Workforce & Education

WORK-READY, WILLING AND ABLE

Muskogee is home to boundless advantages that make it an ideal destination for business operations, but the greatest one of all is our people. Our skilled talent — and our unwavering commitment to developing it — has earned Muskogee a reputation as a highly-qualified, well-trained workforce who still takes pride in its work.

As a certified Center for Workforce Excellence by the State of Oklahoma, we know that education and state-of-the-art industrial training are at the heart of any sustainable talent pipeline. This is made evident by our game-changing local talent incentives and our region’s robust network of two and four-year colleges that are committed to providing quality, accessible educational opportunities to more than 13,800 students.

Whether you’re looking for a pool of skilled talent or customized training solutions, Muskogee has the workforce development resources to push your business to the next level.

513,200+

Oklahomans Employed within the Region

238,000+

Oklahomans with an Associates Degree or Higher within 60 Miles

24

Post-Secondary Institutions within 60 Miles

2,140+

Post-Secondary Programs Offered within 60 Miles

13,800+

Post-Secondary Completions Annually within 60 Miles

RIGHT-TO-WORK

State with Low Union Participation

AN EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM FOR THE JOBS OF TOMORROW

Our strong community college system and workforce development resources mean customized training and skilled talent is at your fingertips. Anchored by three institutions of higher education and 12,000 annually enrolled students within Muskogee alone, our community is known as a talented, diverse, and abundant workforce that’s ready to meet the demands of Oklahoma’s thriving economy.

MUSKOGEE’S HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS

Port Muskogee leads workforce efforts focused experiential learning and career awareness for Muskogee County students linking employers with their future workforce.

NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

NSU’s Muskogee campus meets the educational needs of about 1,400 students each year through a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees, with a strong focus on organizational leadership and healthcare careers.

CONNORS STATE COLLEGE

Connors State College is a fully accredited two-year college with campuses in Warner and Muskogee Oklahoma. Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science degrees are offered.

BACONE COLLEGE

As a historic American Indian-serving institution, Bacone College provides a quality, holistic, liberal arts educational experience for students in a culturally diverse environment in Muskogee, OK.

ICTC

ICTC offers innovative and affordable training through our full-time career majors, short-term and online courses, and customized business and industry services. We have four convenient campus locations to serve you in Muskogee, Sallisaw, Stilwell, and Tahlequah.

K-12

Muskogee County is home to 14 K-12 public and private school systems graduating approximately 1,300 students annually. Two districts serve the city of Muskogee, including Hilldale PS and Muskogee PS.

OKLAHOMA WORKFORCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

As a designated Oklahoma Center for Workforce Excellence, we serve Muskogee businesses with talent solutions and act as a liaison to coordinate a comprehensive state-approved workforce plan.

The presence of highly-regarded technical schools and a deep pool of existing well-trained talent made Muskogee the easy choice for our operations. This advantage, paired with the strong leadership and partnership we found at the community level, will allow Acme Engineering & Manufacturing to serve the ventilation equipment industry from Oklahoma and around the world.

JULIE BRUMMETT

Acme Engineering & Manufacturing

WORKFORCE DATA

LARGEST MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS IN MUSKOGEE COUNTY

Company	Product	Employees
Georgia-Pacific	Paper Products	760
Dal-Tile	Ceramic Tile	346
Refresco	Beverages	265
Acme Engineering	Ventilation Equipment	298
O-I	Glass Packaging	240
Captive Aire	Ventilation Manufacturing	180
Love Bottling company	Beverages	130
Custom Seating	Fabricated Products	110
Advantage Controls	Advanced Manufacturing	109
Graham Packaging	Food Products	92

LARGEST MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS IN NE OKLAHOMA

Company	Product	Employees
Whirlpool	Household Ranges	1850
NORDAM Group	Aircraft Parts	1800
Aaon, Inc.	Air Conditioning/Heating Units	1600
Amazon Fulfilment Center	Consumer Fulfillment Center	1500
Webco Industries	Tubing Products	1106
Spirit AeroSystems	Aircraft Parts	900
Bama Companies	Frozen Bakery Products	900
Magellan Midstream Partners	Pipeline Transportation	802
Georgia-Pacific	Paper Products	760
Zeeco, Inc.	Industrial Gas Burners	608
Valmont Industries	Iron & Steel Pipe and Tube	600

LABOR SHED AND WAGE RATES

The lower overall cost of doing business in Muskogee, OK compared to other markets has helped establish the region as a premier destination due to the affordability of the local workforce. Businesses considering an expansion or relocation to Muskogee will directly benefit from the area’s competitive wage and salary rates. Boosting a workforce of more than 500,000 and a population over one million in a 60-minute drive time of Muskogee, the average salary across all sectors is currently $49,756 within Muskogee County — well below the national average. Additionally, Muskogee boasts the following workforce advantages:

Median Age 38 in Muskogee county
Median Commute time 21 minutes in the region
Median Housing Price: $150,000 in Muskogee County
70,000 Veterans Employed within the Region

For data on wage and salary rates for workers in Muskogee and the surrounding areas, please contact our team for a detailed comparison.

INCENTIVES

READY. SET. MOVE.

The Port Muskogee’s workforce effort, together with The City of Muskogee Foundation, is investing in talent for Muskogee-area companies. If an organization has a hard-to-fill position within Muskogee County, or creates a new position with the qualifying NAICS codes and pays more than $110% of the 2024 Muskogee average county wage ($49,756), the recruit could be eligible for a one-time $10,000.00 stipend to purchase or build a home in the city limits of Muskogee.

Eligibility & Application

ACCESS OUR WORKFORCE GUIDE

Discover why our access to skilled talent has earned Muskogee a reputation as a highly-qualified, well-trained workforce who still takes pride in its work.