Alabama Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Alabama account for 17.18% of the total output in the state, employing 13.08% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $37.98 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 267,000 manufacturing employees in Alabama in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $69,264.97 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$37.98
(Percent share of total gross state product)
17.18%
Manufacturing Firms in Alabama (2016)
3,703

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
267,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
13.08%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$69,264.97
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$54,178.16

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau

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Alabama Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Alabama’s economy, with $19.13 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $8.31 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 25.30% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 81.00% percent of all exporters in Alabama.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2018)
$19.13
(Percent share of total goods exports)
89.59%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
49.46%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
91,978
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
25.30%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
81.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$8.31
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
43.47%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$6.55
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
34.24%
Canada
21.14%
China
15.51%
Mexico
13.10%
Germany
12.51%
India
3.55%

Sources: International Trade Administration, U.S. Census Bureau

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Additional Trade Facts

  • The 20 U.S. FTA partners purchased nearly 49 percent ($679.46 billion) of U.S. manufactured goods exports in 2018 – even though these countries represent only six percent of the world’s population and 10 percent of GDP.
  • FTA countries: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Peru, Singapore and South Korea.