2025 Manufacturing Month blog posts
Additional blog posts will be added regularly
Manufacturing is a powerhouse in Central Minnesota's economy, accounting for more than one in every seven jobs in the region. In 2024, Central Minnesota was home to nearly 1,200 manufacturing establishments employing around 41,000 people. That's significantly above the statewide concentration and reflects the vital role manufacturing plays in the regional economy.
Manufacturing is vital to the Seven-County Twin Cities Metro Area's labor market and economy. With nearly 173,000 jobs at about 4,000 establishments, it is the second largest-employing industry sector in the region. In fact, one in ten Metro Area jobs are in Manufacturing. With a total payroll of $16.2 billion in 2024, it was the second highest of all industries.
Northeast Minnesota's Manufacturing sector is changing. This has been the case for decades as local, regional and even global trends influence what gets built, where it gets built and by whom. In 2024 there were 9,231 Manufacturing jobs in the region, accounting for about 6.6% of total employment, the smallest such concentration of the six regions in the state.
Northwest's Manufacturing industry continues to hold strong. The industry accounts for 13% of total jobs and 16% of total wages. The much higher-than-average wages reflect the high value added by this industry. In the Northwest region, manufacturing workers earn an average annual wage of $66,092, which is 24% higher than the $53,404 average across all industries combined.
Manufacturing remains Southeast Minnesota's second largest industry, with 35,968 jobs across 659 firms, representing 14.6% of total jobs in the region. While the sector experienced a decline of 2,766 jobs from 2019 to 2024, representing a 7.1% decrease, wages have continued to rise, averaging $77,480, which is well above the regional average of $66,560. With many job vacancies available throughout the region, Manufacturing continues to offer promising career paths for job seekers.
The Manufacturing sector currently employs 29,843 jobs across 610 firms in Southwest Minnesota, generating nearly $2 billion in total payroll, with an average annual wage of $66,664, significantly higher than the regional average of $54,132. While the industry has faced headwinds in recent years, new employment projections through 2032 signal a turnaround ahead for the region's second-largest industry.
2024 Manufacturing Month blog posts
- Operation Exploration: Fostering Interest in Manufacturing Careers
- 2024 Tour of Manufacturing in Northeast Minnesota: A Truly Regional Event
- Manufacturing employment throughout Minnesota
- Consider a career in manufacturing!
- Building Futures: Exploring Manufacturing Careers in Central Minnesota
- Manufacturing Employment Resurgence in Northeast Minnesota
- Manufacturing Employment is Pulling Ahead in Northwest Minnesota
- Made in Southeast Minnesota
- Manufacturing a Future in Southwest Minnesota
- Manufacturing Demand in the Twin Cities Metro
Past years' Manufacturing Month blogs
- Celebrating Minnesota as an automation in manufacturing hub
- Reverse Engineering Challenge Part of Manufacturing Month activities
- Leading CareerForce Partner leverages DEED grant to upskill local manufacturing workers
- Andy Wells: "My greatest reward is the good we can do for other people"
- Central Minnesota: Manufacturing Powerhouse
- Education and Training for a Manufacturing Career
- Irondale High School Students and Staff Share Information about Successful Manufacturing and Trades Preparation
- Minnesota Manufacturer Utilizes Workforce Wednesday Resources to Connect With Latinx Community
- Uniquely Abled Academy meets needs of students and employers
2023 Regional Manufacturing Labor Market Information blog posts:
- Central Minnesota: Manufacturing Labor Market Information
- Northeast Minnesota: How the Manufacturing Workforce Has (and Has Not) Changed
- Northwest Minnesota: Manufacturing Provides High-Pay, High-Demand Careers
- Southeast Minnesota: Manufacturing Labor Market Information
- Southwest Minnesota: Manufacturing is Large and In Charge
- Twin Cities Metro: Manufacturing Employment Expands Beyond Pre-Pandemic Levels
Manufacturing Month videos:
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