South Carolina Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in South Carolina account for 16.81% of the total output in the state, employing 11.72% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $38.73 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 256,000 manufacturing employees in South Carolina in 2019, with an average annual compensation of $74,784.32 in 2018.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$38.73
(Percent share of total gross state product)
16.81%
Manufacturing Firms in South Carolina (2017)
3,429

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2019)
256,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
11.72%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2018)
$74,784.32
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2018)
$41,830.47

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

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South Carolina Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive South Carolina’s economy, with $40.80 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. That same year, $11.03 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 29.90% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 85.00% percent of all exporters in South Carolina.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2019)
$40.80
(Percent share of total goods exports)
98.43%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2019)
107.00%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
153,520
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
29.90%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
85.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2019)
$11.03
(Percent of total exports, 2019)
27.03%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (USMCA, 2019)
$6.14
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2019)
15.06%
China
15.81%
Germany
10.92%
Canada
9.72%
united Arab Emirates
5.81%
Japan
5.53%

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.