Today we released the report on Southwestern Minnesota’s online job market.

Southwestern Minnesota’s economy is dominated by production manufacturing–particularly in agricultural production–and healthcare.  About 25 percent of jobs in these industries were held by workers 55 and older in 2015.  Home to 7 percent of the state’s population, the Southwest is sparsely populated.  Mankato (pop. 41,040) is the largest city in the region, ranking as the 22nd largest in the state in 2014 (US Census Bureau Population Estimates).

The top five job titles advertised online in the Southwest since 2012 are 1. Registered Nurse, 2. Class A CDL Truck Driver, 3. Physical Therapist, 4. Owner Operator, and 5. Licensed Practical Nurse.  Of the 6 major regions, the Southwest had the second highest median advertised salary  in 2016 at $56,100/year.  No major local or regional job boards could be identified in our research, and overall job posting volume is low in the region, but proportionate to its population similar to the Southeast and Northeast. In contrast, the Northwest and Central regions have many more people competing for fewer jobs, and the Twin Cities Metro has fewer people per job opening.

Recruitment for truck drivers is booming in the Southwest, with 30 percent of jobs advertised in the first three quarters of 2016 being transportation and shipping positions–tripling in number since 2015. Healthcare practitioners are also in high demand, making up 12.5 percent of the total 51,464 jobs advertised in the region between January and the end of September this year. The number of job postings seeking sales, business development, and information technology professionals declined since 2015. In demand certifications include a commercial driver’s license, HAZMAT, nursing certifications, and CPR.

Download the full report here: rtt-2016-regional-labor-market-southwest