Iowa Manufacturing Facts

Manufacturers in Iowa account for 18.79% of the total output in the state, employing 14.08% of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing was $35.74 billion in 2018. In addition, there were an average of 223,000 manufacturing employees in Iowa in 2018, with an average annual compensation of $71,158.70 in 2017.

Manufacturing Output and Firms

Total Manufacturing Output ($billions, 2018)
$35.74
(Percent share of total gross state product)
18.79%
Manufacturing Firms in Iowa (2016)
2,986

Employment and Compensation

Manufacturing Employment (2018)
223,000
(Percent share of nonfarm employment)
14.08%
Average Annual Compensation (Manufacturing, 2017)
$71,158.70
(Nonfarm Businesses, 2017)
$43,576.76

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

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3


Iowa Export Facts

Manufacturers help to drive Iowa’s economy, with $11.94 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2018. That same year, $6.74 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, 2018)
$11.94
(Percent share of total goods exports)
83.38%
Growth in Manufactured Goods Exports (2010–2018)
24.52%
U.S. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports (2016)
58,558
Employment from Manufacturing Exports (Export share of manufacturing jobs, 2011)
24.50%
Small Business Share of Total Exporters (2015)
83.00%
Manufactured Goods to Free Trade Agreement Partners ($billions, 2018)
$6.74
(Percent of total exports, 2018)
47.03%
Total Manufactured Goods Exports to Canada and Mexico (NAFTA, 2018)
$5.48
Top Five Export Markets (Percent of total manufactured goods exports, 2018)
45.84%
Canada
34.37%
Mexico
11.47%
Japan
6.77%
China
4.42%
Germany
3.78%

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

Figure 4

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.