Southeast Minnesota is a health care and agricultural powerhouse. The region is home to the renowned Mayo Clinic and some of the world's most recognized food companies and brands.
Advanced manufacturing is especially strong here, with machinery, chemicals, and electronics among the top products.
Want the freshest data delivered by email? Subscribe to our regional newsletters.
1/11/2023 9:00:00 AM
Amanda O'Connell
Teachers play an essential role in society. Not only do they impact children individually, but they also impact the future workforce. In Southeast Minnesota, about 14,120 people are employed in Educational Instruction & Library occupations. Of these occupations, 5.6% are Preschool Teachers, 16.8% are Elementary School Teachers, 5.5% are Middle School Teachers, 13.5% are Secondary School Teachers, and 9.1% are Special Education Teachers (Table 1).
| Table 1. Employment and Wages for Educational Instruction & Library Occupations in Southeast MN, 2022 Q1 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation Title | Median Annual Wage | Estimated Employment | ||||
| Southeast | Minnesota | United States | Southeast | Minnesota | United States | |
| Educational Instruction & Library Occupations, All | $50,024 | $50,918 | $59,280 | 14,120 | 149,990 | 8,191,930 |
| Preschool Teachers, exc. Special Educ. | $35,526 | $37,939 | $31,283 | 790 | 9,520 | 391,670 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, exc. Special Educ. | $63,084 | $63,568 | $63,092 | 320 | 2,980 | 120,730 |
| Elementary School Teachers, exc. Special Educ. | $63,084 | $64,377 | $63,610 | 2,050 | 22,680 | 1,329,280 |
| Middle School Teachers, exc. Special Ed. & CTE | $63,084 | $63,859 | $63,527 | 760 | 8,410 | 592,000 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | $73,136 | $81,139 | $64,045 | 20 | N/A | 11,840 |
| Secondary School Teachers, exc. Special Ed. & CTE | $63,084 | $63,423 | $64,045 | 1,800 | 17,380 | 1,020,240 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | $62,984 | $64,242 | $64,045 | 100 | 760 | 84,360 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | $63,084 | $64,273 | $64,667 | 150 | 1,890 | 21,130 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten & Elem. School | $62,779 | $62,833 | $63,859 | 460 | 3,150 | 187,070 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $63,084 | $63,092 | $64,045 | 150 | 1,460 | 79,070 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $63,084 | $63,672 | $64,356 | 480 | 4,450 | 145,690 |
| Special Education Teachers, All Other | $65,494 | $64,273 | $63,941 | 40 | 360 | 38,000 |
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | $38,646 | $39,478 | $45,136 | 210 | 4,650 | 216,910 |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | $37,440 | $37,876 | $31,179 | 390 | 4,060 | 374,620 |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $52,231 | $53,778 | $52,359 | 40 | 1,310 | 164,650 |
| Source: DEED Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics | ||||||
In Southeast Minnesota, median annual wages are relatively high for Educational Instruction & Library occupations at $50,024 annually. However, those wages are a bit lower than the median yearly wages for Minnesota and the United States across all occupations. Career & Technical Education, and Special Education Teachers have the highest median annual salaries in Southeast Minnesota. In contrast, Preschool Teachers have the lowest yearly wages in Southeast Minnesota, followed by Short-term Substitute Teachers.
Educational Instruction & Library job vacancies have been steadily increasing in the region since 2011 (Figure 1). The highest number of job vacancies was recorded in 2nd Quarter 2016, with 861 job vacancies, followed by the 4th Quarter of 2018, with 778 job vacancies. The most recent data from 2021 shows 760 job vacancies in the 2nd quarter and 631 job vacancies in the 4th quarter.
Research published in June 2022 by the Minnesota Survey of Preparation, Insight, and Retention (MNSPIRE)1 can give insight into the increased number of job vacancies. A question on the survey included, "What challenges do you have that could lead you to leave the teaching profession?" The top three reasons include disengaged students, negative interactions with parents, and unsupportive administration. Furthermore, of the 10,479 respondents, 9% (976) of teachers reported that their immediate professional plans included continuing to work in education but leaving teaching, and 10% (1,050) of respondents indicated that they would leave education entirely.
Regional projections estimate that Educational Instruction & Library occupations will have thousands of openings within the next decade in Southeast Minnesota. Of the total openings, about 5,800 will be due to labor market exits, typically due to workers retiring. Of the Educational Instruction & Library occupations, Elementary School Teachers are projected to have the most openings within the next decade. This is followed by Secondary School Teachers and Preschool Teachers (Table 2.)
| Table 2. 2020-2030 Employment Projections – Educational Instruction & Library Occupations, Southeast Minnesota | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation | Estimated Employment 2020 | Projected Employment 2030 | Percent Change 2020 - 2030 | Numeric Change 2020 - 2030 | 2020 - 2030 Labor Market Exit Openings* |
| Total, All Occupation | 261,589 | 274,824 | +5.1% | +13,235 | +116,573 |
| Educational Instruction & Library Occupations | 13,843 | 14,942 | +7.9% | +1,099 | +5,797 |
| Preschool Teachers, exc. Special Education | 692 | 835 | +20.7% | +143 | +313 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, exc. Special Education | 289 | 306 | +5.9% | +17 | +122 |
| Elementary School Teachers, exc. Special Education | 2,111 | 2,245 | +6.3% | +134 | +668 |
| Middle School Teachers, exc. Special & CTE | 762 | 810 | +6.3% | +48 | +241 |
| Secondary School Teachers, exc. Special Education | 1,699 | 1,806 | +6.3% | +107 | +465 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary | 114 | 121 | +6.1% | +7 | +31 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 65 | 69 | +6.2% | +4 | +22 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten & Elem. | 348 | 370 | +6.3% | +22 | +117 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | 141 | 150 | +6.4% | +9 | +47 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 484 | 515 | +6.4% | +31 | +163 |
| Self-Enrichment Education Teachers | 559 | 651 | +16.5% | +92 | +361 |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 349 | 387 | +10.9% | +38 | +220 |
| Tutors and Teachers and Instructors, All Other | 287 | 319 | +11.1% | +32 | +181 |
| Source: DEED Employment Outlook | |||||
Overall, Educational Instruction & Library occupations will continue to be needed and essential in Southeast Minnesota within the next decade. Teachers contribute to the success of the lives of children and society as a whole. As education leader and author David Haselkorn states: "Teaching is the essential profession, the one that makes all other professions possible."
Contact Amanda O'Connell, Labor Market Analyst, at amanda.oconnell@state.mn.us
