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St. Cloud, MN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in St. Cloud, MN?

In the St. Cloud, MN metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $33,540 a year ($16.12 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 890 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $50,840 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,210 and $43,820; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Minnesota tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,154 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in St. Cloud, MN at a glance

Median salary

$33,540$16.12 per hour · $2,795 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,210$13.56/hr
25th percentile$29,150$14.01/hr
75th percentile$37,560$18.06/hr
90th percentile$43,820$21.07/hr
Jobs in this metro890Location quotient 1.49 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $50,840
Against Minnesota4% belowStatewide median $34,850
Against the U.S.5% 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.

Take-home payWhat $34,000 a year leaves after tax in MinnesotaFederal tax, FICA and Minnesota withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$16 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $34,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $34,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Minnesota publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Minnesota.

Food preparation worker salary in St. Cloud, MN after taxes

$33,540
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$33,540
Net 84%
Fed 6%
MN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,154After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,346Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,083Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,845 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$976 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,566 / yr
Customize deductions in full Minnesota calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in St. Cloud, MN, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the St. Cloud, MN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MN)
10th percentile$13.56/hr$2,351$28,210$24,150
25th percentile$14.01/hr$2,429$29,150$24,861
MedianMedian$16.12/hr$2,795$33,540$28,154
75th percentile$18.06/hr$3,130$37,560$31,169
90th percentile$21.07/hr$3,652$43,820$35,864

Is $33,540 a good salary in St. Cloud, 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$76,497Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.612.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.8%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other Minnesota metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to St. Cloud, MN. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in St. Cloud, MN: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in St. Cloud, MN?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the St. Cloud, MN metro area was $33,540 in May 2025, about $2,795 a month or $16.12 an hour. Statewide, the Minnesota median for this job is $34,850, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in St. Cloud, MN?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in St. Cloud, MN was $16.12 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.56 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.07.

How many food preparation workers work in St. Cloud, MN?

BLS estimated 890 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.49 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in St. Cloud, MN?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in St. Cloud, MN run from $28,210 at the 10th percentile to $29,150 at the 25th, $37,560 at the 75th, and $43,820 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in St. Cloud, MN?

On a median gross salary of $33,540, an estimated $28,154 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,083 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Minnesota in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,386 (an effective rate of 16.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in St. Cloud, MN?

On the median annual salary of $33,540, gross monthly income is $2,795. After federal, FICA, and Minnesota state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,346 per month (or $1,083 every two weeks).

Is $33,540 a good salary in St. Cloud, MN?

At $33,540, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.8% of the St. Cloud, MN median household income ($76,497). It is 34% below the $50,840 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.6, so prices here run 12.4% below the U.S. average.