US Manufacturing Statistics 2026
Up-to-date US manufacturing statistics. How many manufacturing companies, manufacturing workers, manufacturing share of GDP, top manufacturing states, average wages, and exports, with primary-source citations.
This page is the working reference for current US manufacturing statistics, organized as direct answers to the questions writers, analysts, and operators most frequently search. Every stat lists a primary source with publication date. The page is refreshed quarterly.
How big is US manufacturing in 2026?
US manufacturing is the largest contributor to the US tradable-goods economy and the world's second-largest manufacturing economy by output, behind China. For every dollar of manufacturing output, the sector generates an additional $2.79 in economic activity across suppliers, services, and downstream industries.
How many manufacturing companies are in the US?
US manufacturing establishments across NAICS 31-33, including single-location firms and multi-location plants.
The Census Bureau's Statistics of US Businesses counts approximately 252,000 manufacturing establishments operating in the United States. Most are small: NAM reports that 98% of US manufacturers have under 500 employees.
How many manufacturing workers are in the US?
US manufacturing employment as of early 2025, the highest level since 2008.
Manufacturing employment climbed in five of the past six years after decades of decline. Approximately 8.5 million of these workers are in production roles, with the remainder in engineering, quality, maintenance, supervisory, and administrative roles within manufacturing establishments.
What is the average manufacturing wage in the US?
Average hourly earnings for US manufacturing production workers in 2025.
Industry-wide average annual compensation for US manufacturing workers, including benefits, per NAM.
Wages have risen sharply over the past five years, reflecting both labor shortage pressure and structural shifts toward higher-skilled roles within the manufacturing workforce.
Which states have the most manufacturing in the US?
| State | Output | % of state GDP | Top sub-sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $363B | 9.4% | Computers / electronics |
| Texas | $305B | 11.1% | Petroleum and chemicals |
| Ohio | $152B | 16.8% | Transportation equipment |
| Indiana | $130B | 26.4% | Transportation equipment |
| Michigan | $128B | 17.7% | Transportation equipment |
| Illinois | $118B | 11.0% | Food and chemicals |
| Pennsylvania | $110B | 10.3% | Food and metals |
| North Carolina | $108B | 14.2% | Chemicals and food |
| Wisconsin | $72B | 17.4% | Machinery |
| Tennessee | $71B | 13.9% | Transportation equipment |
The Midwest has the highest per-capita manufacturing share. Indiana leads on this measure, with manufacturing producing over a quarter of state GDP.
What are the largest US manufacturing sub-sectors?
The three largest sub-sectors (transportation equipment, food manufacturing, computers and electronics) together account for approximately 40% of total US manufacturing value. The full picture is more diverse, with chemicals, machinery, fabricated metals, and petroleum and coal products all contributing significant share.
How much does the US export in manufactured goods?
US manufactured exports in 2024, second-largest globally after China.
The top destinations for US manufactured exports are Canada, Mexico, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Aircraft, semiconductors, refined petroleum products, machinery, and motor vehicle parts dominate the export mix.
How productive is US manufacturing?
Manufacturing labor productivity per worker per year (output per worker, 2023 manufacturing GDP / employment).
Manufacturing labor productivity has grown steadily over the past decade, supported by automation investment, software adoption, and the long-term shift in workforce composition toward more skilled technical roles.
How fast is US manufacturing growing in 2026?
US manufacturing output grew approximately 2.4% in real terms in 2024, with continued growth projected through 2026. Capital spending growth has been the largest driver, supported by the CHIPS Act, IRA, and IIJA industrial policy stack.
How much R&D does US manufacturing perform?
Share of all US private-sector R&D performed by manufacturers, more than any other industry.
US manufacturers spend over $300 billion annually on R&D, the largest share of any private-sector industry. Pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, computers and electronics, transportation equipment, and chemicals lead the R&D spending tables.
What is the manufacturing trade deficit?
US manufactured goods trade deficit in 2024 (imports minus exports for manufactured goods).
While the US is the world's second-largest exporting manufacturing economy, the trade deficit in goods remains large. Computers, electronics, vehicles, and machinery account for the largest share of manufactured imports.
How many manufacturing jobs are open in the US?
US manufacturing job openings as of Q1 2025.
Projected unfilled US manufacturing positions by 2030, per the Deloitte and NAM workforce study.
The structural workforce gap continues to widen as Baby Boomer retirements accelerate. Apprenticeship programs and community college partnerships have expanded but cannot yet fully offset the retirement wave.
What share of US manufacturers are small businesses?
Share of US manufacturing establishments with fewer than 500 employees.
The US manufacturing economy is dominated by small businesses at the establishment level. The combined output and employment, however, concentrates among larger firms. The top 5% of manufacturers by employment generate roughly 60% of manufacturing output.
How much economic activity does each manufacturing dollar generate?
Additional economic activity generated across suppliers, services, and downstream industries for every $1.00 of direct manufacturing output.
Manufacturing has the highest economic multiplier of any major US industry. This is one of the central justifications cited for industrial policy support like the CHIPS Act, IRA, and IIJA.
Where to go for more
For trends and outlook framing, see manufacturing industry trends 2026 and manufacturing industry global challenges 2026. For sector-specific stats, see the aerospace, automotive, medical device, defense, and electronics manufacturing statistics pages. For process-specific stats, see welding, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and injection molding statistics.
For how this data shapes online visibility strategy, read the complete guide to SEO for manufacturers.
Sources
- 01Manufacturing GDP Contribution by Year Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025
- 02Manufacturing Employment, Current Employment Statistics US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
- 03Annual Survey of Manufactures US Census Bureau, 2024
- 04Statistics of US Businesses US Census Bureau, 2024
- 05Manufacturing Industry Profile International Trade Administration, 2024
- 06NAM 2025 Facts About Manufacturing National Association of Manufacturers, 2025
- 07Industry Productivity Statistics US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024