North Dakota Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in North Dakota account for 7.28% of the total output in the state, employing 5.87% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $4.16 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 24,000 manufacturing employees in North Dakota in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $64,745.85 in 2019.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2019)
$4.16
(Percent share of total gross state product)
7.28%
Manufacturing Firms in North Dakota (2017)
627

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2020)
24,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
5.87%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2019)
$64,745.85
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2019)
$50,738.69

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

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North Dakota Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive North Dakota’s economy, with $3.12 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2020. That same year, $2.82 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 13.90% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 82.00% percent of all exporters in North Dakota.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2020)
$3.12
(Percent share of total goods exports)
60.19%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
9,959
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
13.90%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
82.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2020)
$2.82
(Percent of total exports, 2020)
90.28%
Canada
82.21%
Australia
3.74%
Mexico
3.69%
Germany
1.94%
Brazil
0.89%

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.