Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Cloud, MN

Each occupation's median wage in St. Cloud, 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 St. Cloud, MN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in St. Cloud, MN run 12.4% below the national average (2024), so a St. Cloud, MN salary is worth about 1.14× 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 St. Cloud, MN

OccupationMedian, St. Cloud, MN · vs. national

1Insulation Workers, Mechanical$100,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,870 – $107,260+72.3%
2Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$103,770
Bachelor's degree
$79,000 – $118,720+56.6%
3Anesthesiologists$591,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$209,090 – $591,740+51.2%
4Physicians, All Other$391,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,900 – $562,810+47.3%
5Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$59,980
Bachelor's degree
$37,550 – $71,810+43.9%
6Roofers$79,250
No formal educational credential
$46,130 – $91,620+42.9%
7Rehabilitation Counselors$66,680
Master's degree
$44,400 – $94,580+42.3%
8Pediatricians, General$298,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$174,270 – $484,420+42.3%
9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$90,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,770 – $116,850+41.4%
10Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$79,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,980 – $98,390+32.9%
11Health Education Specialists$83,200
Bachelor's degree
$44,140 – $97,300+29.9%
12Electricians$81,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,860 – $103,540+29.6%
13Dental Assistants$61,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,140 – $72,480+26.9%
14Highway Maintenance Workers$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $73,100+26.6%
15Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $60,320+25.5%
16Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$74,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,090 – $77,910+24.4%
17Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$48,110 – $91,190+24.1%
18Parts Salespersons$47,790
No formal educational credential
$30,870 – $64,330+23.7%
19Construction Laborers$57,820
No formal educational credential
$44,490 – $91,110+22.7%
20Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,310 – $62,670+22.7%
21Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$74,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,580 – $98,160+22.0%
22Driver/Sales Workers$47,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,810 – $66,300+21.8%
23Dentists, General$208,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$173,200 – $415,830+21.7%
24Surgeons, All Other$503,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$221,060 – $722,330+21.7%
25Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$77,590
Bachelor's degree
$44,130 – $103,700+21.6%
26Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$55,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,140 – $68,350+21.6%
27Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$64,360 – $95,640+21.2%
28Social Workers, All Other$87,170
Bachelor's degree
$67,410 – $110,430+21.2%
29Loan Officers$92,570
Bachelor's degree
$55,730 – $160,200+20.7%
30Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$59,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,630 – $65,590+20.6%
31First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$95,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,170 – $123,350+19.9%
32Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$78,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,920 – $94,690+19.6%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,980
No formal educational credential
$47,260 – $63,420+18.7%
34First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$58,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $78,350+18.6%
35Tire Repairers and Changers$44,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $60,160+18.3%
36Medical Records Specialists$60,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,450 – $98,240+18.3%
37Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$60,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,670 – $73,250+17.8%
38Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$52,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,950 – $61,550+17.2%
39Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$122,700
Bachelor's degree
$50,230 – $178,600+16.9%
40Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,510 – $80,540+16.9%
41Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,000 – $67,820+16.8%
42Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,670 – $61,190+16.5%
43Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,340 – $77,750+15.8%
44Data Entry Keyers$47,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,340 – $64,340+15.5%
45Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,050 – $62,940+15.1%
46Interpreters and Translators$69,190
Bachelor's degree
$61,230 – $106,450+15.0%
47Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$49,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,400 – $59,870+14.8%
48Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$73,750
Bachelor's degree
$46,790 – $81,840+14.6%
49Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$73,160
Bachelor's degree
$49,360 – $88,270+14.4%
50Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,990 – $73,420+14.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSt. Cloud, MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,520	$61,870 – $107,260	+72.3%
2	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,770	$79,000 – $118,720	+56.6%
3	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$591,740	$209,090 – $591,740	+51.2%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$391,660	$107,900 – $562,810	+47.3%
5	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$59,980	$37,550 – $71,810	+43.9%
6	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$79,250	$46,130 – $91,620	+42.9%
7	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$66,680	$44,400 – $94,580	+42.3%
8	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$298,830	$174,270 – $484,420	+42.3%
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,230	$50,770 – $116,850	+41.4%
10	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,530	$58,980 – $98,390	+32.9%
11	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,200	$44,140 – $97,300	+29.9%
12	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,890	$47,860 – $103,540	+29.6%
13	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,000	$49,140 – $72,480	+26.9%
14	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$47,600 – $73,100	+26.6%
15	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,450	$46,800 – $60,320	+25.5%
16	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,670	$60,090 – $77,910	+24.4%
17	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$48,110 – $91,190	+24.1%
18	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,790	$30,870 – $64,330	+23.7%
19	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$57,820	$44,490 – $91,110	+22.7%
20	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,110	$43,310 – $62,670	+22.7%
21	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,420	$46,580 – $98,160	+22.0%
22	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,210	$23,810 – $66,300	+21.8%
23	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$208,000	$173,200 – $415,830	+21.7%
24	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$503,740	$221,060 – $722,330	+21.7%
25	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$77,590	$44,130 – $103,700	+21.6%
26	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,540	$30,140 – $68,350	+21.6%
27	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$64,360 – $95,640	+21.2%
28	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$87,170	$67,410 – $110,430	+21.2%
29	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$92,570	$55,730 – $160,200	+20.7%
30	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,390	$42,630 – $65,590	+20.6%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,860	$58,170 – $123,350	+19.9%
32	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,360	$55,920 – $94,690	+19.6%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,980	$47,260 – $63,420	+18.7%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,210	$36,960 – $78,350	+18.6%
35	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,610	$36,860 – $60,160	+18.3%
36	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,490	$46,450 – $98,240	+18.3%
37	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,460	$45,670 – $73,250	+17.8%
38	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,330	$37,950 – $61,550	+17.2%
39	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$122,700	$50,230 – $178,600	+16.9%
40	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,820	$48,510 – $80,540	+16.9%
41	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,380	$44,000 – $67,820	+16.8%
42	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,090	$40,670 – $61,190	+16.5%
43	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,410	$46,340 – $77,750	+15.8%
44	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,730	$35,340 – $64,340	+15.5%
45	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,060	$40,050 – $62,940	+15.1%
46	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$69,190	$61,230 – $106,450	+15.0%
47	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,790	$38,400 – $59,870	+14.8%
48	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$73,750	$46,790 – $81,840	+14.6%
49	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$73,160	$49,360 – $88,270	+14.4%
50	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,980	$42,990 – $73,420	+14.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Cloud, MN

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