Wisconsin Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Wisconsin account for 18.57% of the total output in the state, employing 16.97% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $64.88 billion in 2019. In addition, there were an average of 472,000 manufacturing employees in Wisconsin in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $74,252.23 in 2019.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2019)
$64.88
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.57%
Manufacturing Firms in Wisconsin (2017)
7,722

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2020)
472,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
16.97%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2019)
$74,252.23
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2019)
$50,789.28

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

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Wisconsin Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Wisconsin’s economy, with $19.51 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2020. That same year, $10.75 billion in exports was with our free trade agreement (FTA) partners. This helps create jobs in the state, and 20.20% of its employment stemmed from exports in 2011. Small businesses comprised 87.00% percent of all exporters in Wisconsin.

Manufacturing Exports

Manufactured Goods Exports ($billions, 2020)
$19.51
(Percent share of total goods exports)
95.15%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
103,091
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
20.20%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
87.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2020)
$10.75
(Percent of total exports, 2020)
55.11%
Canada
30.43%
Mexico
12.76%
China
7.53%
Germany
3.63%
Japan
3.36%

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.