Minnesota's Strong Job Prospects
Minnesota tied California in Gross Domestic Product growth for 3.5% in 2012 as the fifth fastest growing state economy. Nearby Iowa only saw 1.5% growth. Minnesota enjoys a diverse economy. It is one of the top iron ore exporters. It has a strong medical sector, partially fueled by private patients from Canada seeking care in the U.S. Minnesota is home to several universities and a large agricultural sector; the largest agricultural products are corn, soybeans, hogs and chickens. Minnesota's diverse economy means its unemployment rate is only 5.3%, several points below the national average. The state of Minnesota jobs is excellent, and growth is expected to continue for the next few years.
The top Minnesota jobs are in nursing, skilled labor, medicine and the services industry. The most state of MN job opportunities are in nursing, pharmacy, medical assisting, dental assisting, vocational nursing, and registered nursing. This is fueled by a population aging faster than average. Many of the best Minnesota current vacancies are in the skilled trades, also called blue collar jobs. Minnesota forecasts thousands of openings for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, pipefitters, truck drivers, welders, construction equipment operators and other positions. Minnesota is attractive to job seekers because of its high pay rates for these positions. Electricians, plumbers and pipe-fitters make average $30 an hour.