Office Manager salary in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
The Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for office managers: the median of $67,710 a year1 is 11.4% below the Minnesota statewide median of $76,440, and 2.6% below the US median of $69,500. Nationally it ranks #132 of 519 areas. About 680 office managers work here, 3% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $45,610 | $67,710 | $98,800 | |
| Minnesota | $49,920 | $76,440 | $106,100 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area earns $57,130–$81,730. The top tenth earns $98,800 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,600 wide, against $29,450 across Minnesota and $29,140 nationally: employers in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,610 | $3,801 | $21.93 | $58,852 |
| 25th percentile | $57,130 | $4,761 | $27.47 | $73,716 |
| Median | $67,710 | $5,642 | $32.55 | $87,368 |
| 75th percentile | $81,730 | $6,811 | $39.29 | $105,458 |
| 90th percentile | $98,800 | $8,233 | $47.50 | $127,484 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,580 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,020, or about $18,090 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $76,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,658 to the $67,710 median and brings it to $87,368 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($68,860) and paralegals ($62,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,840.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +5.4% | 130 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +1.7% | 320 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 680 | |
| Paralegal | -8.0% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -8.4% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #9 of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area (-2.6%), between paralegals (-0.9%) and recruiters (-3.0%). The typical role here is at -0.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 8.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, 7.5% across Minnesota and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $64,190 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $78,410 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $14,220 a year. Of the 6 areas in Minnesota with more office managers than the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($66,180) and Duluth, MN-WI ($65,880).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +7.7% | 940 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | +6.0% | 820 | |
| Mankato, MN | +5.3% | 360 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 680 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,510 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -2.7% | 810 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 300 |
the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #332 of 517 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Albany and Fargo pay just above the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area and Lafayette-West Lafayette and Miami-Fort Lauderdale just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | +0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Albany, OR | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 680 | ||
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -0.2% | 780 | pay | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | -0.2% | 26,510 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | -4.6% | 680 | jobs | |
| Billings, MT | -6.4% | 680 | jobs | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -17.8% | 680 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $87,368 a year at the median, or $7,281 a month: $67,710 in pay plus about $19,658 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
The median was $67,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,610, the 90th $98,800, and the middle half earned $57,130 to $81,730.
Is the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,710 against $76,440 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Mankato at $71,310, the next down the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area at $66,180.
How many office managers work in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 680 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Minnesota total of 21,690. 6 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Duluth, with about 810.
Does an office manager cost more than a paralegal in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $5,410 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,710 and $62,300.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.