Kentucky Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Kentucky account for 18.56% of the total output in the state, employing 13.07% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $38.67 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 255,000 manufacturing employees in Kentucky in 2019, with an average annual compensation of $72,614.25 in 2018.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$38.67
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.56%
Manufacturing Firms in Kentucky (2017)
3,234

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2019)
255,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
13.07%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2018)
$72,614.25
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2018)
$44,145.15

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

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Kentucky Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Kentucky’s economy, with $32.64 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. That same year, $12.32 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 23.50% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 79.00% percent of all exporters in Kentucky.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2019)
$32.64
(Percent share of total goods exports)
98.61%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2019)
73.81%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
134,457
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
23.50%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
79.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2019)
$12.32
(Percent of total exports, 2019)
37.75%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (USMCA, 2019)
$5.98
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2019)
31.80%
Canada
23.52%
France
10.71%
United Kingdom
10.70%
Brazil
8.03%
Mexico
6.66%

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

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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.