Cost of hiring in Bellingham, WA
Bookkeeper is the largest of these 16 jobs in Bellingham, with about 1,140 people1. Medians run from $43,400 a year for virtual receptionists to $103,400 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Bellingham
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +21.2% | 230 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +14.2% | 810 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +13.2% | 870 | |
| Bookkeeper | +12.5% | 1,140 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +11.6% | 140 | |
| Office Manager | +10.1% | 920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +5.0% | 50 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.8% | 1,000 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.5% | 40 | |
| Recruiter | +2.9% | 430 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.7% | 400 | |
| Accountant | +2.1% | 870 | |
| Paralegal | +1.7% | 180 | |
| Project Coordinator | +1.1% | 660 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.4% | 240 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -19.3% | 470 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $57,000 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $73,548 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Bellingham against the US
Bellingham pays above the US median for 14 of the 16 roles, most of all for medical administrative assistants (+21.2%) and virtual receptionists (+14.2%), and below it only for marketing specialists (-19.3%). For executive assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is +4.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for medical administrative assistants, #9 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for marketing specialists, #237 of 516.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Bellingham has more payroll specialists (1.7% of these jobs here, against 1.0% nationally) and virtual receptionists (9.6% against 5.8%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (2.7% against 6.1%) and sales development representatives (4.7% against 8.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Salinas, CA is nearest, at +4.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +5.1% | 17 | 16,050 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +5.1% | 17 | 18,600 |
| Salinas, CA | +4.7% | 17 | 11,130 |
| Bellingham, WA | +4.7% (this area) | 16 | 8,450 |
| Springfield, MA | +4.5% | 17 | 17,070 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +4.4% | 15 | 2,580 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Bellingham span $39,660–$131,220, the widest band (3.3×); payroll specialists the narrowest, $53,860–$78,000. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 16 roles, payroll specialists most ($39,500–$81,350 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives and accountants: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($73,800 against a $63,570 median for marketing specialists).
Bellingham against Washington
Against Washington as a whole, Bellingham pays about the same or less for all 16 roles, and less for 14, most of all marketing specialists (-33.2%). Its best rank within Washington is #3 of 13 areas, for medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Washington
By jobs in these roles, Bellingham is #6 of 13 areas in Washington. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Seattle-Tacoma to Wenatchee-East Wenatchee.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 209,690 | 17 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 23,440 | 17 |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | 13,500 | 17 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 11,040 | 16 |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | 10,980 | 16 |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | 8,250 | 16 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 7,230 | 15 |
| Yakima, WA | 7,020 | 15 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 4,390 | 15 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 4,040 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Bellingham?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $103,400 a year, about $133,419 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $43,400.
Is hiring in Bellingham cheaper than the US median?
For one of the 16 roles, yes: marketing specialists (-19.3%). 14 pay more than the US median, led by medical administrative assistants (+21.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.