The presence of such industry powerhouses as Polaris, Arctic Cat and New Flyer make Northwest Minnesota a hub of transportation equipment manufacturing.
From wheat and potatoes to soybeans and sugar beets, the region is a major producer and processor of food staples and specialty agricultural products.
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1/7/2021 9:00:00 AM
Erik White
Health Care and Social Assistance has become even more important to Northwest Minnesota’s economy during the coronavirus pandemic, providing critical services to the region’s population. As seen on the infographic, with an annual average of more than 39,000 jobs in 2019, Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest employing industry in Northwest Minnesota, accounting for 17.6% of total jobs. The Health Care industry added more than 10,000 jobs over the past 20 years, accounting for almost half of the region’s job growth since 2000. The number of health care jobs in the region is projected to grow 10.8% or 4,115 jobs between 2018 and 2028.
According to DEED’s newly released 2018-2028 Employment Outlook, Health Care and Social Assistance is again projected to provide nearly half of the region’s job growth. This includes rapid growth at Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories, Outpatient Care Centers, Home Health Care Services, Community Care Facilities for the Elderly, and Offices of Other Health Practitioners; as well as large numbers of new jobs at Hospitals, Individual and Family Services, and Offices of Physicians. Only two subsectors are expected to see job declines: Nursing Care Facilities and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (see Table 1).
NAICS Code |
Industry |
Estimated Employment 2018 |
Projected Employment 2028 |
Percent Change 2018 - 2028 |
Numeric Change
|
0 |
Total, All Industries |
263,134 |
271,445 |
+3.2% |
+8,311 |
62 |
Health Care & Social Assistance |
38,050 |
42,165 |
+10.8% |
+4,115 |
621 |
Ambulatory Health Care Services |
7,951 |
9,695 |
+21.9% |
+1,744 |
6211 |
Offices of Physicians |
2,732 |
3,169 |
+16.0% |
+437 |
6212 |
Offices of Dentists |
1,368 |
1,477 |
+8.0% |
+109 |
6213 |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners |
1,603 |
2,001 |
+24.8% |
+398 |
6214 |
Outpatient Care Centers |
575 |
855 |
+48.7% |
+280 |
6215 |
Medical & Diagnostic Laboratories |
51 |
76 |
+49.0% |
+25 |
6216 |
Home Health Care Services |
1,063 |
1,480 |
+39.2% |
+417 |
6219 |
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services |
559 |
637 |
+14.0% |
+78 |
622 |
Hospitals |
12,199 |
13,186 |
+8.1% |
+987 |
622 |
State Hospital Employment |
476 |
484 |
+1.7% |
+8 |
622 |
Local Hospital Employment |
1,895 |
1,950 |
+2.9% |
+55 |
622 |
Private Hospital Employment |
9,828 |
10,752 |
+9.4% |
+924 |
623 |
Nursing & Residential Care Facilities |
11,622 |
12,326 |
+6.1% |
+704 |
6231 |
Nursing Care Facilities |
6,084 |
5,880 |
-3.4% |
-204 |
6232 |
Residential Mental Health Facilities |
2,694 |
2,975 |
+10.4% |
+281 |
6233 |
Community Care Facility for the Elderly |
2,167 |
2,747 |
+26.8% |
+580 |
6239 |
Other Residential Care Facilities |
677 |
724 |
+6.9% |
+47 |
624 |
Social Assistance |
6,278 |
6,958 |
+10.8% |
+680 |
6241 |
Individual & Family Services |
4,590 |
5,395 |
+17.5% |
+805 |
6242 |
Emergency & Other Relief Services |
216 |
261 |
+20.8% |
+45 |
6243 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
858 |
638 |
-25.6% |
-220 |
6244 |
Child Day Care Services |
614 |
664 |
+8.1% |
+50 |
Source: DEED Employment Outlook |
This means that many health care-related occupations are both in demand now, and should remain that way into the future. DEED’s newly released Occupations in Demand tool shows that there are 25 health care-related occupations near the top of the list in Northwest Minnesota. Jobseekers looking to get into the health care field will find a wide variety of opportunities with a range of typical educational requirements. Several of the jobs hiring now can be started with a high school diploma and some on the-job training, while others require vocational training, associate’s degree, or a graduate or professional degree (see Table 2).
SOC Code | Job Title | Current Demand Rank | Median Annual Wage | Projected Growth Rate, 2018-2028 | Projected Openings, 2018-2028 | Typical Education Requirements |
291141 | Registered Nurses | 1 | $70,869 | +10.0% | +3,199 | Associate's degree |
311120 | Home Health & Personal Care Aides | 3 | $27,537 | +18.6% | +10,058 | High school diploma or equiv. |
311131 | Nursing Assistants | 4 | $33,192 | +2.7% | +4,690 | Vocational training |
292052 | Pharmacy Technicians | 8 | $35,018 | +7.8% | +634 | High school diploma or equiv. |
292061 | Licensed Practical & Voc. Nurses | 9 | $44,853 | +7.6% | +2,030 | Vocational training |
292056 | Veterinary Technologists & Techs. | 19 | $35,815 | NA | Associate's degree | |
291216 | Internal Medicine Physicians | 28 | NA | NA | Graduate/professional degree | |
319097 | Phlebotomists | 30 | $30,046 | +13.1% | +183 | High school diploma or equiv. |
291171 | Nurse Practitioners | 36 | $117,222 | +18.6% | +136 | Graduate/professional degree |
211015 | Rehabilitation Counselors | 39 | $34,434 | -6.7% | +318 | Bachelor's degree |
292055 | Surgical Technologists | 40 | $50,177 | +14.2% | +170 | Associate's degree |
319091 | Dental Assistants | 42 | $44,363 | +7.1% | +678 | Vocational training |
291248 | Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists | 46 | NA | NA | Graduate/professional degree | |
291221 | Pediatricians, General | 47 | $208,174 | NA | Graduate/professional degree | |
292053 | Psychiatric Technicians | 57 | $29,437 | NA | High school diploma or equiv. | |
193031 | Clinical, Counseling, & School Psychologists | 58 | $76,589 | +4.5% | +169 | Graduate/professional degree |
211094 | Community Health Workers | 65 | $31,968 | +13.4% | +199 | High school diploma or equiv. |
195011 | Occupational Health & Safety Specialists | 67 | $71,462 | +5.3% | +72 | Bachelor's degree |
291151 | Nurse Anesthetists | 73 | $207,628 | +8.4% | +50 | Graduate/professional degree |
291223 | Psychiatrists | 76 | NA | NA | Graduate/professional degree | |
291215 | Family Medicine Physicians | 78 | NA | +9.9% | +29 | Graduate/professional degree |
292040 | Emergency Medical Technicians & Paramedics | 79 | $35,744 | +5.9% | +555 | Vocational training |
291127 | Speech-Language Pathologists | 82 | $65,757 | +23.2% | +222 | Graduate/professional degree |
291051 | Pharmacists | 88 | $132,585 | +1.1% | +250 | Graduate/professional degree |
399011 | Childcare Workers | 90 | $24,209 | +1.4% | +3,917 | High school diploma or equiv. |
Source: DEED Occupations in Demand |
DEED and its partners in CareerForce are mobilizing resources to help laid off workers move into these high-demand health care occupations, all of which are also projected to have future demand as well. For more information, reach out to your local CareerForce location!
Contact Erik White.