Getting a handle on Indiana's low-wage status.

• Position: Indiana Indicators

In terms of employment, Indiana's higher-wage industries and regions have essentially stagnated over the course of the last 20 years. Meanwhile, the services and knowledge-producing side of the economy--not Indiana's strongest suit, wage-wise--has provided the lion's share of job growth. The result: Whereas average earnings per job in the United States in 2000 was $36,316, the same figure for Indiana was only $26,933.

We tend to think of jobs outside the manufacturing sector as lower-paying. That may be true in Indiana, but it is decidedly less so elsewhere. Virtually across the board, non-manufacturing wages are lower in Indiana than even our neighboring states.

Why do Indiana businesses pay less than elsewhere? Because we're a "branch plant" state. Headquarters jobs, involving managers and workers with higher responsibilities, more specialized expertise, and, yes, more education and training, tend to land outside our borders. Getting a handle on what it takes to keep and grow the industries that are employing the nation's better-paid workers should be high on Indiana's priority list.

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Latest Previous Period Period Employment (000) U.S. Aug. 02 130,842.0 130,803.0 Indiana Aug. 02 2,888.4 2,875.0 Manufacturing Employment (000) U.S. Aug. 02 16,682.0 16,750.0 Indiana Aug. 02 624.3 623.1 Non-manufacturing Employment (000) U.S. Aug. 02 114,160.0 114,053.0 Indiana Aug. 02 2,264.1 2,251.9 Unemployment Rates (Percent)...