Indiana Overview

Indiana’s economy is expected to improve gradually as the automobile manufacturing industry, which is central to the Indiana job market, reignites and expands.

Indiana Job Opportunities

Indiana’s economy is dominated by research and manufacturing, with expertise in automobiles, energy, life sciences and national security. Besides graduating a steady supply of engineers and doctors, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University nurture research in areas ranging from alternative energy to advanced manufacturing -- research that supports related companies around the state.

The trade, transportation and utilities sector accounts for a majority of jobs in Indiana, followed by manufacturing. The good news for the Hoosier State’s 3.2 million workers is that after nearly five years of shedding jobs, the manufacturing segment is once again expanding and helping to boost overall employment in Indiana. On the negative side, the critical areas of government and education/health services -- as well as industries that account for smaller shares of employment, such as information services and financial activities -- are in decline.

Indiana Employment Trends

Indiana’s job market has improved, especially in its steadily escalating online hiring. The state’s unemployment rate, which reached a steep 10.8 percent in mid-2009, was a much-improved 7.9 percent in May 2012. Following a two-year decline, Indiana payrolls have been expanding since early 2010.

Indiana jobs are expected to increase 1.3 percent between Q2 2012 and Q2 2013, the same as the growth rate expected in the US job supply during that time, according to Moody’s Analytics.