Duluth, MN-WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Duluth, MN?

In the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,010 a year ($16.35 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,050 of these jobs there. That is 32% below the $50,000 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,040 and $43,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Minnesota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,506 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Duluth, MN at a glance

Median salary

$34,010$16.35 per hour · $2,834 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,040$13.00/hr
25th percentile$28,720$13.81/hr
75th percentile$37,020$17.80/hr
90th percentile$43,630$20.97/hr
Jobs in this metro1,050Location quotient 1.47 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% belowAll-jobs median $50,000
Against Minnesota2% belowStatewide median $34,850
Against the U.S.4% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Food preparation worker salary in Duluth, MN after taxes

$34,010
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,010
Net 84%
Fed 6%
MN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,506After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,376Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,096Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,901 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$1,001 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,602 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Duluth, MN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MN)
10th percentile$13.00/hr$2,253$27,040$23,249
25th percentile$13.81/hr$2,393$28,720$24,539
MedianMedian$16.35/hr$2,834$34,010$28,506
75th percentile$17.80/hr$3,085$37,020$30,764
90th percentile$20.97/hr$3,636$43,630$35,721

Is $34,010 a good salary in Duluth, MN?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$71,769Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.4%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Food preparation worker pay in Duluth, MN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Duluth, MN-WI?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area was $34,010 in May 2025, about $2,834 a month or $16.35 an hour. Statewide, the Minnesota median for this job is $34,850, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Duluth, MN-WI?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Duluth, MN-WI was $16.35 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.97.

How many food preparation workers work in Duluth, MN-WI?

BLS estimated 1,050 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.47 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Duluth, MN-WI?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Duluth, MN-WI run from $27,040 at the 10th percentile to $28,720 at the 25th, $37,020 at the 75th, and $43,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Duluth, MN-WI?

On a median gross salary of $34,010, an estimated $28,506 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,096 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Minnesota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,504 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Duluth, MN-WI?

On the median annual salary of $34,010, gross monthly income is $2,834. After federal, FICA, and Minnesota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,376 per month (or $1,096 every two weeks).

Is $34,010 a good salary in Duluth, MN-WI?

At $34,010, the median salary for food preparation workers is 47.4% of the Duluth, MN-WI median household income ($71,769). It is 32% below the $50,000 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.