North Carolina Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in North Carolina account for 18.31% of the total output in the state, employing 10.56% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $103.59 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 474,000 manufacturing employees in North Carolina in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $70,701.95 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$103.59
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.31%
Manufacturing Firms in North Carolina (2016)
7,763

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
474,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
10.56%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$70,701.95
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$45,046.08

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

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North Carolina Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive North Carolina’s economy, with $31.06 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $14.22 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 20.60% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 88.00% percent of all exporters in North Carolina.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2018)
$31.06
(Percent share of total goods exports)
94.89%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
34.86%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
146,168
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
20.60%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
88.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$14.22
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
45.80%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$10.17
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
32.74%
Canada
20.92%
Mexico
11.82%
China
6.50%
France
6.13%
Japan
4.96%

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

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Additional Trade Facts

  • The 20 U.S. FTA partners purchased nearly 49 percent ($679.46 billion) of U.S. manufactured goods exports in 2018 – 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.