Labor Market Pulse · Human Resources · October 2026
Human Resources Labor Market Report: Terre Haute, IN MSA — October 2026
Terre Haute manufacturing growth collides with entry-level HR pay declines.
Vigo County manufacturing employment grew 9.09% year-over-year even as local HR Coordinator pay fell to $41,600, well below the national median of $50,460.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Vigo County unemployment rate: 3.9% — September 2026, up from 3.7% in August
- Manufacturing employment growth: +9.09% — Vigo County, year-over-year
- Professional/technical services growth: +24.23% — Vigo County, year-over-year
- Labor force participation rate: 63.1% — Indiana vs 61.8% national
Key takeaways
HRIS Analyst pay is diverging sharply from the national pattern.
Metro median advertised pay for HRIS Analyst sits at $107,642, running well above the $95,000 national median and marked as a significant local increase. Current conditions suggest this reflects employers absorbing systems and data demands internally as HR headcount stays lean — a role worth benchmarking against local movement, since national figures have held steady.
Coordinator and recruiter pay compression signals a local-national split.
HR Coordinator advertised pay fell significantly to $41,600 locally while the national median climbed to $50,460; Recruiter followed a similar pattern, down to $53,990 against a stable $67,234 nationally. This divergence may reflect softer entry-level hiring demand in Terre Haute even as national markets for these functions tighten — organizations should evaluate whether local pay levels still clear the bar for attracting qualified entry-level HR talent.
Labor force participation gives Terre Haute a planning edge.
Indiana's 63.1% labor force participation rate, 130 basis points above the national 61.8%, is consistent with a more stable regional candidate pipeline than peer metros face. That advantage narrows the urgency some national headlines suggest, but does not offset wage pressure in growth sectors like manufacturing and professional services.
Median advertised pay by role — Terre Haute, IN MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation Analyst * | $75,268 | $99,285 | $108,311 | Significant increase | $100,798 |
| HR Business Partner | $60,029 | $84,181 | $93,204 | Significant increase | $83,900 |
| Benefits Manager * | $75,546 | $108,543 | $124,974 | Significant increase | $118,618 |
| HRIS Analyst * | $72,042 | $107,642 | $112,401 | Significant increase | $95,000 |
| HR Coordinator | $38,206 | $41,600 | $46,800 | Significant decline | $50,460 |
| Recruiter | $39,520 | $53,990 | $82,601 | Significant decline | $67,234 |
| Payroll Specialist * | $48,035 | $60,000 | $63,441 | Stable | $61,103 |
* 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
Local market conditions
Vigo County unemployment held at 3.9% in September, a touch above the metro's August reading of 3.7%, as nonfarm payrolls stabilized near 68,400 against a backdrop of manufacturing growth (Vigo County manufacturing employment up 9.09% year-over-year) and continued expansion in professional and technical services (+24.23%). Metro wages remain structurally below national levels — average wage $25.67 versus national averages well above $30 — even as advertised pay for specialized HR and technical roles locally is climbing faster than national counterparts, suggesting employers are paying a premium to secure scarce expertise in a thin labor pool.
What it means
Manufacturing strength and professional/technical services growth mean HR leaders in those sectors face increasing competition for skilled talent even as overall metro unemployment sits near historic lows, while employers tied to flat or declining sectors (retail trade, logistics) may find more passive candidate availability. Several metro-advertised HR role rates are moving sharply against national trends — some up significantly, others down — which points to volatility specific to this market in how local employers value these functions. Consider reviewing compensation structures for roles tied to manufacturing and technical growth sectors against current advertised pay, treating prior-year benchmarks as secondary, since the gap between metro and national movement is widening in both directions.
Looking ahead
Worth watching: Indiana's unemployment uptick to 3.4% came from labor force shrinkage, a sign of workers exiting the labor force — watch whether Terre Haute sees a similar pattern, which would point to discouraged workers leaving the workforce as the driver rather than a softening labor market.
Emerging pressure point: Manufacturing and professional/technical services are the metro's clear growth engines; continued double-digit growth in professional/technical services (+24.23% year-over-year) could pull HR and administrative talent out of smaller local employers.
Early indicator: Statewide WARN filings are down 11% year-over-year, but Indiana's manufacturing sector still accounts for the most notices (24 of them). Terre Haute employers should monitor regional filings for signs of released manufacturing talent entering the local pool.
Potential inflection point: Diverging movement in advertised pay for HR Coordinator and Recruiter roles locally versus nationally may widen further; a reversal in either direction over the next two reporting cycles would clarify whether this is a temporary dip or a structural repricing of entry-level HR work in the metro.
Sources
- Federal Reserve Economic Data / BLS — Vigo County unemployment rate at 3.9% in September 2026
- Hoosiers by the Numbers — Manufacturing employment in Vigo County grew 9.09% year-over-year
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Terre Haute MSA average wage of $25.67 and median wage of $21.57
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — Indiana labor force participation rate of 63.1% vs national 61.8%
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Indiana WARN notices down 11% in 2026, manufacturing leading at 24 notices
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development — Indiana unemployment rose to 3.4% in September due to labor force shrinkage
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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