Minnesota Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Minnesota account for 13.55% of the total output in the state, employing 11.36% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $52.01 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 310,000 manufacturing employees in Minnesota in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $80,899.60 in 2019.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2019)
$52.01
(Percent share of total gross state product)
13.55%
Manufacturing Firms in Minnesota (2017)
6,541

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2020)
310,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
11.36%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2019)
$80,899.60
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2019)
$56,053.26

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

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Minnesota Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Minnesota’s economy, with $18.84 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2020. That same year, $8.63 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 22.40% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 87.00% percent of all exporters in Minnesota.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2020)
$18.84
(Percent share of total goods exports)
93.82%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
89,269
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
22.40%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
87.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2020)
$8.63
(Percent of total exports, 2020)
45.82%
Canada
23.13%
China
11.16%
Mexico
9.89%
Japan
5.89%
South Korea
4.87%

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.