ThedaCare in Oshkosh on July 8, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
FOX VALLEY (WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin is joining a growing list of states where the number healthcare and social assistance jobs have surpassed manufacturing.
According to a report from Forward Analytics, between 2001 and 2025 manufacturing jobs in the state fell from 560,000 to 460,000. Healthcare and social assistance grew from 321,000 to 463,000.
“Wisconsin was one of the last holdout states where manufacturing was the top employment sector. In 2001 there were 24 states, last year there were 2,” said Forward Analytics Director Kevin Dospoy. “Wisconsin and Indiana. This year, preliminary numbers show Wisconsin has now become a healthcare and social assistance dominant state.”
Forward Analytics said the shift comes from an aging demographic within the state.
President and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Kurt Bauer agreed.
“It’s harder to find skilled people to work in manufacturing. At the same time, the population is aging so the demand for healthcare services has increased,” he said.
Bauer said while manufacturing may have been passed up in employment, it’s still dominant in revenue.
“It accounts for $74 billion in GDP output versus $42 billion for healthcare and social services,” he explained. “For every one factory job, you create at least four jobs in other sectors of the economy. Manufacturing has that multiplier effect that you don’t see in other sectors of the economy.”
The shift isn’t universal across the state. The Fox Cities Chamber’s data shows there are around 9,000 more manufacturing employees than healthcare employees.
The Oshkosh Chamber is seeing similar results.
“We’re still bullish on manufacturing in our region and our area, and it is still the backbone for our region and our economy. And the Fox River Valley region,” said Chamber President and CEO Rob Kleman.
Kleman added while this data point is a sign of change, the city’s diverse collection of businesses is prepared to face any change in the job market.
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