Minnesota Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Minnesota account for 14.30% of the total output in the state, employing 10.88% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $52.65 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 322,000 manufacturing employees in Minnesota in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $78,202.64 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$52.65
(Percent share of total gross state product)
14.30%
Manufacturing Firms in Minnesota (2016)
6,618

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
322,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
10.88%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$78,202.64
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$53,281.01

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

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Minnesota Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Minnesota’s economy, with $21.17 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $9.17 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 22.40% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 87.00% percent of all exporters in Minnesota.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2018)
$21.17
(Percent share of total goods exports)
93.31%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
23.10%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
89,269
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
22.40%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
87.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$9.17
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
43.34%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$6.32
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
29.84%
Canada
19.22%
Mexico
10.62%
China
10.12%
Japan
6.15%
Germany
5.00%

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.