Cost of hiring in Duluth, MN-WI
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 15 jobs in Duluth, with about 1,500 people1. Medians run from $35,350 a year for virtual receptionists to $96,550 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Duluth
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.2% | 790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.4% | 1,220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.4% | 1,500 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.0% | 1,080 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -0.9% | 110 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.1% | 110 | |
| Executive Assistant | -4.3% | 200 | |
| Office Manager | -5.2% | 810 | |
| Project Coordinator | -5.6% | 470 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.0% | 550 | |
| Accountant | -7.5% | 940 | |
| Paralegal | -8.1% | 180 | |
| Recruiter | -11.7% | 560 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.8% | 520 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -19.5% | 330 |
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 $44,940 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $57,987 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Duluth against the US
Duluth pays above the US median for only one of the 15 roles, medical administrative assistants (+4.2%), and below it for 10, furthest for marketing specialists (-19.5%). For administrative assistants, customer support specialists, bookkeepers and payroll specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 15 is -5.2%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for medical administrative assistants, #72 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #317 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Duluth has more HR assistants (1.2% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (8.4% against 6.1%), and fewer marketing specialists (3.5% against 5.7%) and sales development representatives (5.5% against 8.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI is nearest, at -5.2%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TX | -5.0% | 16 | 6,940 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | -5.2% | 17 | 43,050 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -5.2% (this area) | 15 | 9,370 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -5.2% | 17 | 51,290 |
| Santa Fe, NM | -5.4% | 13 | 7,600 |
| Rockford, IL | -5.4% | 17 | 11,210 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Duluth span $36,510–$125,800, the widest band (3.4×); HR assistants the narrowest, $41,010–$58,060. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 15 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives and marketing specialists: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($69,900 against a $61,710 median for sales development representatives).
Duluth against Minnesota
Against Minnesota as a whole, Duluth pays less for every one of the 15 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for project coordinators (-1.3%) and is furthest below for marketing specialists (-27.6%). It has the lowest median in Minnesota for recruiters and virtual receptionists.
Other areas in Minnesota
By jobs in these roles, Duluth is #4 of 9 areas in Minnesota. The table shows the other 8.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | 205,210 | 17 |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 14,710 | 16 |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 11,170 | 17 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 9,090 | 17 |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 8,050 | 15 |
| Rochester, MN | 7,520 | 14 |
| Mankato, MN | 4,700 | 15 |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 3,070 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Duluth?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $96,550 a year, about $124,581 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,350.
Is hiring in Duluth cheaper than the US median?
For 10 of the 15 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-19.5%). One pays more than the US median: medical administrative assistants (+4.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.