Indiana leads nation in blue-collar workforce share

Indiana holds the nation's highest percentage of blue-collar workers.

SmartAsset released a study on November 2, 2026, that ranked all fifty states by the share of employees in manual labor roles. The firm used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to categorize work into blue, white, and pink-collar sectors. Blue-collar jobs include manufacturing, construction, transportation, and skilled trades. White-collar roles cover office and administrative tasks. Pink-collar positions focus on service industries like personal care and food service.

Indiana topped the list with 33.4% of its workforce in blue-collar jobs. North Dakota followed at 31.1%, Iowa at 29.4%, and Wisconsin at 29.2%. All four states placed in the top ten nationally. Michigan ranked 15th at 27.8%, South Dakota 16th at 27.6%, and Ohio 18th at 27.5%. Illinois placed 24th with 26.3%. Minnesota finished 36th at 24.0%, making it the only Midwest state outside the top half of the national rankings.

Nationally, Alabama sat just behind Indiana at 32.0%. Wyoming ranked third at 31.9%, Mississippi fourth at 31.5%, and Kentucky fifth at 31.2%. Massachusetts recorded the lowest share of blue-collar workers in the country at 19.2%. New York followed closely at 19.6%.

The study defines blue-collar work as hands-on occupations. It distinguishes these from office-based professional roles and service-oriented jobs. The data reflects the current distribution of labor across state economies.

The report provides a snapshot of workforce composition without projecting future trends. It lists specific percentages for each state based on the available BLS figures.