Bookkeeper salary in Rochester, MN
Bookkeepers earn more in Rochester than anywhere else in Minnesota. Expect a median of $58,350 a year1, 6.9% above the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600 and 15.2% above the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #24 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 790 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $38,870 | $58,350 | $79,650 | |
| Minnesota | $37,800 | $54,600 | $73,450 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $79,650, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Rochester earns $47,580–$67,120. The mean ($57,980) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,540 wide, wider than in Minnesota as a whole ($15,670) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Rochester depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,870 | $3,239 | $18.69 | $50,155 |
| 25th percentile | $47,580 | $3,965 | $22.88 | $61,394 |
| Median | $58,350 | $4,862 | $28.05 | $75,290 |
| 75th percentile | $67,120 | $5,593 | $32.27 | $86,606 |
| 90th percentile | $79,650 | $6,638 | $38.29 | $102,774 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,770 a year in pay and about $11,316 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $10,770 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 25th percentile and the median in Rochester, and the Minnesota statewide median of $54,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
At the $58,350 median, a local hire costs about $75,290 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,940 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 Rochester
Of the 14 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($60,540) and administrative assistants ($52,890). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,270.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +4.9% | 200 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.8% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.4% | 1,000 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -19.4% | 1,250 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 14 roles we track in Rochester (+15.2%), between HR assistants (+19.6%) and administrative assistants (+11.3%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Rochester, 9.8% across Minnesota and 9.3% 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 $49,620 in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $58,350 in Rochester, a gap of $8,730 a year. All 6 areas in Minnesota with more bookkeepers than Rochester pay less, among them Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($57,790) and the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($50,190).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | this area | 790 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | -1.0% | 16,510 | |
| Mankato, MN | -13.0% | 490 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -13.2% | 1,080 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -13.3% | 880 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -13.4% | 1,300 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -14.0% | 2,050 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #327 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, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and San Diego-Chula Vista pay just above Rochester and Trenton-Princeton and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks just below. All four are within $680 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +0.4% | 780 | jobs | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | +0.4% | 12,830 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +0.4% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | this area | 790 | ||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -0.6% | 1,470 | pay | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | -1.2% | 3,250 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | -16.0% | 780 | jobs | |
| Jackson, TN | -22.5% | 800 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Rochester, MN?
About $75,290 a year at the median, or $6,274 a month: $58,350 in pay plus about $16,940 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Rochester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $58,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,870, the 90th $79,650, and the middle half earned $47,580 to $67,120.
Is Rochester the most expensive area in Minnesota for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $58,350 is the highest of 9 areas in Minnesota. Minneapolis-St. Paul comes next at $57,790.
How many bookkeepers work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Minnesota total of 26,850. 6 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is St. Cloud, with about 880.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Rochester?
Yes: $5,460 a year more at the median. The medians are $58,350 and $52,890.
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.