Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Mankato, MN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Mankato, MN

Median annual salary $36,670 -0.4% vs national
Median hourly $17.63
10th percentile $28,810
90th percentile $44,800
Employed locally 560
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,810
    25th
    $31,630
    50th (median)
    $36,670
    75th
    $42,360
    90th
    $44,800

    Mankato economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $74,722 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 49% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 51% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Restaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,320
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $46,500
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $46,340

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Restaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $39,710
    Rochester, MN $37,920
    Fargo, ND-MN $36,540
    La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $36,510
    Sioux Falls, SD-MN $36,300
    Duluth, MN-WI $36,190

    Related occupations in Mankato, MN

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $30,700
    Waiters and Waitresses $22,900
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,100
    Bartenders $23,580
    Food Preparation Workers $34,460
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $33,470

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Mankato?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Mankato, MN is $17.63, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.67 or more per hour.

    Is Mankato above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Mankato, MN is 0.4% below the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Mankato?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $28,810 per year in Mankato, MN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $31,630.