Iowa Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Iowa account for 17.36% of the total output in the state, employing 14.90% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $33.80 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 226,000 manufacturing employees in Iowa in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $72,750.57 in 2019.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2019)
$33.80
(Percent share of total gross state product)
17.36%
Manufacturing Firms in Iowa (2017)
2,964

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2020)
226,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
14.90%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2019)
$72,750.57
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2019)
$45,761.86

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

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Iowa Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Iowa’s economy, with $11.73 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2020. That same year, $5.68 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 24.50% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 83.00% percent of all exporters in Iowa.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2020)
$11.73
(Percent share of total goods exports)
86.67%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
58,558
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
24.50%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
83.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2020)
$5.68
(Percent of total exports, 2020)
51.82%
Canada
30.12%
Mexico
11.86%
China
9.14%
Japan
8.24%
Germany
5.37%

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.