Cost of hiring in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
BLS counts about 11,080 people in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($84,820 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,320), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,870 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in South Bend-Mishawaka
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.7% | 120 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.4% | 880 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.4% | 1,110 | |
| Office Manager | -5.6% | 920 | |
| Accountant | -6.9% | 1,020 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.3% | 870 | |
| HR Assistant | -8.9% | 80 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -9.7% | 880 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -9.7% | 1,870 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -10.8% | 50 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.6% | 100 | |
| Recruiter | -16.1% | 670 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -16.9% | 980 | |
| Project Coordinator | -17.1% | 410 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -18.7% | 620 | |
| Paralegal | -21.1% | 210 | |
| Executive Assistant | -28.9% | 290 |
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 $40,420 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $52,155 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
South Bend-Mishawaka against the US
South Bend-Mishawaka pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-2.7%) and virtual receptionists (-4.4%) and largest for executive assistants (-28.9%). The middle gap across all 17 is -9.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #134 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #455 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka has more virtual receptionists (7.9% of these jobs here, against 5.7% nationally) and data entry specialists (1.1% against 0.8%), and fewer project coordinators (3.7% against 6.7%) and paralegals (1.9% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI is nearest, at -9.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GA | -9.7% | 17 | 17,290 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -9.7% | 16 | 19,150 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -9.7% (this area) | 17 | 11,080 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -9.7% | 16 | 4,010 |
| Chambersburg, PA | -9.7% | 15 | 4,340 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -9.7% | 17 | 26,040 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in South Bend-Mishawaka span $37,580–$115,320, the widest band (3.1×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,430–$52,270. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 17 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, marketing specialists and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($74,120 against a $63,230 median for sales development representatives).
South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana
Against Indiana as a whole, South Bend-Mishawaka pays about the same or less for all 17 roles, and less for 12, most of all paralegals (-12.9%). Its best rank within Indiana is #2 of 15 areas, for sales development representatives.
Other areas in Indiana
By jobs in these roles, South Bend-Mishawaka is #6 of 15 areas in Indiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Indianapolis-Carmel to Terre Haute.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | 105,820 | 17 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 18,060 | 17 |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | 13,230 | 17 |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | 11,680 | 17 |
| Evansville, IN | 11,260 | 17 |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | 10,260 | 17 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 8,730 | 17 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 7,470 | 16 |
| Bloomington, IN | 5,840 | 16 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 4,500 | 16 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $84,820 a year, about $109,445 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,320.
Is hiring in South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-28.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.