New Jersey Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in New Jersey account for 8.43% of the total output in the state, employing 5.95% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $52.70 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 247,000 manufacturing employees in New Jersey in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $92,097.28 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$52.70
(Percent share of total gross state product)
8.43%
Manufacturing Firms in New Jersey (2016)
7,001

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
247,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
5.95%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$92,097.28
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$55,344.89

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

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New Jersey Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive New Jersey’s economy, with $30.98 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $13.53 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 20.20% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 92.00% percent of all exporters in New Jersey.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2018)
$30.98
(Percent share of total goods exports)
86.86%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
8.50%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
123,265
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
20.20%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
92.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$13.53
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
43.67%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$9.46
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
30.55%
Canada
21.33%
Mexico
9.22%
United Kingdom
4.86%
China
4.80%
Netherlands
4.66%

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.