Pay data
Average Salary in Minnesota (2026)
The average salary in Minnesota is $71,160 a year and the median is $56,920, 12% above the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $57,720: 12th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 7th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $71,160US $69,770
- Median salary
- $56,920US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $27.36BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 98.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Minnesota?
About the 68th percentile
You earn more than about 68% of workers in Minnesota.
At Minnesota prices, $75,000 buys what $76,050 buys at the national average, about the 71st percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Minnesota workers earn
| Percentile | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,540 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $39,680 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $56,920 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $82,520 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $125,730 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $71,160 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Minnesota
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Minnesota sits at 98.6 overall, with housing at 91.3. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $98,620 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items1% below US98.6
- Housing (rents)9% below US91.3
- Goods1% above US100.5
- Utilities9% below US90.8
- Other servicesthe same as US100.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 98.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 91.3 |
| Goods | 100.5 |
| Utilities | 90.8 |
| Other services | 100.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Minnesota by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $126,620 | 0% | 203,950 |
| Legal | $105,100 | +3% | 21,720 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $104,140 | -5% | 95,850 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $98,840 | +14% | 196,480 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $96,960 | -3% | 57,670 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $83,280 | +1% | 206,400 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $83,150 | +1% | 32,040 |
| Construction and Extraction | $72,590 | +22% | 122,450 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $62,920 | +6% | 101,520 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $62,480 | 0% | 37,480 |
| Community and Social Service | $61,980 | +6% | 61,530 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $59,500 | -2% | 169,460 |
| Protective Service | $58,980 | +18% | 48,790 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $50,900 | +7% | 326,540 |
| Production | $49,290 | +5% | 200,570 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $47,560 | +7% | 231,390 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $47,540 | +30% | 3,730 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $40,840 | +8% | 82,320 |
| Healthcare Support | $40,420 | +5% | 187,710 |
| Sales | $39,360 | +2% | 251,790 |
| Personal Care and Service | $36,650 | +1% | 67,990 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $33,860 | -3% | 242,430 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Minnesota's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Retail Salesperson74,840
- 2General and Operations Manager72,860
- 3Registered Nurse70,110
- 4Fast Food and Counter Worker58,970
- 5Cashier58,190
- 6Office Clerk, General55,530
- 7Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand54,480
- 8Customer Service Representative53,340
- 9Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners42,300
- 10Stocker and Order Filler40,270
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Anesthesiologist$496,510
- 2Emergency Medicine Physician$390,940
- 3General Internal Medicine Physician$373,700
- 4Allergist and Immunologist$367,320
- 5Pathologist$362,270
- 6Psychiatrist$336,410
- 7Obstetrician and Gynecologist$321,910
- 8Family Medicine Physician$280,030
- 9Nurse Anesthetist$266,190
- 10Pediatrician, General$226,660
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Prepress Technician and Worker6.4x
- 2Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor4.1x
- 3Marriage and Family Therapist3.9x
- 4Industrial Engineering Technologist and Technician3.8x
- 5Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician3.1x
- 6Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operator and Tender2.9x
- 7Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer2.8x
- 8Print Binding and Finishing Worker2.7x
- 9Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator2.7x
- 10Industrial Engineer2.5x
Cities
Average salary by city in Minnesota
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $60,620 | $80,590 | 90.8 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $59,320 | $74,580 | 104.8 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $50,840 | $63,750 | 87.6 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $50,000 | $61,560 | 88.8 |
| Mankato, MN | $49,530 | $62,430 | 91.0 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Minnesota. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Minnesota: FAQ
What is the average salary in Minnesota?
The average (mean) annual wage in Minnesota is $71,160 and the median is $56,920, 12% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 2,949,820 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Minnesota?
$34.21 an hour on average and $27.36 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Minnesota?
Above $56,920 out-earns half of Minnesota workers; the top 25% start at $82,520 and the top 10% at $125,730 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Minnesota run 1% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $101,400 buys nationally.
Is Minnesota expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Minnesota at 98.6 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 91.3, goods 100.5, utilities 90.8 and other services 100.2. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $98,620 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Minnesota?
Anesthesiologist ($496,510), Emergency Medicine Physician ($390,940), General Internal Medicine Physician ($373,700), Allergist and Immunologist ($367,320), Pathologist ($362,270) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Minnesota (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Minnesota?
Retail Salesperson (74,840), General and Operations Manager (72,860), Registered Nurse (70,110), Fast Food and Counter Worker (58,970), Cashier (58,190) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).