 | $52,890 | $66,010 | |
| Minnesota | $38,080 | $51,400 | $66,830 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Rochester earns $44,810–$62,360. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,010, only 1.8 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 $17,550 wide, between the figure for Minnesota ($15,680) and the US figure ($19,170).
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 | $37,280 | $3,107 | $17.92 | $48,103 |
| 25th percentile | $44,810 | $3,734 | $21.54 | $57,819 |
| Median | $52,890 | $4,408 | $25.43 | $68,245 |
| 75th percentile | $62,360 | $5,197 | $29.98 | $80,465 |
| 90th percentile | $66,010 | $5,501 | $31.74 | $85,174 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,470 a year in pay and about $12,219 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,080 in pay. 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 25th percentile and the median in Rochester, and the Minnesota statewide median of $51,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
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 $15,355 to the $52,890 median and brings it to $68,245 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 Rochester
Of the 14 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($58,350) and customer support specialists ($47,050). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,270.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +14.5% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | +10.3% | 790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,000 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -11.0% | 1,250 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -30.9% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in Rochester (+11.3%), between bookkeepers (+15.2%) and recruiters (+10.4%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 13.3% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Rochester, 11.4% across Minnesota and 11.6% 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 $46,640 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $54,080 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $7,440 a year. Of the 6 areas in Minnesota with more administrative assistants than Rochester, 5 pay less, the largest of them the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($48,880), the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area ($49,640) and the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($48,090).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +2.2% | 19,180 | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 1,000 | |
| Mankato, MN | -2.8% | 660 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -6.1% | 1,740 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -6.5% | 1,230 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 2,220 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -9.1% | 1,300 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #322 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Riverside-San Bernardino and Charlottesville pay just above Rochester and Yakima and Worcester just below. All four are within $440 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +4.1% | 990 | jobs | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.4% | 1,160 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +0.1% | 13,210 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 1,000 | ||
| Yakima, WA | -0.7% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | -0.8% | 3,550 | pay | |
| Rapid City, SD | -21.1% | 990 | jobs | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -27.1% | 990 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Rochester, MN?
About $68,245 a year at the median, or $5,687 a month: $52,890 in pay plus about $15,355 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Rochester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,890 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,280, the 90th $66,010, and the middle half earned $44,810 to $62,360.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for administrative assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $52,890 against $51,400 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Minneapolis-St. Paul at $54,080, the next down Mankato at $51,410.
How many administrative assistants work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 1,000 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Minnesota total of 31,330. 6 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Duluth, with about 1,220.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in Rochester?
Yes: $5,840 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,890 and $47,050.
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.