Fastest declining jobs in Minnesota, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Minnesota, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Minnesota's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Minnesota run 1.4% below the national average (2024), so a Minnesota salary is worth about 1.01× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Minnesota.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Minnesota

OccupationMedian, Minnesota · Growth 2024–34

1Data Entry Keyers$44,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,200 – $71,820-27.5%
2Order Clerks$48,400
Some college, no degree
$37,470 – $59,180-19.9%
3Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$56,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,860 – $75,990-18.6%
4Telemarketers$39,850
No formal educational credential
$29,680 – $65,940-18.5%
5Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$61,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,270 – $79,370-17.4%
6Print Binding and Finishing Workers$48,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $61,730-16.5%
7Prepress Technicians and Workers$49,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,430 – $65,570-16.5%
8Tellers$44,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,410 – $47,510-15.5%
9New Accounts Clerks$48,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,870 – $61,860-15.4%
10Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$45,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,900 – $58,440-14.8%
11Bill and Account Collectors$49,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,600 – $77,080-14.8%
12File Clerks$46,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,250 – $61,840-14.6%
13Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$76,800
Bachelor's degree
$50,430 – $100,280-13.4%
14Cooks, Fast Food$34,120
No formal educational credential
$24,550 – $39,560-13.2%
15Computer Hardware Engineers$134,300
Bachelor's degree
$84,770 – $176,340-12.5%
16Power Plant Operators$94,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,540 – $125,900-11.9%
17Floral Designers$37,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,580 – $47,900-11.6%
18Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $61,410-11.6%
19Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,210 – $73,270-11.5%
20Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,250 – $74,310-11.4%
21Advertising Sales Agents$62,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,340 – $127,710-11.3%
22Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $64,700-11.3%
23Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,030 – $81,810-11.1%
24Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,890 – $76,340-11.0%
25Helpers--Production Workers$44,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,040 – $57,270-10.6%
26Brokerage Clerks$62,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,560 – $79,360-10.2%
27Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$44,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,460 – $55,040-10.1%
28Printing Press Operators$48,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,950 – $73,670-9.6%
29Computer Programmers$107,250
Bachelor's degree
$52,740 – $125,300-8.7%
30Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,530 – $62,770-8.6%
31Food Preparation Workers$34,850
No formal educational credential
$29,150 – $45,790-8.5%
32Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,010 – $65,160-8.5%
33Demonstrators and Product Promoters$34,180
No formal educational credential
$31,550 – $38,180-8.1%
34Procurement Clerks$58,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,450 – $68,620-7.8%
35Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,090 – $61,380-7.7%
36Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,610 – $77,290-7.7%
37Packers and Packagers, Hand$40,310
No formal educational credential
$29,590 – $50,930-7.7%
38Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$37,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,520 – $62,880-7.4%
39Network and Computer Systems Administrators$101,870
Bachelor's degree
$69,360 – $152,760-7.4%
40Cashiers$34,620
No formal educational credential
$27,880 – $39,520-7.4%
41Mechanical Drafters$73,090
Associate's degree
$52,380 – $100,080-7.0%
42Computer User Support Specialists$63,630
Some college, no degree
$47,840 – $95,220-6.9%
43Customer Service Representatives$48,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,730 – $72,830-6.8%
44Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$54,600
Some college, no degree
$37,800 – $73,450-6.6%
45Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers$49,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,650 – $62,740-6.5%
46Credit Analysts$82,630
Bachelor's degree
$60,530 – $131,610-6.4%
47Library Technicians$51,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,340 – $63,480-6.4%
48Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$43,530
Bachelor's degree
$28,360 – $75,730-6.4%
49Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers$33,480
No formal educational credential
$24,130 – $35,460-6.2%
50Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,110 – $106,270-6.1%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMinnesota	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,280	$35,200 – $71,820	-27.5%
2	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$48,400	$37,470 – $59,180	-19.9%
3	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,210	$39,860 – $75,990	-18.6%
4	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$39,850	$29,680 – $65,940	-18.5%
5	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,320	$49,270 – $79,370	-17.4%
6	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,390	$38,000 – $61,730	-16.5%
7	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,130	$40,430 – $65,570	-16.5%
8	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,190	$35,410 – $47,510	-15.5%
9	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,920	$39,870 – $61,860	-15.4%
10	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,890	$34,900 – $58,440	-14.8%
11	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,580	$34,600 – $77,080	-14.8%
12	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,640	$39,250 – $61,840	-14.6%
13	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$76,800	$50,430 – $100,280	-13.4%
14	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$34,120	$24,550 – $39,560	-13.2%
15	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,300	$84,770 – $176,340	-12.5%
16	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,390	$72,540 – $125,900	-11.9%
17	Floral DesignersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,190	$29,580 – $47,900	-11.6%
18	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,730	$36,400 – $61,410	-11.6%
19	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,190	$40,210 – $73,270	-11.5%
20	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,150	$40,250 – $74,310	-11.4%
21	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,660	$35,340 – $127,710	-11.3%
22	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,770	$34,670 – $64,700	-11.3%
23	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,780	$42,030 – $81,810	-11.1%
24	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,780	$43,890 – $76,340	-11.0%
25	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,720	$36,040 – $57,270	-10.6%
26	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,110	$50,560 – $79,360	-10.2%
27	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,840	$35,460 – $55,040	-10.1%
28	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,560	$36,950 – $73,670	-9.6%
29	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$107,250	$52,740 – $125,300	-8.7%
30	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,890	$36,530 – $62,770	-8.6%
31	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,850	$29,150 – $45,790	-8.5%
32	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,260	$47,010 – $65,160	-8.5%
33	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$34,180	$31,550 – $38,180	-8.1%
34	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,100	$42,450 – $68,620	-7.8%
35	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$40,090 – $61,380	-7.7%
36	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$45,610 – $77,290	-7.7%
37	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$40,310	$29,590 – $50,930	-7.7%
38	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,660	$27,520 – $62,880	-7.4%
39	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,870	$69,360 – $152,760	-7.4%
40	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$34,620	$27,880 – $39,520	-7.4%
41	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$73,090	$52,380 – $100,080	-7.0%
42	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$63,630	$47,840 – $95,220	-6.9%
43	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,800	$35,730 – $72,830	-6.8%
44	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$54,600	$37,800 – $73,450	-6.6%
45	Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,570	$37,650 – $62,740	-6.5%
46	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,630	$60,530 – $131,610	-6.4%
47	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,110	$34,340 – $63,480	-6.4%
48	Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc JockeysBachelor's degree	$43,530	$28,360 – $75,730	-6.4%
49	Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket TakersNo formal educational credential	$33,480	$24,130 – $35,460	-6.2%
50	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,350	$58,110 – $106,270	-6.1%

More for Minnesota

Metro areas in Minnesota

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Minnesota

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Minnesota to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Minnesota, 2024–34

More for Minnesota

Metro areas in Minnesota

By field in Minnesota

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34