Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Minneapolis, MN
Cooks, Fast Food in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area earn a median $36,380 a year — 18% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,284 take-home, or $2,524 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Minneapolis, MN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,186
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,256
- Medicare (1.45%)$528
- Minnesota income tax$1,128
- Take-home pay$30,284
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.35% state
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro spans Minnesota, Wisconsin. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Minneapolis, MN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $24,550 | $11.80 | $21,332 | $1,778 |
| 25th percentile | $31,010 | $14.91 | $26,256 | $2,188 |
| Median (50th) | $36,380 | $17.49 | $30,284 | $2,524 |
| 75th percentile | $39,560 | $19.02 | $32,669 | $2,722 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,560 | $19.02 | $32,669 | $2,722 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Minnesota resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,380 buys in Minneapolis, MN
Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 4.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $30,284 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,890 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Fast Food jobs are less concentrated in Minneapolis, MN than nationally (location quotient 0.44), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Minneapolis, MN ranks #15 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,380 | $30,284 | $28,890 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +0.6% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Minneapolis, MN?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area is $36,380 a year, or about $17.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,010 and $39,560.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN?
On the median $36,380 salary, a single filer living in Minnesota takes home about $30,284 a year ($2,524 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,128 in Minnesota taxes in 2026.
Is Minneapolis, MN a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 18% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 4.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,890 would in a typical U.S. city. Minneapolis, MN ranks #15 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Minneapolis, MN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Minneapolis, MN is $1,396 a month ($1,700 for two bedrooms) — 55% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Minneapolis, MN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,110
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $44,830
- Cooks, Restaurant — $39,640
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $36,420
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,100
- Dishwasher — $34,940
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $33,040
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $30,600
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,380
- Bartender — $27,600
- Waiter and Waitress — $25,920