SOC 35-2012 · Duluth, MN-WI metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Duluth, MN

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Duluth, Minnesota is $41,220 a year ($19.82 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $40,300: half of the 530 people in this job in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 4% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).

$41,220average per year

$19.82 / hourMedian $40,300Take-home ≈ $33,914

  • $33K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $49K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

530people in this job
+4%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 5Minnesota metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Duluth

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $49,040 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Duluth earn between $37,190 and $44,720.

  • $33K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $49K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$41,220$3,435$19.82
Median$40,300$3,358$19.38
Entry level (25th percentile)$37,190$3,099$17.88
Experienced (75th percentile)$44,720$3,727$21.50

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Duluth

On the average salary of $41,220, a single filer in Duluth takes home about $33,914 a year, or $2,826 a month and $1,304 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

The Duluth, MN-WI metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WI$34,156$2,846
Working in MN$33,914$2,826

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.

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Is Duluth a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Duluth area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.8), so the average $41,220 buys what about $46,436 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Duluth ($50,000). A typical home costs $264,350, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $41,220 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other Minnesota cities

Duluth ranks 5th of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($44,680).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in Minnesota

Highest-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($57,770).

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by city

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Duluth: questions

How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Duluth?

$19.82 an hour on average, and $19.37 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Duluth?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,190, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Duluth?

About $33,914 a year ($2,826 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,220. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.

Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Duluth than elsewhere?

The average here is 4% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($39,648).

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 35-2012; area Duluth, MN-WI (20260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
  • 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 1.49, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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