Food Jobs & Pay in Minnesota
About 271,640 people in Minnesota work in food-related jobs. Median pay by occupation, with the national median in the last column.
Restaurants & service
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 58,970 | $31,370 | $28,190 – $37,140 | $31,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 37,630 | $25,470 | $23,150 – $41,800 | $35,230 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 26,080 | $38,590 | $31,280 – $47,850 | $37,390 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 24,620 | $34,850 | $29,150 – $45,790 | $35,320 |
| Bartenders | 24,420 | $26,900 | $23,150 – $38,790 | $34,340 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 20,760 | $45,270 | $35,910 – $65,650 | $44,080 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 11,090 | $36,000 | $31,760 – $44,370 | $35,360 |
| Dishwashers | 8,710 | $34,060 | $25,470 – $38,800 | $34,810 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 7,890 | $43,460 | $35,520 – $52,140 | $37,450 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 7,220 | $29,210 | $23,350 – $38,310 | $33,980 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 7,150 | $30,200 | $24,000 – $38,960 | $31,200 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 5,190 | $34,120 | $24,550 – $39,560 | $30,890 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 1,730 | $62,600 | $48,400 – $95,890 | $62,470 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 870 | $32,150 | $23,150 – $44,460 | $35,880 |
| Cooks, All Other | 80 | $36,850 | $30,180 – $48,250 | $37,690 |
Food processing
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Batchmakers | 7,660 | $42,940 | $32,100 – $59,520 | $42,290 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 3,790 | $43,400 | $36,080 – $46,770 | $38,300 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 2,820 | $43,360 | $37,710 – $44,030 | $40,130 |
| Bakers | 2,660 | $40,210 | $31,110 – $52,970 | $37,160 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 2,000 | $41,800 | $38,580 – $51,850 | $39,680 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | 1,590 | $43,930 | $34,790 – $59,540 | $40,140 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,410 | $47,250 | $46,660 – $49,770 | $41,590 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,120 | $50,340 | $41,750 – $71,010 | $44,810 |
Farm & field
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 1,200 | $38,080 | $29,760 – $50,380 | $35,660 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 900 | $48,520 | $38,630 – $59,720 | $41,730 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 580 | $46,020 | $23,150 – $79,990 | $36,670 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | 180 | $77,150 | $53,290 – $97,860 | $49,940 |
| Animal Breeders | 170 | $47,900 | $38,480 – $56,310 | $51,130 |
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 30 | $47,540 | $38,310 – $52,440 | $35,730 |
Science & nutrition
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 1,180 | $77,540 | $62,660 – $94,580 | $76,400 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 670 | $99,280 | $61,360 – $152,600 | $88,720 |
| Food Science Technicians | 380 | $57,940 | $42,010 – $74,270 | $52,130 |
Management
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | 730 | $79,820 | $58,000 – $105,340 | $69,390 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 160 | $65,900 | $60,940 – $104,530 | $89,900 |
| Farm Labor Contractors | — | $50,730 | $30,540 – $61,080 | $58,460 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. Some occupations are suppressed in smaller states and are omitted. Median pay is the middle of the wage distribution; employment counts exclude the self-employed. Labour-market data, not job listings.