Wisconsin Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Wisconsin account for 18.79% of the total output in the state, employing 15.99% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $63.31 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 475,000 manufacturing employees in Wisconsin in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $71,226.21 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$63.31
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.79%
Manufacturing Firms in Wisconsin (2016)
7,737

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
475,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
15.99%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$71,226.21
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$47,547.20

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

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Wisconsin Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Wisconsin’s economy, with $21.24 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $11.84 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 87.00% percent of all exporters in Wisconsin.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2018)
$21.24
(Percent share of total goods exports)
93.52%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
14.92%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
103,091
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
20.20%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
87.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$11.84
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
55.75%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$9.62
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
45.28%
Canada
30.76%
Mexico
14.52%
China
7.41%
Germany
3.76%
United Kingdom
3.34%

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.