The new Minnesota Job Vacancy Survey shows that over the past year the number of job openings in the state fell by 6 percent. We also have 20,000 more job seekers than we had a year ago, an increase of 18 percent. With 133,000 unemployed workers now competing for only 60,000 unfilled jobs, job seekers still outnumber unfilled jobs by more than two-to-one.

The survey shows that the median wage for job openings in Minnesota is $11 per hour. JOBS NOW's Cost of Living in Minnesota research shows that in a Minnesota family of four with both parents working, each worker must earn at least $12.24 per hour to meet basic needs. Other statewide findings include:

Of the 10 occupations with the most job openings, only two pay a median wage of more than $10.25 per hour.

Over the last six years the number of job openings fell by 45 percent.

Fifty-seven percent of job openings require no education or training beyond high school; and the median wage for these openings is $9.16 per hour.

The median wage for all job openings is a dollar higher than a year ago; but this can be explained less by a gain in high-wage openings than by a loss in low-wage openings. For example, in the high-wage Computer and Mathematical occupational group we gained over 1700 openings; however, in the two largest low-wage occupational groups-Sales and Food Preparation/Serving-we lost nearly 3700 openings.

Questions? Contact Kevin Ristau at (651) 290-0240 or kristau@jobsnowcoalition.org.