October is Manufacturing Month in Minnesota! You can find many Manufacturing Month resources, including information about career exploration and hiring events taking place throughout the month around the state at CareerForce.MN.gov/Manufacturing.

Northeast Minnesota's Manufacturing sector is changing. This has been the case for decades as local, regional and even global trends influence what gets built, where it gets built and by whom. In 2024 there were 9,231 Manufacturing jobs in the region, accounting for about 6.6% of total employment, the smallest such concentration of the six regions in the state.

Source: DEED QCEW

The region suffered declines in the Great Recession, but since 2014, Manufacturing's prospects in the region stabilized and have started to brighten in recent years. The industries that once were the dominant forces in the sector have taken on smaller roles – albeit still critical – as the production of different products has come to the fore.

In 2004, nearly a quarter of Manufacturing employment in the region was in the Paper Manufacturing industry. An additional 16% was in Wood Product Manufacturing and the third-largest subsector was Machinery Manufacturing with 9% of sector jobs. Since then, these three stalwarts have experienced different trajectories. Paper Manufacturing shrank by 1,060 jobs or about 40% through 2024. Wood Product Manufacturing saw even larger declines, falling a whopping 65% or 1,140 jobs over two decades. Machinery Manufacturing went the opposite direction, adding nearly 500 jobs (+48%). Even with robust growth in Machinery, these three industries that once provided half of all local Manufacturing jobs now represents under 40% (see Table 1).

At 16.8%, Paper Manufacturing is still the largest, highest-paying and most concentrated Manufacturing industry in the region. Only Mining is more concentrated relative to the rest of the state. However, right on Paper's heels and closing quickly is Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. With 1,470 jobs in 2024, it was the 2nd largest Manufacturing industry in the region and the 2nd fastest growing (+770 jobs, +107%) over the last two decades. The only Manufacturing industry that grew faster over this period was Beverage Manufacturing, which accounted for 38 jobs in 2004 and 360 in 2024. For this, we can thank the craft brewing boom.

Manufacturing jobs pay on average $16,000 more than the typical job in the region, a wage premium of over 27%. As mentioned, the sector leader in wages remains Paper Manufacturing, the only industry in six figures. Next-highest are Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing, and Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing. At the low end are Beverage Manufacturing, Apparel Manufacturing, and Printing and Related Product Manufacturing, each averaging under $42,000/year.

Since 2019, the average wage in the region grew 25%. Manufacturing wages grew at a slightly slower 21%, but with wide variation among sub-industries. Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (+70%), Miscellaneous Manufacturing (+45%), and Apparel Manufacturing (+43) grew the fastest.

Strangely, the share of workers in Manufacturing aged 44 or younger is basically the same as it was 20 years ago. Within the 45 years and older age groups is where the changes have occurred. The 55-64 and 65+ age groups now account for over 20% of all Manufacturing workers, where in 2004 they represented 12.5%. This trend occurred as the share of 45-54 year-old Manufacturing workers declined steadily since the peak of the Great Recession. Together this means that a larger share of the Manufacturing workforce is closer to retirement. But while the overall share of jobs held by workers under 25 shrank over two decades, it grew slightly within Manufacturing and the recent trends point toward a younger workforce moving forward.

By gender, Manufacturing is a majority-male sector. In 2024, men made up 79.6% of Manufacturing jobs in the region. Compared to two decades ago, the female share of workers is actually smaller, down to 21.4% from 23.5% in 2004. The male median wage in the sector was $33.65 in 2024, compared to $26.02 for women.

Products used throughout the state, nation and globe continue to get built in Northeast Minnesota. What gets built in Northeast Minnesota and who builds it may have changed over the last two decades, yet the important role of the sector within our regional economy as a driver of innovation and provider of solid, family-supporting jobs remains steadfast.

For more information about Manufacturing in Northeast Minnesota, contact Carson Gorecki at Carson.Gorecki@state.mn.us.