Metro Job Market Pulse · General Market Conditions · October 2026
General Market Conditions Labor Market Report: Muncie, IN MSA — October 2026
Muncie wages rise as the workforce counted to earn them shrinks.
Delaware County's average weekly wage climbed to $1,088 even as covered employment fell to 43,947, while the county's 4.2% unemployment rate continues to run roughly 0.8 points above Indiana's.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Delaware County unemployment: 4.2% — vs Indiana 3.6%, a persistent ~0.8-pt gap
- Covered employment, Delaware County: 43,947 — Down from 44,694 in Q3 2025
- Average weekly wage, Delaware County: $1,088 — Up from $1,021 in Q3 2025
- Indiana statewide unemployment: 3.4% — First increase since Aug. 2024, from 3.3%
Key takeaways
Wage growth in Delaware County may be a mirage of a shrinking base.
Average weekly wages rose 6.6% between Q3 2025 and Q1 2026 while covered employment fell by roughly 750 workers, a pattern more consistent with workforce contraction concentrating higher earners than with across-the-board economic strength.
Muncie's jobless rate gap with Indiana reflects structural, metro-specific factors.
County unemployment has tracked roughly 0.8 points above the state rate for an extended stretch, a persistent local disparity that predates this month's statewide uptick and points to metro-specific labor supply or industry-mix factors.
Finance and insurance pullback contrasts with arts and information gains.
Local finance and insurance activity declined 6.6% even as arts, entertainment and recreation advanced 9.7% and information gained 5.2%, a sector divergence that complicates any single-sentence read on the metro's direction.
Healthcare and manufacturing carry the state's job growth, with local echoes.
Indiana's Education & Health (+3,700) and Manufacturing (+3,500) gains from August to September mirror sectors long central to Muncie's economic base, suggesting the metro's trajectory will likely track these two industries above any emerging sector.
Median advertised pay by role — Muncie, IN MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $21,840 | $27,040 | $32,240 | Stable | $33,340 |
| Retail Cashier | $22,899 | $27,290 | $30,756 | Stable | $31,268 |
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate | $33,280 | $35,847 | $43,680 | Stable | $38,480 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $60,000 | $81,401 | $93,600 | Stable | $78,872 |
| Delivery Driver | $26,614 | $30,340 | $31,834 | Stable | $34,826 |
| Construction Laborer | $38,366 | $38,389 | $48,880 | Moderate decline | $40,727 |
| Electrician | $64,904 | $75,974 | $84,000 | Moderate increase | $71,835 |
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler | $33,041 | $35,953 | $41,600 | Stable | $39,520 |
| Customer Service Representative | $30,458 | $35,360 | $36,589 | Moderate decline | $39,520 |
| Food Service Worker | $27,113 | $29,122 | $31,886 | Stable | $33,764 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | $32,891 | $35,586 | $37,469 | Stable | $41,600 |
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk | $32,443 | $37,648 | $39,520 | Moderate decline | $44,552 |
| HVAC Technician | $72,055 | $73,804 | $77,175 | Stable | $71,406 |
| Registered Nurse | $80,593 | $92,165 | $104,007 | Stable | $102,252 |
| Software Engineer * | $103,089 | $142,699 | $158,664 | Significant increase | $154,403 |
| Data Engineer * | $94,031 | $128,500 | $143,256 | Moderate increase | $138,000 |
| Accountant | $46,597 | $55,393 | $58,040 | Significant decline | $72,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $72,761 | $90,943 | $95,865 | Significant increase | $94,646 |
| HR Generalist/Manager | $40,138 | $67,000 | $67,141 | Significant increase | $74,477 |
| Marketing Specialist * | $46,090 | $57,438 | $65,633 | Stable | $62,916 |
| Operations Manager * | $77,596 | $83,253 | $92,092 | Moderate increase | $86,294 |
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher | $29,120 | $49,150 | $53,016 | Stable | $55,908 |
| Account Manager | $42,500 | $62,808 | $77,709 | Significant decline | $94,009 |
| Warehouse Manager * | $64,250 | $67,500 | $83,285 | Significant decline | $75,000 |
| Business Analyst * | $75,506 | $96,464 | $106,217 | Stable | $98,302 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Industry snapshot
| Sector | Median advertised pay | Pay trend | Postings trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $99,840 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Manufacturing | $56,909 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Retail Trade | $34,700 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | $70,200 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Information | $51,500 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Financial Activities | $49,637 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Professional & Business Services | $46,696 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Education & Health Services | $46,742 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Leisure & Hospitality | $30,950 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Government | $65,623 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
Local market conditions
Delaware County's unemployment rate held near 4.2% in August, a gap of roughly 0.8 points above Indiana's 3.6% rate that has persisted for months, even as the state's own rate ticked up to 3.4% in September on labor force contraction, with no corresponding rise in job loss. Covered employment in the county slipped from 44,694 workers in Q3 2025 to 43,947 by Q1 2026 even as average weekly wages rose from $1,021 to $1,088, a pattern consistent with a smaller, better-compensated workforce.
What it means
Shrinking covered employment alongside rising average wages points to a tightening pool of available workers locally, a dynamic that matters more for site-selection and expansion planning than for pay-setting alone. Commerce leaders weighing local investment should read Muncie's wage gains in context: they may reflect a shrinking base of employed residents as much as rising demand for labor, a distinction state and regional economic development partners will want on the record before citing wage growth as a sign of strength. Consider cross-referencing county employment counts alongside wage trends before using either figure in isolation to make the case for local economic momentum.
Looking ahead
Early indicator: Indiana's September unemployment uptick to 3.4% was the state's first increase since August 2024; watch whether Delaware County's October reading moves in tandem or continues to diverge, which would sharpen the case for metro-specific drivers.
Potential inflection point: Statewide labor force shrank 18,900 year-over-year alongside falling employment; local economic development messaging should track whether Delaware County's labor force participation is following the same contraction or holding steadier.
Worth watching: November 10's CPI release will be the first chance to set Indiana and Muncie-area wage gains against actual inflation; current national data show median earnings up 1.5% against 3.5% CPI growth, a gap commerce leaders will want localized.
Expected: No October WARN notices have surfaced for the Muncie MSA specifically, a contrast with statewide filings concentrated in manufacturing and logistics; continued absence would support a narrative of local stability distinct from sector-level national layoff activity.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (via USAFacts) — Delaware County unemployment at 4.2% in August 2026
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Indiana statewide unemployment rose to 3.4% in September, first increase since Aug. 2024
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development / QCEW — Delaware County covered employment and average weekly wage figures Q1 2026 vs Q3 2025
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Sector-level changes: arts/entertainment +9.7%, information +5.2%, finance/insurance -6.6%
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Indiana private employment: Education & Health +3,700, Manufacturing +3,500, Aug-Sept
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — National median weekly earnings up 1.5% vs 3.5% CPI gain, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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