Salaries · United States · Minnesota
Salaries in Minnesota 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Minnesota is $56,920 a year ($27.36 an hour), 12% above the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 12th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Minnesota earn a median of $67,459 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Minnesota: the key figures
| Figure | Minnesota | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $56,920 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $71,160 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $33,540 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $125,730 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 2,949,820 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $67,459 ± $357 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $89,062 ± $409 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 98.6 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $11.41 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $56,920, a single person keeps about $45,318 a year ($3,776 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Minnesota income tax and state payroll contributions. With prices 1% below the US average, $56,920 here buys what $57,700 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $56,920 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$4,650 |
| Social Security | -$3,529 |
| Medicare | -$825 |
| Minnesota income tax | -$2,347 |
| Minnesota Paid Leave, employee share (maximum) | -$250 |
| Take-home a year | $45,318 |
What drives pay in Minnesota
Minnesota is a head-office state. Management of companies, BEA's category for corporate headquarters, produced 3.3% of GDP in 2025, the second-highest share of any state after Arkansas and almost twice the US share of 1.8%, and paid 5.4% of all employee compensation (US 3.2%). Manufacturing is 11.3% of GDP (US 9.5%), with strengths in computer and electronic products (1.7%, against 1.0%) and the category that includes medical equipment (1.0%, against 0.4%). Chief executives, 6,740 of them on a median of $195,670, financial managers, marketing managers and lawyers all rank among the best-paid jobs.
Health care is the other pillar, at 10.1% of GDP (US 7.5%) and 15.3% of compensation (US 12.0%). It also accounts for the most common job by far: home health and personal care aides, 128,680 of them on a median of $38,370, against 74,840 retail salespersons in second place. Registered nurses, 70,110 of them, earn $101,510.
Together these industries put the all-jobs median at $56,920, 12% above the US and 12th of the 50 states and DC, with prices about 1% below the US average. Pay is also higher at the bottom: only one worker in ten earns less than $33,540, against $31,200 nationally.
Growth has stalled, though. Real GDP rose only 0.7% in 2025 and 6.2% from 2019 to 2025, against 2.3% and 15.6% for the US, according to BEA. Minnesota Management and Budget's February 2026 forecast showed unemployment at 4.1% in December 2025, up 1.1 points in a year, and named federal funding uncertainty as a risk to the state budget.
The highest-paid jobs in Minnesota
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 2,270 | $373,700 |
| Physicians, All Other | 5,350 | $367,320 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,820 | $280,030 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,130 | $266,190 |
| Dentists, General | 2,370 | $219,200 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 2,960 | $211,470 |
| Chief Executives | 6,740 | $195,670 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 10,970 | $176,380 |
| Marketing Managers | 8,500 | $173,300 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,580 | $172,130 |
| Financial Managers | 16,680 | $163,410 |
| Pharmacists | 6,310 | $159,740 |
| Lawyers | 12,380 | $155,140 |
| Human Resources Managers | 4,370 | $153,770 |
| Managers, All Other | 4,160 | $152,600 |
The most common jobs in Minnesota
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 128,680 | $38,370 | $18.45 |
| Retail Salespersons | 74,840 | $36,370 | $17.49 |
| General and Operations Managers | 72,860 | $99,340 | $47.76 |
| Registered Nurses | 70,110 | $101,510 | $48.80 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 58,970 | $31,370 | $15.08 |
| Cashiers | 58,190 | $34,620 | $16.65 |
| Office Clerks, General | 55,530 | $47,840 | $23.00 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 54,480 | $46,280 | $22.25 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 53,340 | $48,800 | $23.46 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 44,810 | $46,920 | $22.56 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 42,300 | $39,610 | $19.04 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 40,270 | $37,120 | $17.85 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 38,770 | $61,990 | $29.80 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 38,540 | $40,100 | yearly pay only |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 37,630 | $25,470 | $12.25 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Minnesota
Official BLS medians for Minnesota; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,130 | $266,190 |
| Dentist | 2,370 | $219,200 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 680 | $176,840 |
| Pharmacist | 6,310 | $159,740 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 140 | $159,060 |
| Lawyer | 12,380 | $155,140 |
| Physician Assistant | 3,660 | $141,190 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 7,780 | $133,260 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 2,680 | $130,710 |
| Software Engineer | 35,890 | $130,050 |
| Data Scientist | 4,020 | $128,800 |
| Actuary | 1,170 | $128,100 |
| Elevator Technician | 550 | $128,020 |
| Dental Hygienist | 4,110 | $103,970 |
| Financial Analyst | 7,450 | $102,990 |
| Registered Nurse | 70,110 | $101,510 |
| Commercial Pilot | 910 | $98,630 |
| Project Manager | 18,850 | $97,860 |
| Plumber | 10,720 | $94,410 |
| Compliance Officer | 6,140 | $85,920 |
| UX Designer | 1,520 | $82,650 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 2,390 | $81,980 |
| Accountant | 30,530 | $81,600 |
| Electrician | 14,350 | $78,160 |
| HVAC Technician | 4,200 | $76,350 |
| Paralegal | 7,400 | $75,570 |
| Flight Attendant | 4,050 | $61,230 |
| Welder | 9,270 | $60,280 |
Minnesota and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $56,920 | 98.6 | $57,700 |
| Iowa | $48,540 | 87.8 | $55,300 |
| North Dakota | $52,480 | 89.0 | $59,000 |
| South Dakota | $47,080 | 88.6 | $53,100 |
| Wisconsin | $50,270 | 94.1 | $53,400 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Minnesota, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Minnesota Management and Budget: February 2026 Budget and Economic Forecast (presentation, posted by the Minnesota House), February 2026 (PDF dated 27 Feb 2026)
Related
- Salary comparison by city: what a salary is worth in another US city
- Salaries in the United States