Cost of hiring in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Bookkeeper is the largest of these 15 jobs in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, with about 1,300 people1. Medians run from $37,810 a year for virtual receptionists to $80,840 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.3% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.2% | 550 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.2% | 1,300 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +0.3% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.2% | 1,300 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.5% | 1,230 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -0.5% | 310 | |
| Paralegal | -0.9% | 100 | |
| Office Manager | -2.6% | 680 | |
| Recruiter | -3.0% | 410 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.9% | 130 | |
| Accountant | -8.2% | 930 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.3% | 320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -12.6% | 320 | |
| Project Coordinator | -21.0% | 270 |
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 $50,560 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $65,239 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against the US
The Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area pays above the US median for 3 of the 15 roles, most of all for HR assistants (+5.3%) and medical administrative assistants (+1.2%), and below it for 7, furthest for project coordinators (-21.0%). For payroll specialists, bookkeepers, customer support specialists, virtual receptionists and paralegals it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 15 is -0.9%: overall, pay here is close to the US level. Its best national standing is for HR assistants, #53 of 384 areas by median pay; its lowest is for project coordinators, #427 of 518.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.2% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and bookkeepers (16.1% against 8.8%), and fewer project coordinators (3.4% against 6.8%) and paralegals (1.2% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; El Centro, CA is nearest, at -0.9%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | -0.9% | 16 | 3,630 |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -0.9% (this area) | 15 | 8,050 |
| Appleton, WI | -1.1% | 17 | 12,090 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -1.1% | 17 | 56,930 |
| Vineland, NJ | -1.1% | 16 | 4,840 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -1.1% | 17 | 45,480 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area span $38,080–$130,360, the widest band (3.4×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $39,600–$58,240. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 11 of 15 roles, payroll specialists most ($39,500–$81,350 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators, marketing specialists and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($73,140 against a $62,050 median for sales development representatives).
the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota
Against Minnesota as a whole, the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area pays about the same or less for all 15 roles, and less for 14, most of all marketing specialists (-21.3%). It has the lowest median in Minnesota for project coordinators and medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Minnesota
By jobs in these roles, the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #6 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 |
| 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 Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $80,840 a year, about $104,310 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $37,810.
Is hiring in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 7 of the 15 roles, yes, most of all project coordinators (-21.0%). 3 pay more than the US median, led by HR assistants (+5.3%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.