Average Salaries in Minnesota
Explore salaries across 731 occupations in Minnesota. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $70.0K, +13.8% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 731 occupations and 2,910,530 total jobs in Minnesota.
How the state compares
Minnesota pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Minnesota has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Podiatrists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Minnesota
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Minnesota
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Podiatrists | $224.3K | 150 |
| Physicists | $222.6K | 60 |
| Pediatricians, General | $212.4K | 890 |
| Dentists, General | $209.8K | 2,500 |
| Chief Executives | $194.2K | 6,690 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers | $184.6K | N/A |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $182.8K | 470 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $176.0K | 630 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $171.8K | 10,710 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $168.2K | 4,190 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Minnesota
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 120,390 | $36.2K |
| General And Operations Managers | 73,900 | $96.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 69,640 | $35.3K |
| Registered Nurses | 64,740 | $100.9K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 59,220 | $32.0K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 59,170 | $47.5K |
| Cashiers | 57,290 | $32.6K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 56,030 | $45.4K |
| Office Clerks, General | 55,710 | $47.0K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 46,920 | $45.6K |
What Minnesota specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Minnesota than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Minnesota
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | 14.18 | $80.4K |
| Gambling Service Workers, All Other | 10.16 | $29.5K |
| Social Workers, All Other | 5.89 | $79.2K |
| Shoe Machine Operators And Tenders | 5.16 | $38.4K |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 3.91 | $66.3K |
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, And English As A Second Language Instructors | 3.27 | $68.7K |
| Life Scientists, All Other | 3.13 | $70.4K |
| Prepress Technicians And Workers | 3.08 | $45.5K |
| Marriage And Family Therapists | 3.03 | $72.4K |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation | 3.01 | $48.3K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
Metros inside Minnesota
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in Minnesota
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $73.0K | 1,918,270 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $63.4K | 118,340 |
| Rochester, MN | $69.5K | 104,570 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $64.9K | 96,200 |
| Mankato, MN | $64.7K | 48,500 |
Common salary questions for Minnesota
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.