Janitorial Wages in Minnesota (2026)

Minnesota's commercial janitorial workforce earns a statewide mean and median hourly wage of $18.42 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011 — O*NET LocalWages MN), placing Minnesota as the highest-paying Great Lakes state in this batch and well above the national median of $17.27/hr. The statewide minimum wage rose to $11.41/hr on January 1, 2026 under Minn. Stat. §177.24 — a $6.01/hr spread below the state median — but Minneapolis and St. Paul local ordinances set floors of $16.37/hr that are far more relevant to the Twin Cities cleaning market. SEIU Local 26's 2024–2027 CBA sets full-time general cleaner rates at $21.25/hr for 2026 in large-building accounts.

Statewide Wage Overview (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011)

The statewide mean equals the median at $18.42/hr, driven largely by the Minneapolis–St. Paul MSA which represents approximately 65–70% of Minnesota's cleaning employment. Minnesota employs approximately 55,000–65,000 janitors statewide. The state's strong labor market traditions, combined with the Twin Cities' large corporate and healthcare employer base and SEIU Local 26's active organizing presence, produce a wage structure well above many comparable Midwest states.

Wage Percentile Distribution (BLS OEWS May 2024)

The 10th percentile at $14.37/hr exceeds the statewide minimum of $11.41/hr by a wide margin — confirming the state minimum is not a binding constraint outside the lowest-wage rural markets. The 25th percentile at $16.86/hr is close to the Minneapolis/St. Paul local floor of $16.37/hr, reflecting the broad effect of city ordinances on the Twin Cities labor market. The 75th-to-90th jump ($2.12/hr) is modest relative to union-dense coastal states, reflecting the moderate union premium in the Twin Cities versus the extraordinary premiums in NYC or San Francisco.

Submarket Variation: High and Low Metro Areas

Rochester MSA is the notable outlier — it tops the state at a median $20.72/hr (10th: $14.48, 25th: $16.93, 75th: $23.12, 90th: $27.93) despite being a mid-sized metro, driven entirely by the Mayo Clinic complex and its extraordinary healthcare campus cleaning contracts. Mayo Clinic's international patient base and premium facility standards create uniquely elevated wage demands for institutional cleaning. Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN-WI MSA follows at $18.91/hr median (25th: $17.45, 75th: $22.15, 90th: $24.10) — driven by SEIU Local 26 coverage and the large corporate real estate market. Sioux Falls SD-MN (Minnesota portion) shows the state's lowest metro median at $16.41/hr, and Fargo ND-MN ($17.43/hr) and Duluth MN-WI ($17.45/hr) trail the Twin Cities significantly.

State Minimum Wage 2026 and Scheduled Increases

• Statewide rate: $11.41/hr effective January 1, 2026 (Minn. Stat. §177.24; a 2.5% CPI increase from $11.13/hr in 2025 — NFIB Minnesota 2026). The 90-day training wage for employees under 20: $9.31/hr.
• Future increases: Minnesota's minimum wage adjusts annually for CPI, capped at 2.5% per year. No major step-change legislation is scheduled as of Q2 2026.
• Tipped employees: Minnesota does not allow a tip credit for most workers — all workers receive the full minimum wage. However, there is a special youth wage provision.
• Minneapolis large employer rate: $16.37/hr for large employers (101+ employees) effective January 1, 2026 (Minneapolis Minimum Wage). A small employer rate and a learning rate for new hires also apply at different thresholds.
• St. Paul tiered rates: $16.37/hr for macro and large businesses (101+) effective January 1, 2026; small businesses (6–100 employees): $16.37/hr from July 1, 2026; micro businesses (5 or fewer employees): $14.25/hr from July 1, 2026 (St. Paul minimum wage).

Workers' Compensation — Minnesota (Non-NCCI State)

Minnesota is not an NCCI member state — workers' compensation rates are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Commerce and Minnesota Labor and Industry, with rates filed by individual insurers subject to state approval. Note: In Minnesota, class code 9014 describes "Air Duct — Fabrication Including Installation" — NOT janitorial services. The appropriate Minnesota WC code for commercial janitorial contractors is a different code (consult the Minnesota Assigned Risk Plan or a licensed Minnesota WC broker). The estimated effective rate for commercial janitorial work in Minnesota runs approximately $1.20–$1.80/$100 payroll — among the lower rates nationally, consistent with Minnesota's overall WC cost index (historically ~$1.25/$100 overall per Rich States, Poor States data). Loaded labor cost at $18.42/hr base: add FICA/FUTA $1.47, WC ~$0.25–$0.35/hr, benefits, and overhead — total loaded approximately $28–$36/hr for non-union Twin Cities accounts. SEIU Local 26-covered accounts with the $21.25/hr 2026 rate plus benefits run $36–$46/hr total loaded.

Union Presence — SEIU Local 26

SEIU Local 26 is Minnesota's Property Services Union, representing more than 8,000 workers — janitors, security officers, airport workers, and window cleaners — in the Twin Cities metropolitan area (seven-county metro jurisdiction). The Commercial Janitor CBA 2024–2027 (effective March 16, 2024 through December 31, 2027 — SEIU Local 26 CBA page) establishes a four-tier wage structure:

The CBA explicitly requires that if a Minneapolis or St. Paul minimum wage ordinance applies, the employer must pay at least $0.50/hr above the applicable city minimum. Employer health and welfare contributions step up to approximately $678/$1,000+ per month per employee in 2026. Union density in downtown Minneapolis Class A office cleaning is estimated at 50–70%.

Local Minimum Wage Premiums

• Minneapolis (large employers 101+): $16.37/hr effective January 1, 2026 (CPI-indexed annually, capped at 2.5% — Minneapolis Minimum Wage)
• St. Paul (macro/large businesses 101+): $16.37/hr effective January 1, 2026; small businesses (6–100): $16.37/hr from July 1, 2026; micro (≤5): $14.25/hr from July 1, 2026 (St. Paul)
• Rest of Minnesota: $11.41/hr statewide — a $4.96/hr gap below the Twin Cities floors that makes rural and outstate Minnesota among the most cost-advantaged cleaning markets in the upper Midwest.

What Contractors Should Bid Against

Loaded labor range: Outstate Minnesota non-union accounts (Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud, Fargo-adjacent) price at $26–$32/hr total loaded. Minneapolis/St. Paul non-union accounts run $30–$38/hr. SEIU Local 26-covered Twin Cities Class A accounts at the $21.25/hr 2026 rate with benefits require budgeting $36–$46/hr total loaded. Rochester Mayo Clinic campus accounts may require $34–$45/hr given the extraordinary median wages driven by Mayo's labor market dominance.

Key bid pitfalls:

• Minneapolis vs. statewide floor gap: The $4.96/hr difference between Minneapolis ($16.37/hr) and the state minimum ($11.41/hr) is one of the largest city-state gaps in this batch. Applying the state minimum to a Minneapolis account is a serious compliance violation — ensure the correct local floor is used for every work location.
• Non-NCCI WC classification: Minnesota's WC class code 9014 covers Air Duct Fabrication, NOT janitorial work. Using the wrong class code can result in underreporting and significant premium audit adjustments. Consult a licensed Minnesota WC broker for the correct janitorial classification.
• Minnesota Paid Family Medical Leave (January 1, 2026): Minnesota's new Paid Family Medical Leave law takes effect January 1, 2026. SEIU Local 26 CBA eliminates the prior Disability Pay provision effective January 1, 2026 in light of the new law. All Minnesota employers must now fund PFML contributions — factor this into 2026 labor burden calculations.
• St. Paul tiered employee-count thresholds: St. Paul's ordinance uses employee headcount (≤5, 6–100, 101+) to determine the applicable floor. For a cleaning company growing rapidly, crossing a headcount threshold mid-contract triggers a mandatory wage increase on the ordinance's effective date.

Cross-References

• OSHA Janitorial Requirements — Minnesota (MNOSHA)
• Workers' Comp for Janitorial Contractors — Minnesota (non-NCCI; DLI rates)
• Janitorial Contractor Licensing — Minnesota

Primary Sources

• O*NET Local Wages — Minnesota, SOC 37-2011 (BLS OEWS May 2024)
• NFIB — Minnesota Minimum Wage $11.41/hr (Jan 2026)
• Minneapolis Minimum Wage ($16.37/hr for large employers, Jan 2026)
• St. Paul Minimum Wage ($16.37/hr for large businesses, Jan 2026)
• SEIU Local 26 — Commercial Janitor CBA 2024–2027 (wage tables)
• DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws

Authored by the Opora Editorial Team.