Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Mankato, MN

Each occupation's median wage in Mankato, MN compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Mankato, MN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Mankato, MN run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Mankato, MN salary is worth about 1.10× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Mankato, MN

OccupationMedian, Mankato, MN · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$421,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,840 – $515,420+58.5%
2Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$83,530
Master's degree
$53,290 – $105,440+38.6%
3Recreational Therapists$81,950
Bachelor's degree
$68,540 – $81,950+32.3%
4Public Safety Telecommunicators$70,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,940 – $73,880+32.3%
5Electricians$83,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,140 – $100,770+31.5%
6Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$78,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,010 – $91,730+31.3%
7Civil Engineers$128,220
Bachelor's degree
$76,300 – $156,000+27.2%
8Dental Assistants$61,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,120 – $72,330+26.9%
9Highway Maintenance Workers$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,280 – $70,680+26.6%
10Library Technicians$56,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,480 – $59,380+26.3%
11Construction Laborers$59,350
No formal educational credential
$43,930 – $78,580+26.0%
12Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$76,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,900 – $100,270+25.7%
13Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$81,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,200 – $94,860+25.2%
14Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,390 – $70,240+24.9%
15Marriage and Family Therapists$83,100
Master's degree
$54,390 – $101,670+24.1%
16Loan Officers$94,850
Bachelor's degree
$59,020 – $158,390+23.7%
17Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,440
No formal educational credential
$49,100 – $62,630+23.6%
18Parts Salespersons$47,750
No formal educational credential
$30,370 – $64,570+23.6%
19Manicurists and Pedicurists$43,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,610 – $45,130+22.7%
20Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$64,100 – $95,640+21.2%
21Dentists, General$207,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$136,720 – $416,150+21.1%
22Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$127,590
Master's degree
$83,990 – $134,350+20.5%
23Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$47,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,030 – $62,250+19.8%
24Special Education Teachers, Preschool$77,310
Bachelor's degree
$60,820 – $81,090+19.3%
25Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,900 – $77,150+16.9%
26Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,870 – $114,890+16.7%
27Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$79,420
Master's degree
$48,100 – $98,950+16.3%
28Agricultural Equipment Operators$48,520
No formal educational credential
$36,050 – $55,400+16.3%
29Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$69,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,030 – $79,610+16.3%
30Healthcare Social Workers$78,800
Master's degree
$65,910 – $91,950+16.1%
31Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,400
No formal educational credential
$30,770 – $58,350+16.0%
32Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$62,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,240 – $77,660+15.8%
33Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,400 – $137,220+15.6%
34Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$122,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,350 – $170,630+14.5%
35Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$56,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $75,220+14.3%
36Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$72,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,680 – $87,530+12.9%
37Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,620
Bachelor's degree
$46,080 – $89,720+12.6%
38Pharmacists$157,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,010 – $177,180+11.4%
39Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,500
No formal educational credential
$35,620 – $57,140+10.6%
40Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,150
Associate's degree
$47,170 – $86,610+10.6%
41Residential Advisors$46,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $56,370+10.6%
42Nursing Assistants$46,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,500 – $56,770+9.9%
43Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$83,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,660 – $106,160+9.8%
44Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,600 – $53,680+9.6%
45Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$41,820
Associate's degree
$36,370 – $57,250+9.6%
46First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$63,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,830 – $92,080+9.1%
47Social Workers, All Other$77,990
Bachelor's degree
$54,340 – $93,330+8.5%
48Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$64,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,750 – $78,510+8.1%
49Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$51,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $61,640+8.1%
50Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$116,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,650 – $318,330+8.1%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMankato, MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$421,630	$100,840 – $515,420	+58.5%
2	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$83,530	$53,290 – $105,440	+38.6%
3	Recreational TherapistsBachelor's degree	$81,950	$68,540 – $81,950	+32.3%
4	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,190	$59,940 – $73,880	+32.3%
5	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,120	$50,140 – $100,770	+31.5%
6	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,560	$51,010 – $91,730	+31.3%
7	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,220	$76,300 – $156,000	+27.2%
8	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,010	$47,120 – $72,330	+26.9%
9	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$37,280 – $70,680	+26.6%
10	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,310	$46,480 – $59,380	+26.3%
11	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$59,350	$43,930 – $78,580	+26.0%
12	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,670	$47,900 – $100,270	+25.7%
13	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,990	$56,200 – $94,860	+25.2%
14	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,850	$45,390 – $70,240	+24.9%
15	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$83,100	$54,390 – $101,670	+24.1%
16	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$94,850	$59,020 – $158,390	+23.7%
17	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,440	$49,100 – $62,630	+23.6%
18	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,750	$30,370 – $64,570	+23.6%
19	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,870	$28,610 – $45,130	+22.7%
20	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$64,100 – $95,640	+21.2%
21	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,000	$136,720 – $416,150	+21.1%
22	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$127,590	$83,990 – $134,350	+20.5%
23	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,050	$37,030 – $62,250	+19.8%
24	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$77,310	$60,820 – $81,090	+19.3%
25	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,940	$46,900 – $77,150	+16.9%
26	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$48,870 – $114,890	+16.7%
27	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$79,420	$48,100 – $98,950	+16.3%
28	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,520	$36,050 – $55,400	+16.3%
29	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,830	$49,030 – $79,610	+16.3%
30	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,800	$65,910 – $91,950	+16.1%
31	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,400	$30,770 – $58,350	+16.0%
32	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,770	$52,240 – $77,660	+15.8%
33	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,320	$62,400 – $137,220	+15.6%
34	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,830	$67,350 – $170,630	+14.5%
35	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,690	$36,980 – $75,220	+14.3%
36	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,100	$43,680 – $87,530	+12.9%
37	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,620	$46,080 – $89,720	+12.6%
38	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$157,010	$102,010 – $177,180	+11.4%
39	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,500	$35,620 – $57,140	+10.6%
40	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,150	$47,170 – $86,610	+10.6%
41	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,720	$35,360 – $56,370	+10.6%
42	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,430	$41,500 – $56,770	+9.9%
43	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,670	$43,660 – $106,160	+9.8%
44	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,360	$37,600 – $53,680	+9.6%
45	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$41,820	$36,370 – $57,250	+9.6%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,770	$43,830 – $92,080	+9.1%
47	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,990	$54,340 – $93,330	+8.5%
48	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,480	$45,750 – $78,510	+8.1%
49	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,410	$38,370 – $61,640	+8.1%
50	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$116,010	$65,650 – $318,330	+8.1%

More for Mankato, MN

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Mankato, MN

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Mankato, MN to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Mankato, MN

More for Mankato, MN

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Mankato, MN

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state