Minnesota Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Minnesota.
The average salary in Minnesota is $119,127 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Minneapolis). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $306,770 median; 45 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 106, the average median equates to $112,384 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Minnesota has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Minnesota job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Minnesota
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 490 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($306,770)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 1,120 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($283,060)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 600 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($226,280)
Dentist
Healthcare · 1,760 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($219,980)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 8,780 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($178,080)
Marketing Manager
Management · 6,480 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($173,040)
Financial Manager
Finance · 12,460 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($165,620)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 4,160 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($160,990)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 470 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($159,790)
Lawyer
Legal · 10,160 jobs in state · top metro: Minneapolis ($159,620)
Cities in Minnesota
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Minnesota is $119,127 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $306,770 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Minnesota, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($306,770), Family Medicine Physician ($283,060), Pediatrician ($226,280), Dentist ($219,980), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($178,080). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/minnesota.
45 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Minnesota have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Minneapolis, MN leads Minnesota with an average median salary of $119,127 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Minnesota's tracked metros is 106 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $119,127 translates to $112,384 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Minnesota, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
64 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.