Cooks, Restaurant Salary in St. Cloud, MN
Cooks, Restaurant in the St. Cloud, MN metro area earn a median $36,270 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,201 take-home, or $2,517 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in St. Cloud, MN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,172
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,249
- Medicare (1.45%)$526
- Minnesota income tax$1,122
- Take-home pay$30,201
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.35% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in St. Cloud, MN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,140 | $14.01 | $24,854 | $2,071 |
| 25th percentile | $34,080 | $16.38 | $28,559 | $2,380 |
| Median (50th) | $36,270 | $17.44 | $30,201 | $2,517 |
| 75th percentile | $40,250 | $19.35 | $33,186 | $2,766 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,010 | $21.64 | $36,756 | $3,063 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Minnesota resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,270 buys in St. Cloud, MN
Prices in St. Cloud, MN are 12.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 35% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,201 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,463 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, Restaurant jobs are about as common in St. Cloud, MN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.83).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
St. Cloud, MN ranks #33 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 33 | St. Cloud, MN | $36,270 | $30,201 | $34,463 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Minnesota
- Rochester, MN — $38,150
- Duluth, MN — $36,680
- Mankato, MN — $37,190
- Minneapolis, MN — $39,640
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in St. Cloud, MN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the St. Cloud, MN metro area is $36,270 a year, or about $17.44 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,080 and $40,250.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in St. Cloud, MN?
On the median $36,270 salary, a single filer living in Minnesota takes home about $30,201 a year ($2,517 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,122 in Minnesota taxes in 2026.
Is St. Cloud, MN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 12.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,463 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Cloud, MN ranks #33 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in St. Cloud, MN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Cloud, MN is $919 a month ($1,206 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Cloud, MN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $41,600
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,540
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,680
- Bartender — $25,970
- Waiter and Waitress — $23,520