Manufacturing Output and Firms
Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2019)
$54.46
(Percent share of total gross state product)
14.46%
Manufacturing Firms in Tennessee (2017)
5,229
Tennessee Manufacturing Facts
Manufacturers in Tennessee account for 14.46% of the total output in the state, employing 10.96% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $54.46 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 334,000 manufacturing employees in Tennessee in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $71,751.48 in 2019.
Employment and Compensation
Manufacturing Employment (2020)
334,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
10.96%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2019)
$71,751.48
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2019)
$45,578.26
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau
Figure 1
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Figure 3
Tennessee Export Facts
Manufacturers help to drive Tennessee’s economy, with $26.49 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2020. That same year, $12.56 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 22.80% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 83.00% percent of all exporters in Tennessee.
Manufacturing Exports
Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2020)
$26.49
(Percent share of total goods exports)
94.15%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
139,681
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
22.80%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
83.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2020)
$12.56
(Percent of total exports, 2020)
47.43%
Canada
21.71%
Mexico
12.20%
China
8.86%
Japan
6.68%
Netherlands
5.70%
Sources: International Trade Administration, U.S. Census Bureau
Figure 4
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.