Industry Spotlight

October is Manufacturing Month

image of people working in manufacturing with words Manufacturing Month and CareerForce logo

The manufacturing industry is a critically important part of Minnesota’s diverse economy, contributing $58.7 billion to Minnesota’s economy in 2022 - and making a wide range of products to improve the lives of people around the world - from medical devices to food to recreational vehicles and everything in between. Manufacturing workers took home $24.9 billion in wages from Minnesota manufacturing jobs last year, making an average annual wage of $76,950, which is 10% higher than the state’s overall average private sector wage. There is a big demand for people to work in manufacturing positions in Minnesota, now and into the future - making it a strong career path choice. In fact, Minnesota is expected to see more than 75,000 job openings for manufacturing production positions alone through 2030. 

Featured Careers in Manufacturing

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

In Demand Careers

In 2022, the following 10 occupations were in top demand in Manufacturing in Minnesota. Select an occupation to learn more including watch a short video, get more information on wages, daily work activities, education requirements, find jobs, and more.

Trend Line Icon Industry Trends

  • In 2022, there were over 8,550 establishments providing 323,365 jobs in the Manufacturing industry, making it the second largest employing industry in the state. That accounted for about 11% of total employment in the state, or 1 in every 9 jobs.
  • With a payroll of nearly $25 billion dollars, average annual wages were just under $77,000 in 2022, 10% higher than across all industries in Minnesota.
  • The largest subsector was Food Manufacturing, with 47,300 jobs; followed by Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing with 44,800 jobs and Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing with 43,250 jobs.
  • Minnesota added more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs over the year from 2021 to 2022.
  • Manufacturing firms reported just under 19,000 job vacancies in 2022, as employers struggled to find workers to fill open jobs.
  • Minnesota is expected to see more than 75,000 job openings for manufacturing production positions alone through 2030. 

Manufacturing Training Programs

Tue
Tuesday,
3
Oct
2023

Commercial Driver's License Preparation

Explore transportation career. Learn the rules of driving a commercial vehicle and study to pass the CDL Class B test with passenger and school bus endorsements.
Oct 03, 2023 - Nov 12, 2023
Learn more
Mon
Monday,
16
Oct
2023

Medical Manufacturing Training

Designed for jobseekers, this program offers short-term training, with anticipated hiring at Medtronic. Benefits 4 weeks of free training with paid $250 stipend Average industry starting wage $19/hr Job coach and placement opportunities Support inc
Oct 16, 2023 - Nov 09, 2023
Learn more
Find a filterable list of all training programs

Select a Region

Select a Region to get Manufacturing News for a specific region of Minnesota.

Manufacturing News

Additional Resources

    Resources for people considering a career in manufacturing

    Resources for manufacturing employers

    Resources for community leaders and workforce development professionals

    Check out our other industries: All Industries, Business Services, Construction, Health Care, Information Technology, Natural Resources, Public Sector, Services Sector

    Learn more about Minnesota's Industries

    Check out our other industry pages to learn more about each industry.

    Business Services | Construction | Educational Services | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information Technology | Manufacturing | Natural Resources | Public Administration | Services Sector | All Industries