Minnesota unemployment has climbed to 4.4%, above the U.S. rate, while openings still outpace hires. More people are looking, but you still have to move fast and post pay clearly to land them.
Minnesota's unemployment rate sits at 4.4%, up from 3.9% a year earlier and now slightly above the national rate of 4.2%. Yet nonfarm employment still grew +1.5% over the same period. The applicant pool is wider than it was, but the economy is still adding jobs, so the competition for good candidates has not gone away.
The flow numbers explain why. The job openings rate is 4.3%, while the hires rate is 2.9% and the quits rate is only 1.9%. Employers are posting more roles than they fill, and people who already have jobs are mostly staying put. That means your best candidates are often active job seekers who apply in several places at once. The first employer to respond usually gets the interview.
Below you will find the labor snapshot, wages for common high-volume roles, the industry mix and the state hiring rules that shape how you post and screen. Each section includes a short read on what it means for your recruiting process.
Rising unemployment alongside job growth points to more applicants per posting, not an easy market. With openings at 4.3% and quits at 1.9%, expect more volume from job seekers and less movement from people already employed.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES, JOLTS). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $19.62 | $36.24 | $70.29 | 19,220 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $22.44 | $36.90 | $65.79 | 31,230 |
| Telemarketers | $14.27 | $19.16 | $31.70 | 650 |
| Customer service representatives | $17.18 | $23.46 | $35.02 | 53,340 |
| Retail salespersons | $13.80 | $17.49 | $23.12 | 74,840 |
| Cashiers | $13.40 | $16.65 | $19.00 | 58,190 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $17.19 | $22.25 | $29.39 | 54,480 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $13.55 | $15.08 | $17.86 | 58,970 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $14.79 | $19.04 | $25.25 | 42,300 |
| Sales managers | $38.41 | $72.92 | $124.26 | 11,240 |
Medians for every role in the table sit at or above the national figure, so national pay benchmarks will tend to understate what Minnesota candidates expect. Wide gaps between the 10th and 90th percentile, especially in sales roles, mean the range you post will strongly shape who applies.
630,700 jobs · 20.6% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
With Private education and health services at 20.6% of jobs and growing +2.7%, care and clinic roles face steady demand, so keep standing pipelines for aides and medical assistants rather than sourcing from scratch each time.
525,600 jobs · 17.1% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Trade, transportation, and utilities shrank −0.6%, which can free up experienced warehouse, driver and retail workers, making re-engagement of past applicants and targeted outreach worth the effort.
375,700 jobs · 12.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services grew +1.7%, so contact-center and outbound sales roles will keep competing for the same communicative, phone-ready candidates.
324,700 jobs · 10.6% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing is the fastest-growing top sector at +3.4%, so production and machine operator openings will see more competition and need quick screens and same-week interviews.
276,700 jobs · 9.0% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality holds 9.0% of jobs and grew +1.1%, keeping steady churn in server, cook and housekeeping roles that suits bulk messaging and repeatable workflows.
Private education and health services is the largest employer base at 20.6% of nonfarm jobs, and Manufacturing is growing fastest at +3.4%. Shift-based, high-volume roles dominate the top sectors, which rewards fast screening and scheduling.
Minnesota has its own rules on background checks, criminal history timing, pay transparency, non-competes and minimum wage, summarized in the table above. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with the relevant state agency or your employment counsel before changing your process.
Minnesota adds its own consumer-report rules for employers: a written disclosure before ordering a report, and a bar on making applicants or employees pay for background or credit checks.
Minnesota public and private employers may not ask about or consider an applicant's criminal record until the applicant is selected for an interview or, with no interview, receives a conditional offer.
Minnesota's statewide minimum wage is $11.41 an hour in 2026 and rises to $11.87 on January 1, 2027 through annual inflation indexing; Minneapolis and St. Paul set higher local rates.
Minnesota voids employee covenants not to compete in agreements entered into on or after July 1, 2023, with narrow exceptions for the sale or dissolution of a business.
Since January 1, 2025, Minnesota employers with 30 or more employees at one or more Minnesota sites must state the starting salary range and a general description of benefits in each job posting.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
Openings at 4.3% against hires at 2.9% mean candidates have options. Active job seekers apply widely and accept the first solid offer. Text new applicants promptly with a short next step and a booking link. Speed matters more than a polished message.
Covered Minnesota employers must post a starting salary range and a general benefits description. Treat that as an advantage. For sales roles, where pay runs from $19.62 to $70.29 an hour, separate base pay from commission so candidates can see realistic earnings.
Local medians run above national ones across the roles shown. Customer service reps have a median of $23.46 versus $21.53 nationally, and laborers and material movers $22.25 versus $19.35. Check every posting against state data before it goes live.
Trade, transportation, and utilities contracted −0.6% while Manufacturing grew +3.4%. Workers with warehouse, shipping and material handling experience may be open to production, quality and shipping roles. Build a segment of past applicants with that background and reach out directly.
Minnesota bars asking about or considering criminal history until an applicant is selected for an interview or, without one, gets a conditional offer. Keep those questions out of your application form and initial screens. Put the step later in your workflow so every recruiter follows the same order.
In Minnesota, applicants are available but openings still outnumber hires, so the employer who replies first usually wins. Conversational SMS & Automations lets you text applicants from one inbox and trigger messages when their status changes. Interview Scheduling & Calendar gives candidates self-service booking with automated reminders, which cuts the back-and-forth. For production, care and hospitality roles with steady volume, AI-Powered Candidate Ranking builds shortlists on criteria you set, so recruiters spend their time on the strongest applicants first.
Minnesota employers that meet the state's size threshold must state the starting salary range and a general description of benefits in each job posting. Check the rules table above for the threshold. This is general information, not legal advice, so confirm details with the state agency or your counsel.
Under Minnesota's fair chance rule, public and private employers may not ask about or consider criminal records until the applicant is selected for an interview or, if there is no interview, receives a conditional offer. Minnesota also requires a written disclosure before ordering a consumer report and bars charging applicants for background or credit checks. Confirm specifics with counsel.
It is mixed. Unemployment rose to 4.4% from 3.9%, so more people are looking. But the openings rate of 4.3% still exceeds the hires rate of 2.9%, and quits are low, so fast follow-up remains the deciding factor.
Use the wage table as a starting point. Retail salespersons have a median of $17.49, janitors and cleaners $19.04, and laborers and material movers $22.25. The statewide minimum wage is $11.41, and Minneapolis and St. Paul set higher local rates.
Texting works well for fast-moving roles, but get the candidate's opt-in consent before sending recruiting texts. Honor STOP and other opt-out replies immediately. Keep messages short and relevant to the application.
Minnesota voids employee covenants not to compete in agreements entered into after the state's effective date, with narrow exceptions tied to the sale or dissolution of a business. Review your offer templates and confirm with your employment counsel.
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Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 16, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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