Bookkeeper salary in Duluth, MN-WI
For this job Duluth sits right at the US figure, with a median of $50,660 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $50,670, and 7.2% below the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#118 of 521). About 1,080 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Duluth, MN-WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Duluth against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | $37,010 | $50,660 | $66,330 | |
| Minnesota | $37,800 | $54,600 | $73,450 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Duluth earns $44,170–$60,280. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,330, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,110 wide, between the figure for Minnesota ($15,670) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,010 | $3,084 | $17.79 | $47,755 |
| 25th percentile | $44,170 | $3,681 | $21.24 | $56,994 |
| Median | $50,660 | $4,222 | $24.36 | $65,368 |
| 75th percentile | $60,280 | $5,023 | $28.98 | $77,781 |
| 90th percentile | $66,330 | $5,528 | $31.89 | $85,587 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,620 a year in pay and about $12,413 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,490 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Duluth, and the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Duluth
At the $50,660 median, a local hire costs about $65,368 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,708 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 bookkeepers 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 Duluth
Of the 15 roles we track in Duluth, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($57,760) and HR assistants ($48,520). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,550.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.1% | 180 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +14.0% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,080 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.2% | 110 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.5% | 790 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in Duluth (-0.0%), between customer support specialists (+0.4%) and payroll specialists (-0.9%). The typical role here is at -5.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Duluth than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.5% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Duluth, 9.2% across Minnesota and 8.8% 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 $49,620 in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $58,350 in Rochester, a gap of $8,730 a year. Of the 4 areas in Minnesota with more bookkeepers than Duluth, 3 pay less: the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($50,190), the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area ($49,620) and the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($50,560).
| Area | Median | vs Duluth | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +15.2% | 790 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +14.1% | 16,510 | |
| Mankato, MN | +0.2% | 490 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | this area | 1,080 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.2% | 880 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,300 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 2,050 |
Duluth against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Duluth is #252 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, Greeley and Chico pay just above Duluth and Des Moines-West Des Moines and Fargo just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Duluth. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Duluth | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +13.1% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Chico, CA | +0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Greeley, CO | +0.0% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | this area | 1,080 | ||
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -0.1% | 3,670 | pay | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -0.2% | 1,520 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | -5.5% | 1,090 | jobs | |
| Laredo, TX | -21.6% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Duluth, MN-WI?
About $65,368 a year at the median, or $5,447 a month: $50,660 in pay plus about $14,708 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Duluth?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,010, the 90th $66,330, and the middle half earned $44,170 to $60,280.
Is Duluth cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,660 against $54,600 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Mankato at $50,750, the next down St. Cloud at $50,570.
How many bookkeepers work in Duluth?
BLS counts about 1,080 in the May 2025 survey. 4 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, with about 1,300.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Duluth?
Yes: $2,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,660 and $48,520.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: 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.