Central Minnesota is a manufacturing stronghold, with several global manufacturing firms operating there.
The region is especially well known for its expertise in food processing, printing, furniture manufacturing, appliances, machinery and heavy equipment manufacturing.
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6/17/2024 3:40:08 PM
Luke Greiner
The number of job vacancies in the Health Care & Social Assistance industry reached a new peak in Central Minnesota in 2023, according to new data from the Job Vacancy Survey (JVS). Health Care employers in the region reported around 3,750 job openings in 2023, up nearly 325 vacancies from the previous peak in 2021, and up more than 30% from pre-pandemic levels. At that level, Health Care accounted for more than one in every four job openings in the region, which was also the highest rate recorded (see Figure 1).
For those 3,750 Health Care & Social Assistance job vacancies, nearly two-thirds (63%) required some level of postsecondary education, and nearly 80% required a certificate or license. The median hourly wage offer for all job vacancies in Health Care & Social Assistance, $21.82, was nearly $2.75 higher than the median hourly wage offer for the total of all job vacancies across all industries, at $19.13.
Of course, Health Care & Social Assistance accounts for a wide variety of occupational groups and specific occupations. The two occupational groups with the most demand in Health Care & Social Assistance include Healthcare Practitioners & Technical occupations, such as doctors and nurses, and Healthcare Support occupations, like Personal Care Aides and Nursing Assistants.
In 2023, Central Minnesota had over 3,050 job vacancies between these two occupational groups. Zooming in on these occupational groups, the specific occupations with the most job vacancies included Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Personal Care Aides (PCAs) and Nursing Assistants (NAs). Together these four occupations accounted for over 1,500 job vacancies.
These Occupations in Demand span a wide range of training and work requirements, and in most cases, offer rising wages and part-time hours to attract candidates. The jobs that typically require higher education also typically offer higher wages, including RNs at $34.93, Physicians at $55.92, Dietitians & Nutritionists at $40.75, Nurse Anesthetists at $38.58, and Physical Therapists at $31.17. In contrast, some of the Healthcare Support occupations had lower entry requirements but also lower wage offers, including PCAs at $15.85, NAs at $17.58, Home Health Aides at $16.96, and Psychiatric Aides at $16.57. Visit DEED's Job Vacancy Survey tool to learn more about health care demand in Central Minnesota.
| Table 1. Central Minnesota Healthcare Occupations with the Most Job Vacancies, 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation | Number of Job Vacancies | Share Part Time | Share Req. Postsecondary Education | Share Req. 1+ Years of Work Experience | Median Wage Offer |
| Total, All Occupations | 14,320 | 31% | 33% | 36% | $19.13 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | 1,967 | 33% | 86% | 40% | $28.25 |
| Healthcare Support | 1,097 | 57% | 45% | 16% | $17.11 |
| Registered Nurses | 515 | 43% | 97% | 28% | $34.93 |
| Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurses | 352 | 47% | 98% | 13% | $24.55 |
| Personal Care Aides | 334 | 56% | 5% | 1% | $15.85 |
| Nursing Assistants | 329 | 58% | 60% | 7% | $17.58 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | 217 | 35% | 96% | 32% | $21.08 |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 178 | 1% | 22% | 99% | $19.27 |
| Home Health Aides | 139 | 56% | 46% | 0% | $16.96 |
| Medical Assistants | 100 | 32% | 87% | 38% | $19.35 |
| Radiologic Technologists & Technicians | 78 | 17% | 92% | 9% | $24.33 |
| Paramedics | 62 | 26% | 96% | 3% | $23.18 |
| Physicians, All Other | 59 | 4% | 100% | 100% | $55.92 |
| Dietitians & Nutritionists | 33 | 66% | 100% | 50% | $40.75 |
| Psychiatric Aides | 32 | 50% | 0% | 0% | $16.57 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 32 | 45% | 97% | 72% | $38.58 |
| Physical Therapists | 31 | 56% | 100% | 20% | $31.17 |
| Source: DEED Job Vacancy Survey | |||||
To discover more about health care employment in Central Minnesota, contact Luke Greiner at luke.greiner@state.mn.us.
