Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Minnesota
In Minnesota, waiters and waitresses earn a median $25,470 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−28%); the state ranks 41st of 51 states by median. That is 55% less than the median across all occupations in Minnesota ($56,920). Among neighbouring states, North Dakota, Wisconsin and South Dakota pay more (up to $30,890 in North Dakota) and Iowa pays less (down to $21,000 in Iowa). Minnesota employs 37,630 waiters and waitresses, 12.8 per 1,000 jobs, the 23rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.87 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 | $11.13 | $11.24 | $12.25 | $15.36 | $20.10 | $14.45 | 37,630 | 12.76 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $23,150 | $23,370 | $25,470 | $31,940 | $41,800 | $30,060 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 41st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 23rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.87
- Jobs per 1,000
- 12.76
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 waiters and waitresses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | $14.58 | $30,330 | $18,470 | $59,910 | 2,020 | 13.56 | 0.93 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $14.38 | $29,920 | $28,020 | $39,060 | 2,550 | 14.26 | 0.98 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $13.64 | $28,380 | $16,280 | $59,390 | 1,270 | 15.03 | 1.03 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $13.37 | $27,820 | $18,560 | $58,950 | 820 | 15.68 | 1.07 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $12.46 | $25,920 | $23,260 | $43,280 | 25,620 | 13.13 | 0.90 |
| Rochester, MN | $11.57 | $24,060 | $23,150 | $39,920 | 1,620 | 13.13 | 0.90 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $11.31 | $23,520 | $23,150 | $38,630 | 1,070 | 10.27 | 0.70 |
| Mankato, MN | $11.22 | $23,330 | $23,150 | $38,790 | 770 | 13.67 | 0.94 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $11.13 | $23,150 | $23,150 | $39,570 | 2,100 | 16.87 | 1.15 |
| Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $11.36 | $23,620 | $23,150 | $38,670 | 1,830 | 11.85 | 0.81 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $11.34 | $23,590 | $23,150 | $38,130 | 3,090 | 16.01 | 1.10 |
| Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $11.28 | $23,460 | $23,150 | $38,130 | 730 | 16.63 | 1.14 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $11.28 | $23,460 | $23,150 | $38,560 | 1,160 | 9.84 | 0.67 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $12.25 | $25,470 | 37,630 | 0.87 |
| Iowa | $10.10 | $21,000 | 22,410 | 0.98 |
| North Dakota | $14.85 | $30,890 | 5,250 | 0.84 |
| South Dakota | $13.94 | $28,990 | 7,350 | 1.10 |
| Wisconsin | $14.26 | $29,670 | 36,220 | 0.84 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (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.