Cost of hiring in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area
BLS counts about 3,070 people in these 15 roles in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($91,150 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($35,360), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 540 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +9.7% | 230 | |
| HR Assistant | +7.1% | 40 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.8% | 540 | |
| Bookkeeper | -1.2% | 460 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.9% | 480 | |
| Recruiter | -2.7% | 150 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -4.0% | 40 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.0% | 60 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -6.4% | 120 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.0% | 170 | |
| Office Manager | -7.6% | 300 | |
| Accountant | -7.7% | 260 | |
| Paralegal | -9.1% | 40 | |
| Project Coordinator | -10.9% | 110 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -22.0% | 70 |
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 $44,430 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $57,329 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area against the US
The Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area pays above the US median for 2 of the 15 roles, most of all for medical administrative assistants (+9.7%) and HR assistants (+7.1%), and below it for 12, furthest for marketing specialists (-22.0%). For customer support specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 15 is -6.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for medical administrative assistants, #27 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #316 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.3% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (15.0% against 8.8%), and fewer marketing specialists (2.3% against 5.7%) and sales development representatives (3.9% against 8.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Winchester, VA-WV is nearest, at -6.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MI | -5.7% | 15 | 4,680 |
| Lancaster, PA | -5.9% | 17 | 21,700 |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -6.0% (this area) | 15 | 3,070 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -6.1% | 16 | 6,190 |
| Akron, OH | -6.1% | 17 | 31,320 |
| Elmira, NY | -6.2% | 14 | 3,040 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area span $40,000–$113,380, the widest band (2.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $38,030–$61,000. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 15 roles, project coordinators most ($61,580–$167,970 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($72,770 against a $65,500 median for sales development representatives).
the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota
Against Minnesota as a whole, the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area pays about the same or less for all 15 roles, and less for 13, most of all marketing specialists (-29.8%). It has the lowest median in Minnesota for office managers, marketing specialists and paralegals and 3 more roles.
Other areas in Minnesota
By jobs in these roles, the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area is #9 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 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 9,370 | 15 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 9,090 | 17 |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 8,050 | 15 |
| Rochester, MN | 7,520 | 14 |
| Mankato, MN | 4,700 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $91,150 a year, about $117,613 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,360.
Is hiring in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 12 of the 15 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-22.0%). 2 pay more than the US median, led by medical administrative assistants (+9.7%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.