Cost of hiring in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area
BLS counts about 11,170 people in these 17 roles in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($92,570 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,160), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,890 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +12.2% | 30 | |
| Office Manager | +5.7% | 960 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.7% | 640 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +4.4% | 1,740 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.8% | 1,890 | |
| Paralegal | +1.8% | 190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +0.3% | 110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -0.2% | 40 | |
| Recruiter | -1.4% | 630 | |
| Bookkeeper | -2.1% | 1,470 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.6% | 160 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.9% | 540 | |
| Accountant | -6.2% | 990 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -7.0% | 590 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.4% | 240 | |
| Project Coordinator | -9.5% | 430 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.3% | 520 |
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 $45,590 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $58,826 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area against the US
The Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area pays above the US median for 6 of the 17 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+12.2%) and office managers (+5.7%), and below it for 9, furthest for sales development representatives (-14.3%). For payroll specialists and e-commerce order specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -1.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #31 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #265 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.4% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (13.2% against 8.7%), and fewer data entry specialists (0.3% against 0.8%) and project coordinators (3.8% against 6.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is nearest, at -1.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -1.1% | 17 | 45,480 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -1.3% | 17 | 107,430 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | -1.3% | 17 | 81,260 |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -1.4% (this area) | 17 | 11,170 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -1.6% | 16 | 3,830 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -1.7% | 17 | 118,710 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area span $41,800–$129,990, the widest band (3.1×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $44,070–$59,820. 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 and marketing specialists: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($68,650 against a $59,990 median for sales development representatives).
the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota
Against Minnesota as a whole, the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area pays more only for data entry specialists (+4.8%), and less for 16, most of all sales development representatives (-20.4%). It has the lowest median in Minnesota for executive assistants, bookkeepers and e-commerce order specialists.
Other areas in Minnesota
By jobs in these roles, the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area is #3 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 |
| 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 Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $92,570 a year, about $119,445 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,160.
Is hiring in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 9 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-14.3%). 6 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+12.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.