Wisconsin Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Wisconsin account for 18.95% of the total output in the state, employing 16.76% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $66.32 billion in 2021. In addition, there were an average of 486,000 manufacturing employees in Wisconsin in December 2021, with an average annual compensation of $79,864.09 in 2021.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2021)
$66.32
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.95%
Manufacturing Firms in Wisconsin (2019)
7,540

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (December 2021)
486,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
16.76%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2021)
$79,864.09
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2021)
$58,075.50

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

Figure 1

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Wisconsin Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive the Wisconsin economy, with $23.71 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2021.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2021)
$23.71
Top 5 Export Markets (total percentage 2021)
56.81%
Canada
30.33%
Mexico
12.88%
China
6.71%
Germany
3.64%
Brazil
3.25%

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.