Cost of hiring in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 16 jobs in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area, with about 2,800 people1. Medians run from $39,570 a year for virtual receptionists to $88,000 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +6.6% | 2,800 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +4.1% | 700 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.8% | 2,220 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.4% | 740 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +0.7% | 50 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.4% | 140 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.9% | 2,050 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -1.3% | 160 | |
| Paralegal | -2.3% | 250 | |
| Executive Assistant | -3.9% | 280 | |
| Recruiter | -4.2% | 630 | |
| Office Manager | -4.8% | 1,510 | |
| Accountant | -11.8% | 1,340 | |
| Project Coordinator | -14.0% | 560 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.8% | 690 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -18.4% | 590 |
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 $47,720 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $61,574 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against the US
The Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area pays above the US median for 4 of the 16 roles, most of all for customer support specialists (+6.6%) and virtual receptionists (+4.1%), and below it for 9, furthest for marketing specialists (-18.4%). For data entry specialists, HR assistants and bookkeepers it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is -1.8%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for customer support specialists, #56 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for accountants, #365 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.0% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (13.9% against 8.7%), and fewer data entry specialists (0.3% against 0.8%) and project coordinators (3.8% against 6.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Kansas City, MO-KS is nearest, at -1.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -1.6% | 16 | 3,830 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -1.7% | 17 | 118,710 |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -1.8% (this area) | 16 | 14,710 |
| Redding, CA | -1.8% | 16 | 5,630 |
| Reno, NV | -1.9% | 17 | 24,920 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -1.9% | 17 | 103,510 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area span $36,620–$104,370, the widest band (2.9×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $38,980–$59,380. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists and sales development representatives: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($72,170 against a $64,300 median for marketing specialists).
the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota
Against Minnesota as a whole, the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area pays more only for virtual receptionists (+5.5%), and less for 15, most of all marketing specialists (-26.5%). It has the highest median in Minnesota for virtual receptionists, and the lowest for accountants, sales development representatives and data entry specialists.
Other areas in Minnesota
By jobs in these roles, the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #2 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 |
| 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 |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | 3,070 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $88,000 a year, about $113,548 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,570.
Is hiring in the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 9 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-18.4%). 4 pay more than the US median, led by customer support specialists (+6.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.