Career exploration is all about gathering information. What are you interested in doing? Are any of those jobs available? How much do those occupations pay? Do you have the education or training needed for those jobs? This website was designed by the Southwest Minnesota WorkForce Council 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 Southwest Minnesota, this website is designed to inform you about job availability and wages in this region of the state. The 100 Hot Jobs on this list have been selected because they are currently in high demand in Southwest 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 Southwest Minnesota that offer good long-term career prospects, including health care, renewable energy and agriculture, manufacturing, and professional and technical services, as they will also provide great opportunities for economic security.

While the 100 occupations on this list 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 Southwest 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 are links to ISEEK career information pages that will open in a new window,
where you can study the career description, work activities, and plan your education)

Occupations in Demand in Southwest Minnesota, Sorted by Annual Wages
Occupations Paying $50,000 Or More Per Year (Median Annual Wages)
Family & General Practitioners	$166,400	120	Small	26.7%	117	First professional degree
Dentists	$141,135	65	Medium	3.1%	36	First professional degree
Pharmacists	$107,660	90	Small	20.5%	83	First professional degree
Marketing Managers	$104,463	90	High	21.8%	61	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Computer & Info. Systems Managers	$88,117	110	High	25.6%	92	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Financial Managers	$86,233	260	Small	17.4%	158	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Education Administrators	$74,778	150	Medium	0.0%	110	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Industrial Production Managers	$73,475	140	Small	7.6%	82	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Computer Systems Analysts	$68,994	110	High	44.0%	108	Bachelor's or higher degree
Medical & Health Services Managers	$67,420	150	Medium	15.4%	108	Bachelor's or higher degree
Physical Therapists	$66,332	90	High	17.1%	46	Master's degree
Mechanical Engineers	$63,567	140	Medium	14.3%	40	Bachelor's degree
Industrial Engineers	$61,100	170	High	20.1%	78	Bachelor's degree
Dental Hygienists	$60,943	80	High	29.9%	118	Associate degree
Computer Software Engineers	$59,944	360	High	52.0%	213	Bachelor's degree
General & Operations Managers	$59,857	750	Small	11.3%	622	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Registered Nurses	$58,308	1,690	High	24.0%	1,141	Assoc./Bachelor's degree
Market Research Analysts	$57,462	140	Medium	17.7%	101	Bachelor's degree
Network & Computer Systems Admins.	$57,035	190	Medium	33.5%	154	Bachelor's degree
Loan Officers	$54,712	200	High	14.5%	212	Bachelor's degree
Securities, Commodities & Financial Services Sales Representatives	$54,480	130	High	14.8%	47	Bachelor's degree
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal & Plastic	$53,587	120	High	11.3%	85	Long-term on-the-job training
Construction Managers	$50,187	290	High	8.1%	235	Related work experience
Occupations Paying $35,000 to $50,000 Per Year (Median Annual Wages)
Accountants & Auditors	$49,082	490	High	19.8%	572	Bachelor's degree
First-line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installation, & Repair Workers	$48,837	240	High	13.2%	273	Related work experience
Purchasing Agents & Buyers (incl. Farm Products & Wholesale Trade)	$48,475	140	Medium	10.6%	112	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
Electricians	$48,422	190	Small	7.5%	221	Long-term on-the-job training
Radiologic Technologists & Technicians	$45,108	120	Medium	24.1%	93	Associate degree
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$44,303	320	High	3.4%	283	Long-term on-the-job training
Water & Liquid Waste Treatment Plant & System Operators	$43,798	90	High	1.5%	188	Long-term on-the-job training
Elementary & High School Teachers	$43,166	1,240	Small	0.2%	474	Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers	$42,712	340	Small	6.6%	216	Bachelor's degree
Agricultural & Food Science Technicians	$42,203	40	Small	29.3%	69	Associate degree
Cost Estimators	$42,058	110	High	14.9%	115	Bachelor's deg. + work exper.
First-line Supervisors of Production & Operating Workers (Line Managers)	$41,611	540	High	9.3%	492	Related work experience
First-line Supervisors of Transportation & Material Moving Workers	$41,376	160	High	10.6%	186	Related work experience
HR, Employment & Training Specialists	$41,308	140	Small	22.5%	143	Bachelor's degree
Machinists	$40,918	220	Medium	8.2%	120	Long-term on-the-job training
Sales Representatives (Mfg. & Services)	$40,589	640	High	9.4%	435	Moderate on-the-job training
Boiler Operators & Stationary Engineers	$39,707	45	Medium	8.0%	43	Long-term on-the-job training
Office Managers	$39,042	640	Medium	2.0%	371	Related work experience
Farm Equipment, Truck Mechanics & Diesel Engine Specialists	$38,583	150	High	11.8%	203	Postsecondary voc. award
Rehabilitation Counselors	$38,515	60	High	28.6%	50	Master's degree
Correctional Officers & Jailers	$38,479	400	High	11.3%	152	Moderate on-the-job training
Computer Support Specialists	$38,039	200	Small	15.0%	83	Associate degree
Laboratory Technicians	$37,945	90	Small	20.0%	52	Associate degree
Insurance Sales Agents	$37,437	240	Small	20.7%	317	Bachelor's degree
Heating, Air Cond., & Refrig. Mechanics	$37,253	40	Small	19.7%	96	Long-term on-the-job training
Industrial Machinery Mechanics & Fluid Power Technicians	$36,714	320	Small	13.6%	266	Long-term on-the-job training
Construction Equipment Operators	$36,483	280	Small	19.2%	297	Moderate on-the-job training
Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers	$36,294	80	Small	17.5%	76	Long-term on-the-job training
Bus Drivers, School & Transit	$36,222	470	Small	-0.4%	270	Short-term on-the-job training
Licensed Practical Nurses	$35,671	710	High	6.8%	617	Postsecondary voc. award
Wind Energy Technicians & Mechanics	$35,360	125	Medium	100.0%	185	Associate degree
Mixing & Blending Machine Operators	$35,026	150	High	-1.1%	70	Moderate on-the-job training
Occupations Paying $25,000 to $35,000 Per Year (Median Annual Wages)
Production, Planning & Expediting Clerks	$34,523	90	Small	8.1%	92	Short-term on-the-job training
Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer	$33,989	1,520	High	12.7%	1,312	Moderate on-the-job training
Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters	$33,907	150	Small	16.1%	119	Long-term on-the-job training
Medical Recs. & Health Info. Technicians	$33,374	100	Medium	26.8%	121	Associate degree
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers	$33,197	280	Small	4.4%	370	Postsecondary voc. award
Ethanol Plant Process Operators	$33,180	120	Small	NA	120	Postsecondary voc. award
First-line Supervisors of Personal Care & Service Workers	$33,027	110	Medium	20.5%	178	Related work experience
Carpenters	$32,304	570	High	8.0%	583	Long-term on-the-job training
Packaging & Filling Machine Operators	$32,145	610	Small	-9.0%	200	Short-term on-the-job training
Automotive Service Techs & Mechanics	$31,969	290	High	9.9%	440	Postsecondary voc. award
Customer Service Representatives	$31,210	670	High	19.3%	708	Moderate on-the-job training
Dental Assistants	$30,930	125	Medium	29.9%	118	Moderate on-the-job training
General Maintenance & Repair Workers	$30,274	430	High	7.9%	422	Long-term on-the-job training
Inspectors & Testers (Quality Control)	$29,216	250	High	6.8%	260	Moderate on-the-job training
Medical Transcriptionists	$29,141	80	High	22.4%	108	Postsecondary voc. award
Construction Laborers	$28,206	300	Small	5.4%	139	Moderate on-the-job training
Shipping, Receiving, & Traffic Clerks	$27,762	360	Medium	5.4%	239	Short-term on-the-job training
Laborers and Freight & Stock Movers	$27,423	850	Small	-1.5%	710	Short-term on-the-job training
Personal & Home Care Aides	$27,292	420	High	31.1%	1,771	Short-term on-the-job training
Bookkeeping, Acctg., & Auditing Clerks	$27,240	870	Small	1.0%	662	Moderate on-the-job training
Slaughterers & Meat Packers	$26,936	550	High	18.6%	328	Moderate on-the-job training
Medical Assistants	$26,486	150	Small	44.0%	179	Moderate on-the-job training
Precision Assemblers & Fabricators (incl. Electrical & Electronic Equip.)	$26,482	640	Small	8.2%	723	Moderate on-the-job training
Emergency Medical Techs & Paramedics	$26,291	120	High	22.1%	204	Postsecondary voc. award
Pharmacy Technicians	$25,948	100	Medium	25.6%	94	Moderate on-the-job training
Fiberglass Laminators & Fabricators	$25,855	160	High	-4.1%	40	Moderate on-the-job training
Social & Human Service Assistants	$25,133	810	High	28.1%	312	Moderate on-the-job training
First-line Supervisors of Food Preparation Workers (Fast Food & Restaurant)	$25,022	420	High	8.6%	409	Related work experience
Occupations Paying $15,000 to $25,000 Per Year (Median Annual Wages)
Receptionists & Information Clerks	$24,085	550	High	10.8%	603	Short-term on-the-job training
Meat, Poultry & Fish Cutters & Trimmers	$23,332	240	High	20.2%	305	Short-term on-the-job training
Nursing Aides, Orderlies & Attendants	$23,329	1,170	High	10.9%	974