Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Mankato
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,060 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Mankato earn between $35,080 and $42,840.
- $30K10th
- $35K25th
- $37KMedian
- $43K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,700 | $3,142 | $18.12 |
| Median | $37,190 | $3,099 | $17.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,080 | $2,923 | $16.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,840 | $3,570 | $20.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Mankato vs. Minnesota and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Mankato earn 6% less than the Minnesota average ($40,210) and about the same as the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato | $37,700 | $37,190 | $30,130 | $45,060 | 510 |
| Minnesota | $40,210 | $38,590 | $31,280 | $47,850 | 26,080 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in Mankato
On the average salary of $37,700, a single filer in Mankato takes home about $31,274 a year, or $2,606 a month and $1,203 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Is Mankato a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Mankato area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.0), so the average $37,700 buys what about $41,449 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Mankato ($49,530). A typical home costs $309,967, or 8.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Minnesota cities
Mankato ranks 3rd of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($41,850).
- Minneapolis$41,850
- Rochester$39,310
- Mankato$37,700
- St. Cloud$37,040
- Duluth$37,020
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Mankato: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Mankato?
$18.13 an hour on average, and $17.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Mankato?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Mankato?
About $31,274 a year ($2,606 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,700. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Mankato than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area Mankato, MN (31860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.00, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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