How many sign shops are in Minnesota, and what do they pay?
Where Minnesota sits in the state ranking
| # | State | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Indiana | 1,793 | $54,526 | |
| 19 | Washington | 1,334 | $65,913 | |
| 20 | Minnesota | 2,053 | $67,675 | |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 2,311 | $67,913 | |
| 22 | Alabama | 1,523 | $57,419 |
Every state's shop count, ranked, is on the home page. The most shops: Texas with 748. U.S. total: 7,672 shops, 76,766 employees, $65,386 average pay.
Sign shops in Minnesota since 2014
Minnesota had 147 sign shops in 2014 and 148 in 2025, 1 more. Average pay moved from $51,536 to $67,675, up 31.3%. Every state's pay, ranked, is on the sign maker salary page.
| Year | Sign shops | Employees | Weekly pay | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 148 | 2,053 | $1,301 | $67,675 |
| 2024 | 147 | 2,119 | $1,241 | $64,525 |
| 2023 | 149 | 2,224 | $1,204 | $62,628 |
| 2022 | 150 | 2,153 | $1,162 | $60,436 |
| 2021 | 144 | 1,892 | $1,086 | $56,489 |
| 2020 | 154 | 1,909 | $1,052 | $54,704 |
| 2019 | 158 | 2,379 | $1,030 | $53,569 |
| 2018 | 159 | 2,211 | $1,066 | $55,450 |
| 2017 | 151 | 2,115 | $1,056 | $54,904 |
| 2016 | 152 | 2,089 | $1,066 | $55,433 |
| 2015 | 146 | 2,036 | $1,025 | $53,288 |
| 2014 | 147 | 1,911 | $991 | $51,536 |
Sign shops by metro area in Minnesota
The largest metro areas touching Minnesota, from the BLS 2024 metro figures, the latest year published for metro areas. A metro area that crosses a state line is counted whole. "Concentration" compares sign shops' share of the area's private employers with their share nationally (1.00× = the national share).
| Metro area | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis areaMinnesota, Wisconsin | 84 | — | — | 1.22× |
| St. Cloud area | 9 | — | — | 2.47× |
| Fargo areaNorth Dakota, Minnesota | 8 | — | — | 1.16× |
| Sioux Falls areaSouth Dakota, Minnesota | 8 | — | — | 0.95× |
| Duluth areaMinnesota, Wisconsin | 4 | — | — | 0.83× |
| Grand Forks areaNorth Dakota, Minnesota | 4 | — | — | 1.67× |
| Rochester area | 4 | — | — | 1.06× |
| La Crosse areaWisconsin, Minnesota | 2 | — | — | 0.66× |
| Mankato area | 2 | — | — | 1.06× |
Every metro area, ranked by sign shops.
Putting up a sign in Minnesota
What these shops charge is set by the square foot for most sign types, with materials, finishing and installation on top. For a sense of the going rate, PrinterFlo's sign price calculator prices a sign or banner by size and material in two clicks; the pay figures above are what that revenue supports.
Common questions
How many sign shops are in Minnesota?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 148 sign manufacturing establishments in Minnesota in 2025 (annual average, private employers), ranking Minnesota 20 of 51 states. Together they employed 2,053 people, about 13.9 per shop.
How much do sign makers make in Minnesota?
Average annual pay across Minnesota's sign shops was $67,675 in 2025, 4% above the U.S. sign industry average of $65,386. That is total payroll divided by employment, so it blends fabricators, designers, installers and owners on payroll.
What counts as a sign shop in these figures?
An establishment with payroll classified under NAICS 339950, Sign Manufacturing: businesses whose main activity is making signs, including electric and non-electric signs, channel letters, printed banners and vehicle graphics. Print shops, engravers and installation contractors classified under other codes are not included, and neither are owner-only shops with no employees.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), annual averages, private ownership, NAICS 339950 Sign Manufacturing, Minnesota, 2014 to 2025 annual averages (metro areas 2024), read September 24, 2026. Average pay = total annual wages ÷ annual average employment. Ranks computed from the 51 states with a published establishment count.