United States Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in the United States account for 11.39% of the total output in the state, employing 8.51% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $2,334.60 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 12.8 million manufacturing employees in the United States in 2019, with an average annual compensation of $87,185.18 in 2018.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$2,334.60
(Percent share of total gross state product)
11.39%
Manufacturing Firms in the United States (2017)
248,039

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2019)
12.8 million
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
8.51%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2018)
$87,185.18
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2018)
$69,078.08

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

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United States Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive the United States’ economy, with $1,365.31 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. That same year, $659.49 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. Small businesses comprised 96.60% percent of all exporters in the United States.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2019)
$1,365.31
(Percent share of total goods exports)
82.99%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2019)
23.97%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
96.60%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2019)
$659.49
(Percent of total exports, 2019)
48.30%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (USMCA, 2019)
$483.82
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2019)
35.44%
Canada
18.56%
Mexico
16.87%
China
6.41%
Japan
4.15%
United Kingdom
3.97%

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.