Central Minnesota Hot Jobs and Careers: Sorted by Median Annual Wages

Career exploration is all about gathering information. What are you interested in doing? Are any of those jobs available? How much do those jobs pay? Do you have the education or training needed for those jobs? This website was designed to help you answer these career exploration questions. But there is another important piece of information to consider: Where do you want to live? Job availability depends on where you live.

Many people are unsure of what they want to do for a job, but almost everyone knows that they want and need to earn money. Interestingly, those two key aspects of life are directly linked - the job you choose will determine the amount of money you are able to make in your lifetime! If you are interested in living and working in Central Minnesota, this website is designed to inform you about job availability and wages in this region of the state. The 125 Hot Jobs on this list have been selected because they are currently in high demand in Central Minnesota and are projected to stay that way into the future.

If you know the wage level that you want to reach in order to enjoy the lifestyle you want to live, you can explore the careers that meet those needs. You might also want to look at the many growing industries in Central Minnesota that offer good long-term career prospects, including health care, manufacturing, educational services, and professional and technical services, as they will also provide great opportunities for economic security.

While the 125 occupations featured below are great choices because of their current and future demand in the region, should you limit your occupational choices to this list? No! Choosing a career is a very personal decision and you should still take into consideration all aspects of a career when you’re making a choice, such as educational requirements, annual wages, and your personality style and work values. In fact, the state of Minnesota tracks more than 770 different occupations, many of which are available in Central Minnesota even though they did not make this list of hot jobs. For additional information on how to plan your career and conduct an effective job search, please contact your local Minnesota WorkForce Center.

(Occupational titles and wages are links to ISEEK and DEED career information pages that will open in a new window,
where you can study the career description, wages, work activities, and plan your education)


*Occupations Earning $50,000 or More Per Year (Median Annual Wage)*
Family & General Practitioners	$166,000	310	Medium	55.7%	158	First professional degree
Physicians & Surgeons	$166,000	410	Small	48.4%	230	First professional degree
Dentists	$166,000	260	Small	15.8%	95	First professional degree
Pharmacists	$110,790	410	Medium	32.5%	217	First professional degree
Sales Managers	$89,793	420	Small	23.3%	164	Bachelor's degree & work exp.
Financial Managers	$88,779	690	Medium	26.8%	220	Bachelor's or higher degree
Medical & Health Services Managers	$80,424	410	Medium	30.0%	204	Bachelor's or higher degree
Lawyers	$75,710	660	Small	17.0%	372	First professional degree
General & Operations Managers	$68,885	3,020	Medium	24.2%	1,354	Bachelor's or higher degree
Electrical Powerline Installers & Repairers	$67,072	220	Small	16.3%	119	Long-term on-the-job training
Computer Software Engineers	$64,551	640	Small	43.2%	217	Bachelor's degree
Registered Nurses	$64,542	4,490	Large	32.8%	2,259	Assoc./Bachelor's degree
Mechanical Engineers	$63,544	470	Small	22.1%	217	Bachelor's degree
Network Systems & Data Analysts	$63,076	210	Medium	54.1%	148	Bachelor's degree
Physical Therapists	$62,812	250	Medium	30.2%	154	Master's degree
First-line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales & Customer Service Workers	$62,060	550	Small	8.6%	175	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Industrial Engineers	$60,853	380	Medium	31.2%	139	Bachelor's degree
First-line Supervisors of Construction Trades Workers	$58,019	1,220	Medium	16.4%	610	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Occupational Therapists	$57,375	180	Small	31.1%	96	Bachelor's degree
First-line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installation, & Repair Workers	$55,403	830	Small	19.3%	392	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Loan Officers	$55,275	690	Small	27.2%	329	Bachelor's degree
Radiologic Technologists & Technicians	$53,977	320	Medium	45.1%	207	Associate degree
Cost Estimators	$53,388	510	Small	24.4%	225	Related work experience
Network & Computer Systems Admins.	$52,580	520	Small	42.8%	146	Bachelor's degree
Accountants & Auditors	$52,534	1,570	Small	30.7%	821	Bachelor's degree
Securities & Financial Services Sales	$52,194	290	Large	18.7%	78	Bachelor's degree

*Occupations Earning Between $35,000 and $50,000 Per Year (Median Annual Wage)*
Sales Representatives (Wholesale & Mfg)	$49,123	2,420	Medium	19.2%	966	Moderate on-the-job training
Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers	$48,738	450	Large	24.5%	360	Moderate on-the-job training
Heating, Air Cond., & Refrig. Mechanics	$47,880	240	Large	26.4%	113	Long-term on-the-job training
Elementary & High School Teachers	$47,470	7,240	Large	18.0%	3,561	Bachelor's degree
Child, Family, & School Social Workers	$47,002	760	Small	39.1%	550	Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers	$46,818	1,220	Small	39.0%	552	Bachelor's degree
First-line Supervisors of Production & Operating Workers	$46,739	1,860	Small	12.0%	646	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Tool & Die Makers	$46,460	430	Small	0.0%	150	Long-term on-the-job training
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$46,376	920	Small	23.3%	473	Long-term on-the-job training
Purchasing Agents & Buyers (incl. Farm Products & Wholesale Trade)	$45,940	450	Small	12.7%	152	Related work experience
Substance Abuse & Behavior Counselors	$44,885	430	Small	36.9%	257	Master's degree
Electricians	$44,650	640	Small	20.3%	426	Long-term on-the-job training
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$44,372	990	Medium	11.1%	296	Long-term on-the-job training
HR, Training & Labor Relation Specialists	$44,023	420	Small	27.4%	203	Bachelor's degree
Construction Equipment Operators	$43,765	1,690	Small	15.3%	593	Moderate on-the-job training
First-line Supervisors of Transportation & Material Moving Workers	$42,616	560	Small	20.1%	276	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters	$42,274	590	Small	25.1%	832	Long-term on-the-job training
Sales Representatives (Services)	$41,972	800	Large	20.9%	274	Moderate on-the-job training
Computer Support Specialists	$41,926	660	Small	26.5%	211	Associate degree
Business Operations Specialists	$41,803	3,290	Small	35.9%	1,873	Bachelor's degree
Highway Maintenance Workers	$41,756	720	Small	29.9%	438	Moderate on-the-job training
Printing Machine Operators	$41,358	470	Small	7.8%	227	Moderate on-the-job training
Industrial Engineering Technicians	$40,672	310	Small	40.0%	206	Associate degree
Machinists	$40,357	920	Large	11.8%	439	Long-term on-the-job training
Production, Planning & Expediting Clerks	$40,109	360	Small	12.0%	118	Short-term on-the-job training
First-line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers	$39,482	2,240	Medium	16.0%	782	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Correctional Officers & Jailers	$38,918	1,140	Small	9.9%	352	Moderate on-the-job training
Bus & Truck Mechanics & Diesel Engine Specialists	$38,861	590	Small	26.8%	388	Postsecondary voc. award
Laboratory Technicians (Medical/Clinical)	$38,537	290	Medium	44.9%	234	Associate degree
Exec. Secretaries & Admin. Assistants	$36,405	1,830	Medium	17.9%	602	Moderate on-the-job training
Licensed Practical Nurses	$36,147	2,530	Large	22.1%	990	Postsecondary voc. award
Carpenters	$35,764	3,000	Large	15.4%	1,279	Long-term on-the-job training
Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer	$35,654	4,520	Large	18.9%	1,744	Moderate on-the-job training
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal & Plastic	$35,021	600	Medium	15.9%	153	Moderate on-the-job training

*Occupations Earning Between $25,000 and $35,000 Per Year (Median Annual Wage)*
General Maintenance & Repair Workers	$34,819	1,350	Small	20.6%	536	Moderate on-the-job training
Medical Recs. & Health Info. Technicians	$34,640	370	Small	54.5%	270	Associate degree
Construction Laborers	$34,305	1,830	Large	8.9%	452	Moderate on-the-job training
Cabinetmakers & Bench Carpenters	$33,644	1,100	Large	37.6%	502	Long-term on-the-job training
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers	$33,627	1,520	Large	8.3%	607	Long-term on-the-job training
Cutting & Slicing Machine Setters	$32,948	460	Small	2.3%	122	Moderate on-the-job training
First-line Supervisors of Retail Workers	$32,355	2,450	Medium	14.8%	986	Long-term on-the-job training or related work experience
Medical Transcriptionists	$32,173	350	Medium	53.0%	344	Postsecondary voc. award
Secretaries	$32,125	1,010	Medium	4.7%	236	Moderate on-the-job training
Automotive Service Techs & Mechanics	$32,050	1,210	Medium	19.2%	719	Postsecondary voc. award
Parts Salespersons	$31,849	670	Small	3.4%	213	Moderate on-the-job training
Inspectors & Testers (Quality Control)	$31,371	900	Medium	2.7%	235	Moderate on-the-job training
Bus Drivers, School & Transit	$31,368	1,770	Large	15.1%	637	Short-term on-the-job training
Security Guards	$30,861	670	Medium	8.8%	268	Short-term on-the-job training
Medical Secretaries	$30,825	840	Small	28.8%	405	Postsecondary voc. award
Industrial Truck & Tractor Operators	$30,644	1,000	Large	12.0%	343	Short-term on-the-job training
Medical Assistants	$30,314	520	Medium	52.1%	463	Moderate on-the-job training
Customer Service Representatives	$29,589	2,410	Large	30.1%	1,079	Moderate on-the-job training
Bookkeeping, Acctg., & Auditing Clerks	$29,320	3,290	Medium	10.6%	1,037	Moderate on-the-job training
Social & Human Service Assistants	$29,255	1,980	Medium	33.2%	1,480	Moderate on-the-job training
Dental Assistants	$29,163	630	Small	54.5%	565	Moderate on-the-job training
Cutting, Punch, & Press Machine Setters	$28,564	570	Large	-2.5%	100	Moderate on-the-job training
Precision Assemblers & Fabricators (incl. Electrical & Electronic Equip.)	$28,066	1,310	Large	20.6%	286	Moderate on-the-job training
Pharmacy Technicians	$28,010	490	Small	40.8%	250	Moderate on-the-job training
Shipping, Receiving, & Traffic Clerks	$27,778	1,250	Small	10.8%	364	Short-term on-the-job training
First-line Supervisors of Personal Care & Service Workers	$27,583	370	Small	27.5%	335