Bookkeeper salary in Mankato, MN
For this job Mankato sits right at the US figure, with a median of $50,750 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $50,670, and 7.1% below the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#115 of 521). About 490 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Mankato, MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Mankato against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato, MN | $39,120 | $50,750 | $73,440 | |
| Minnesota | $37,800 | $54,600 | $73,450 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $73,440, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Mankato earns $46,010–$60,880. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,870 wide, against $15,670 across Minnesota and $17,950 nationally: employers in Mankato pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,120 | $3,260 | $18.81 | $50,477 |
| 25th percentile | $46,010 | $3,834 | $22.12 | $59,368 |
| Median | $50,750 | $4,229 | $24.40 | $65,484 |
| 75th percentile | $60,880 | $5,073 | $29.27 | $78,555 |
| 90th percentile | $73,440 | $6,120 | $35.31 | $94,761 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,130 over the median, the 25th only $4,740 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,071 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 $50,670 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Mankato, and the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Mankato
At the $50,750 median, a local hire costs about $65,484 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,734 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 Mankato
Of the 15 roles we track in Mankato, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($51,410) and medical administrative assistants ($49,160). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,970.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +6.2% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.3% | 660 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 490 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.1% | 350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -6.8% | 1,030 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Mankato (+0.2%), between payroll specialists (+1.0%) and virtual receptionists (-0.2%). The typical role here is at -0.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Mankato, 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 7 areas in Minnesota with more bookkeepers than Mankato, 5 pay less, the largest of them 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 Mankato | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +15.0% | 790 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +13.9% | 16,510 | |
| Mankato, MN | this area | 490 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.2% | 1,080 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.4% | 880 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 1,300 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 2,050 |
Mankato against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Mankato is #434 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Springfield and Appleton pay just above Mankato and Chico and Greeley just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Mankato. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Mankato | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +11.6% | 490 | jobs | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +11.2% | 490 | jobs | |
| Ithaca, NY | +1.7% | 490 | jobs | |
| Appleton, WI | +0.1% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Springfield, IL | +0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | this area | 490 | ||
| Chico, CA | -0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Greeley, CO | -0.1% | 1,020 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Mankato, MN?
About $65,484 a year at the median, or $5,457 a month: $50,750 in pay plus about $14,734 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Mankato?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,750 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,120, the 90th $73,440, and the middle half earned $46,010 to $60,880.
Is Mankato cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,750 against $54,600 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Minneapolis-St. Paul at $57,790, the next down Duluth at $50,660.
How many bookkeepers work in Mankato?
BLS counts about 490 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Minnesota total of 26,850. 7 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 790.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Mankato?
Yes: $1,590 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,750 and $49,160.
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.