Is Minnesota a good state for your salary to go far?

Minnesota ranks #7 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 104.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 98.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Minnesota?

Minnesota's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 98.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Minnesota

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Minnesota

Minnesota ranks #7 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 104.7, base = 100). Cost of living 98.6 (US = 100); top income tax 9.85%.

Does a salary go further in Minnesota? (cost of living + state tax)

In Minnesota, the cost of living is 98.6 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 104.7 across 371 occupations, ranking it #7 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Minnesota ranks #7 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 104.7 means pay goes 4.7% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

104.7

Real pay by occupation in Minnesota (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Tree Trimmers and Pruners	$77,460	$74,712	142.3
Brickmasons and Blockmasons	$95,220	$91,496	142.0
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$60,090	$58,297	136.9
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians	$63,080	$61,122	136.5
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$94,410	$90,730	133.3
Roofers	$74,490	$71,905	131.7
Structural Iron and Steel Workers	$95,320	$91,590	131.4
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	$90,760	$87,281	129.7
Dental Assistants	$65,270	$63,192	128.7
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$75,020	$72,406	127.4
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors	$76,800	$74,088	126.9
Surveying and Mapping Technicians	$73,190	$70,677	126.6
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term	$50,390	$49,130	126.5
Crossing Guards and Flaggers	$48,100	$46,966	122.0
Physicians, All Other	$367,320	$342,909	121.7
Physical Therapist Aides	$42,330	$41,437	121.2
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators	$74,670	$72,075	120.6
Loan Officers	$95,170	$91,448	120.4
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors	$62,570	$60,640	120.3
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	$79,130	$76,290	120.2
Public Safety Telecommunicators	$66,550	$64,402	120.1
Property Appraisers and Assessors	$83,400	$80,325	120.1
Insurance Sales Agents	$78,640	$75,827	119.8
Highway Maintenance Workers	$63,150	$61,188	119.7
Medical Transcriptionists	$50,030	$48,790	119.7
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians	$57,270	$55,632	119.6
Paramedics	$76,300	$73,616	119.3
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals	$46,020	$44,978	119.2
Construction Laborers	$60,260	$58,457	118.9
Construction and Building Inspectors	$88,670	$85,306	118.7
Library Technicians	$51,110	$49,810	118.6
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners	$62,190	$60,281	118.4
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	$75,570	$72,926	118.0
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	$76,350	$73,663	117.4
Home Appliance Repairers	$61,360	$59,497	117.3
Residential Advisors	$48,770	$47,599	117.2
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$96,720	$92,913	117.2
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$78,690	$75,874	117.0
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents	$79,000	$76,167	116.9
Administrative Services Managers	$137,290	$131,090	116.7

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Minnesota. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (98.6, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Minnesota, a $85,000 salary is worth about $77,699 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $8,373 (≈ top marginal 9.85% (upper bound)) · take-home $76,628 · BEA cost of living 98.6 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $18,253 gain over Minnesota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Minnesota real pay — FAQ

Is Minnesota a good state for your salary to go far?: Minnesota ranks #7 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 104.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 98.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Minnesota?: Minnesota's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 98.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Minnesota is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.