Wisconsin Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Wisconsin account for 18.79% of the total output in the state, employing 15.89% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $63.31 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 474,000 manufacturing employees in Wisconsin in 2019, with an average annual compensation of $73,245.45 in 2018.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$63.31
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.79%
Manufacturing Firms in Wisconsin (2017)
7,722

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2019)
474,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
15.89%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2018)
$73,245.45
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2018)
$49,313.56

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 $20.42 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. That same year, $11.57 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, 2019)
$20.42
(Percent share of total goods exports)
94.25%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2019)
10.52%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
103,091
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
20.20%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
87.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2019)
$11.57
(Percent of total exports, 2019)
56.67%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (USMCA, 2019)
$9.35
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2019)
45.77%
Canada
30.95%
Mexico
14.82%
China
6.43%
United Kingdom
3.78%
Germany
3.63%

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.