Executive Assistant salary in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area
The Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for executive assistants: the median of $73,600 a year1 is 6.2% below the Minnesota statewide median of $78,470, and 3.9% below the US median of $76,590. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#88 of 509). BLS counts about 280 executive assistants here, 4% of the Minnesota total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $57,990 | $73,600 | $99,740 | |
| Minnesota | $58,870 | $78,470 | $101,760 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area earns $62,760–$89,260. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $99,740, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.2 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,500 wide, against $26,730 across Minnesota and $33,000 nationally: employers in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an executive assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $57,990 | $4,832 | $27.88 | $74,826 |
| 25th percentile | $62,760 | $5,230 | $30.17 | $80,981 |
| Median | $73,600 | $6,133 | $35.38 | $94,968 |
| 75th percentile | $89,260 | $7,438 | $42.91 | $115,174 |
| 90th percentile | $99,740 | $8,312 | $47.95 | $128,697 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,840 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,660, or about $20,206 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 $76,590 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $78,470 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest 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 $21,368 to the $73,600 median and brings it to $94,968 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
For the $94,968 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 6.6 remote hires in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two the fee drops out and the remote figure is $11,988. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($73,830) and recruiters ($72,750). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,000.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +19.6% | 560 | |
| Accountant | +0.3% | 1,340 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 280 | |
| Recruiter | -1.2% | 630 | |
| Office Manager | -10.1% | 1,510 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #10 of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area (-3.9%), between paralegals (-2.3%) and recruiters (-4.2%). The typical role here is at -1.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 1.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, 2.7% across Minnesota and 2.9% nationally. The job is a smaller 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 $70,120 in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $82,230 in Rochester, a gap of $12,110 a year. The one area in Minnesota with more executive assistants, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($80,030), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +11.7% | 150 | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +8.7% | 6,150 | |
| Mankato, MN | +1.7% | 80 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 280 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.5% | 200 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 60 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -3.1% | 130 |
the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #187 of 506 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 Antonio-New Braunfels and Nashville-Murfreesboro pay just above the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area and Springfield and Raleigh-Cary just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +0.1% | 2,430 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +0.1% | 1,910 | pay | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 280 | ||
| Springfield, IL | -0.1% | 830 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.1% | n/a | pay | |
| Green Bay, WI | -4.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -11.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -15.7% | 290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $94,968 a year at the median, or $7,914 a month: $73,600 in pay plus about $21,368 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $73,600 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,990, the 90th $99,740, and the middle half earned $62,760 to $89,260.
Is the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,600 against $78,470 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Mankato at $74,880, the next down Duluth at $73,260.
How many executive assistants work in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Minnesota total of 7,970. Only Minneapolis-St. Paul has more in Minnesota.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a recruiter in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $850 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,600 and $72,750.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Our open roles pay $800–$1,100 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $14,488, against about $94,968 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: 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 2026-11-13.