# Minnesota Job Market: Industries & Salaries (2026) | Jobs Near Me

> Explore the Minnesota job market. Healthcare, retail, finance, and manufacturing across Minneapolis-St. Paul with salary data.

Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the best states for quality of life, education, and economic opportunity. The Twin Cities punch well above their weight with a diverse economy anchored by corporate headquarters, world-class healthcare, and a growing tech scene.

## Top Industries

- Healthcare & Medical Devices: UnitedHealth Group (Minnetonka, $370B revenue — largest company in MN), Medtronic, Mayo Clinic (Rochester), Abbott, and Boston Scientific. Minnesota is the global medical device capital. 400,000+ healthcare workers. Average medical device salary: $85,000.

- Retail: Target (HQ, Minneapolis), Best Buy (HQ, Richfield), and numerous regional chains. Target alone employs 20,000+ in Minnesota. Retail and consumer goods are pillars.

- Finance & Insurance: U.S. Bancorp, Ameriprise Financial, Thrivent, and Xcel Energy. Minneapolis is a top-10 financial center. Average finance salary: $80,000.

- Manufacturing: 3M (Maplewood), General Mills (Golden Valley), Cargill (Minnetonka — world's largest private company), and Honeywell. 310,000+ manufacturing jobs.

- Agriculture & Food Processing: Cargill, General Mills, Hormel Foods, and Land O'Lakes. Minnesota is a top-5 agricultural state. $25B+ food processing industry.

## Major Employers

| Employer | Industry | Approx. MN Employees |

| --- | --- | --- |

| UnitedHealth Group | Healthcare | 35,000+ |

| Mayo Clinic | Healthcare | 42,000+ |

| State of Minnesota | Government | 40,000+ |

| Target | Retail | 20,000+ |

| 3M | Manufacturing | 15,000+ |

| Medtronic | Medical Devices | 12,000+ |

| University of Minnesota | Education | 27,000+ |

## Average Salary by Metro Area

| Metro Area | Avg Salary | Cost of Living Index |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $63,270 | 105 (slightly above) |

| Rochester | $62,840 | 100 |

| Duluth | $48,670 | 88 |

| St. Cloud | $47,340 | 86 |

| Mankato | $46,520 | 84 |

## Growing Sectors

- Health IT: UnitedHealth's Optum division (100,000+ employees globally) drives healthtech innovation from Minnetonka. Epic, Cerner, and healthtech startups thrive.

- Renewable Energy: Xcel Energy targets 80% carbon-free electricity by 2030. Wind energy jobs growing 15% annually in southern MN.

- Fintech: Minneapolis fintech scene growing around U.S. Bancorp and Target Financial Services. Emerging startups in payments and insurtech.

## Remote Work Availability

Minneapolis-St. Paul ranks in the top 15 for remote job postings. Target, UnitedHealth, and 3M offer hybrid models. Rochester offers Mayo Clinic-adjacent remote opportunities. Minnesota's high quality of life (parks, lakes, cultural scene) is a retention draw.

## FAQ

### What is the minimum wage in Minnesota?

$10.85/hour (large employers). Minneapolis: $15.57/hour. St. Paul: $15.57/hour. These local minimums cover most Twin Cities workers.

### Share this article

LinkedIn

X / Twitter

## Related Articles

### Registered Nurse Jobs in Las Vegas, NV — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

7 months ago

### Project Manager Jobs in Boston, MA — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

7 months ago

### Project Manager Jobs in Tampa, FL — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

7 months ago

### More in this category

- Project Manager Jobs in Virginia Beach, VA — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- Financial Analyst Jobs in Phoenix, AZ — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- Financial Analyst Jobs in Birmingham, AL — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- Graphic Designer Jobs in Cincinnati, OH — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- HR Manager Jobs in Birmingham, AL — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- Operations Manager Jobs in Providence, RI — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)

- Business Analyst Jobs in Nashville, TN — Salary, Employers & Outlook (2026)