Rhode Island Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Rhode Island account for 7.59% of the total output in the state, employing 8.46% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $5.28 billion in 2021. In addition, there were an average of 41,000 manufacturing employees in Rhode Island in December 2021, with an average annual compensation of $80,640.18 in 2021.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2021)
$5.28
(Percent share of total gross state product)
7.59%
Manufacturing Firms in Rhode Island (2019)
1,233

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (December 2021)
41,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
8.46%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2021)
$80,640.18
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2021)
$59,960.02

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

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Rhode Island Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive the Rhode Island economy, with $2.06 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2021.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2021)
$2.06
Top 5 Export Markets (total percentage 2021)
49.73%
Dominican Republic
15.28%
Canada
14.35%
Mexico
7.04%
China
6.68%
Ireland
6.38%

Sources: International Trade Administration, U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 4

Additional Trade Facts

  • The 20 U.S. FTA partners purchased 49.38% ($690.92 billion) of U.S. manufactured goods exports in 2021 – 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.