Nebraska Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Nebraska account for 11.48% of the total output in the state, employing 9.68% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $14.12 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 100,000 manufacturing employees in Nebraska in 2019, with an average annual compensation of $66,300.91 in 2018.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$14.12
(Percent share of total gross state product)
11.48%
Manufacturing Firms in Nebraska (2017)
1,565

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2019)
100,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
9.68%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2018)
$66,300.91
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2018)
$45,866.59

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

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Nebraska Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Nebraska’s economy, with $5.96 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. That same year, $2.94 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 15.90% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 81.00% percent of all exporters in Nebraska.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2019)
$5.96
(Percent share of total goods exports)
79.89%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2019)
29.57%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
32,059
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
15.90%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
81.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2019)
$2.94
(Percent of total exports, 2019)
49.30%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (USMCA, 2019)
$2.02
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2019)
33.84%
Canada
21.29%
Japan
13.59%
Mexico
12.56%
South Korea
7.87%
China
5.27%

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

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Additional Trade Facts

  • The 20 U.S. FTA partners purchased 48.3% ($659.49 billion) of U.S. manufactured goods exports in 2019 – 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.