Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States
United States: Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment was 9.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States, 2003–2025
Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States is 9.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States peaked at 12.9% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 2025.
That places United States 82nd out of 152 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 12.9% | — |
| 2004 | 12.5% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 11.8% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 11.6% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 10.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 11.0% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 11.0% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 10.7% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 10.4% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 10.4% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 10.1% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 9.9% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 9.9% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 9.7% | -3.5% |
| 2025 | 9.6% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.0% | 10.8% | 12.9% | 7 |
| 2010s | 10.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States?
- Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United States was 9.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 12.9% in 2003.
- What is the lowest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 2025.
- How does United States rank for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment?
- United States ranks 82nd out of 152 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment - 13th ICLS (%).