Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
9 metro areas in Minnesota publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 39,500 jobs. The three largest employers of miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators are Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington (29,570 jobs), Fargo (2,350 jobs), St. Cloud (1,620 jobs), which hold 84.9% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $44,190 to $52,330 a year, against $46,920 for the whole state and $44,650 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $44,650 a year for miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $33,280 and the highest-paid tenth over $64,880). Employment is projected to change by +1.1% between 2025 and 2035, with about 138,700 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: High school diploma or equivalent; on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators in Minnesota: the highest median pay is in the St. Cloud, MN area ($52,330 a year); the most jobs are in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area (29,570). Statewide the median is $46,920 with 44,810 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | 1,620 | $52,330 | $37,950 | $61,550 | 1.72 | 24% | 87.6 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 710 | $51,850 | $34,970 | $58,240 | 1.50 | 22% | 86.7 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 29,570 | $47,200 | $37,850 | $60,650 | 1.68 | 37% | 104.8 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 2,350 | $46,660 | $39,650 | $59,840 | 1.75 | 25% | 90.9 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 1,380 | $46,510 | $38,690 | $60,260 | 1.23 | 26% | 88.8 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 810 | $46,130 | $37,280 | $59,340 | 1.06 | 27% | 91.8 |
| Rochester, MN | 930 | $45,740 | $37,920 | $57,270 | 0.83 | 33% | 90.8 |
| Mankato, MN | 770 | $45,650 | $36,610 | $60,620 | 1.52 | 28% | 91.0 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 1,360 | $44,190 | $36,980 | $58,130 | 0.84 | 28% | 90.6 |
National page: Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators →Cities of Minnesota
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the St. Cloud, MN area, with a median of $52,330 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area, with 29,570 jobs.