Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Minnesota
The median for cooks, restaurant in Minnesota is $38,590 a year, somewhat above the national $37,390 (+3%); the state ranks 16th of 51 states by median. That is 32% less than the median across all occupations in Minnesota ($56,920). Minnesota pays more than every neighbouring state: Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa range from $35,670 in Iowa to $36,550 in Wisconsin. Minnesota employs 26,080 cooks, restaurant, 8.84 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.98 is close to the national share.
Minnesota vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $15.04 | $17.32 | $18.55 | $21.81 | $23.01 | $19.33 | 26,080 | 8.84 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $31,280 | $36,020 | $38,590 | $45,360 | $47,850 | $40,210 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.80 | $16.35 | $17.98 | $21.45 | $23.03 | $18.62 | 1,409,890 | – | – |
| Annual | $28,700 | $34,010 | $37,390 | $44,620 | $47,900 | $38,730 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 16th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.98
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.84
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Minnesota's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Minnesota
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Minnesota publish a row for cooks, restaurant, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $19.06 | $39,640 | $35,310 | $48,160 | 17,760 | 9.10 | 1.00 |
| Rochester, MN | $18.34 | $38,150 | $30,680 | $46,100 | 1,060 | 8.65 | 0.95 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $17.94 | $37,310 | $30,220 | $46,130 | 690 | 3.84 | 0.42 |
| Mankato, MN | $17.88 | $37,190 | $30,130 | $45,060 | 510 | 9.02 | 1.00 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $17.80 | $37,020 | $28,900 | $45,620 | 1,560 | 10.50 | 1.16 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $17.69 | $36,800 | $28,380 | $44,840 | 560 | 10.86 | 1.20 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $17.64 | $36,680 | $29,100 | $45,390 | 1,460 | 11.74 | 1.29 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $17.44 | $36,270 | $29,140 | $45,010 | 780 | 7.49 | 0.83 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $17.43 | $36,260 | $28,050 | $45,060 | 860 | 10.21 | 1.13 |
| Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $17.61 | $36,620 | $27,860 | $44,400 | 590 | 13.50 | 1.49 |
| Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $17.42 | $36,230 | $28,640 | $44,380 | 1,270 | 8.21 | 0.91 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $17.37 | $36,140 | $28,110 | $44,610 | 2,190 | 11.32 | 1.25 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $17.37 | $36,120 | $26,440 | $44,060 | 870 | 7.43 | 0.82 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $18.55 | $38,590 | 26,080 | 0.98 |
| Iowa | $17.15 | $35,670 | 12,270 | 0.87 |
| North Dakota | $17.53 | $36,470 | 4,490 | 1.15 |
| South Dakota | $17.42 | $36,220 | 1,890 | 0.46 |
| Wisconsin | $17.57 | $36,550 | 25,410 | 0.95 |
See the national page for Cooks, Restaurant (every state ranked) and the Minnesota wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Minnesota estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.