Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 

by Chris Rasmussen and Martin Johnson 

Office of Competition and Economic Analysis 

October 2012 

Manufacturing and Services Economics Briefs are produced by the Office of Competition and Economic Analysis of 

the International Trade Administration’s Office of Manufacturing and Services. A complete list of reports, along 

with links to other trade data and analysis, is available at www.trade.gov/mas/ian. 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

ii Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Acknowledgments 

We appreciate the helpful comments that we received from Joseph Flynn, Richard Graham, Sam 

Greenblatt, Elizabeth Schaefer, and members of the Working Group on Analysis and Data of the 

Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. All remaining errors are our own. 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 iii 

Contents 

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... ii

Contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ v

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1

2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 1

3. Jobs Supported by Exports.......................................................................................................... 2

4. Industry Jobs Supported by Exports ........................................................................................... 5

5. Industry Jobs Supported by Goods Exports .............................................................................. 10

6. Industry Jobs Supported by Services Exports ........................................................................... 13

References ..................................................................................................................................... 16

Appendix A. Jobs Supported by Exports: Value Relationships ................................................... 17

Appendix B. Jobs Supported by Exports: Original versus Revised .............................................. 19

Appendix C. Revised Projection Estimation ................................................................................ 21

Tables 

Table 1. Value of Exports and Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2010 ........................................ 5

Table 2. Share and Number of Industry Jobs Supported by Exports, 2010 .................................... 6

Table 3. Top 10 Jobs Supporting Goods Exports, 2010 ............................................................... 12

Table 4. Top 10 Jobs Supporting Goods Exports: 1993, 2000, 2010 ........................................... 13

Table A1. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Exports and Value of Exports to Support One Job, 

1993–2011..................................................................................................................................... 17 

Table B1. Jobs Supported by Exports: Original and Revised, 1993–2010 ................................... 20 

Table C1. Revised Estimation Results .......................................................................................... 21 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

iv Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Figures 

Figure 1. Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 .......................................................................... 3

Figure 2. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Exports, 1993–2011 ..................................................... 3

Figure 3. Exports’ Share of GDP and Employment, 1993–2011 ................................................... 4

Figure 4. Industry Shares of Total Jobs Supported by Exports, 2010 ............................................ 7

Figure 5. Share of Export-Supported Jobs: Manufacturing and Professional and Business 

Services, 1993–2010 ....................................................................................................................... 8

Figure 6. Exports-Supported Jobs as a Share of Industry Employment, 2010 ............................... 9

Figure 7. Share of Export-Supported Jobs: Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Professional and 

Business Services, 1993–2010 ...................................................................................................... 10

Figure 8. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports, 1993–2010 ............................................................. 10

Figure 9. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Goods Exports, 1993–2010 ....................................... 11

Figure 10. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports by Industry, 2010 ................................................. 12

Figure 11. Jobs Supported by Services Exports, 1993–2010........................................................ 14

Figure 12. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Services Exports, 1993–2010 .................................. 14

Figure 13. Jobs Supported by Services Exports by Industry, 2010 .............................................. 15

 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 v 

Executive Summary 

Jobs supported by exports increased to 9.7 million in 2011, up 0.6 million from 2010 and 

1.2 million from 2009. Indeed, in the years since 1993, only 2008 saw a larger number: 9.8 

million jobs supported by exports. 

In 2011, $1 billion of exports supported 5,080 jobs, down 760 jobs per $1 billion of 

exports from 2008. Increases in labor productivity and export prices continue to reduce the 

number of jobs supported by $1 billion of exports. In 2010, the latest year for which 

disaggregated sectoral information is available, $1 billion of goods exports supported about 

6,100 jobs, and $1 billion of services exports supported about 4,300 jobs, compared to 5,500 jobs 

supported by $1 billion of total exports. 

In 2010, jobs in the manufacturing sector accounted for 2.9 million, or almost a third, of 

the 9.1 million jobs supported by exports. Goods exports accounted for 96 percent of those 

export-supported jobs. Moreover, manufacturing jobs supported by exports accounted for 25 

percent of all jobs in the manufacturing sector. Of total manufacturing jobs, the share supported 

by exports has been increasing over the years. 

In 2010, the private services sector accounted for 5.4 million export-supported jobs. Most 

of these jobs—57 percent—arose indirectly from exports of goods rather than services. Of total 

private services jobs, the share supported by exports has also been increasing, but at a lower rate 

than the increase in the share of manufacturing jobs supported by exports in total manufacturing 

jobs. 

 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

vi Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

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International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 1 

1. Introduction 

U.S. exports reached all-time highs in 2011, both in dollars ($2.1 trillion) and as a share 

of the U.S. economy (13.9 percent). As economic growth in many emerging and developing 

economies outpaces U.S. economic growth and the U.S. share of the world economy diminishes, 

world markets will likely continue to increase their importance to U.S. business. Exports not 

only introduce U.S. businesses to faster-growing world markets, but also provide substantial 

benefits in the United States. 

Riker (2010) estimates that workers in export-intensive manufacturing industries earn 18 

percent more, on average, than comparable workers in other manufacturing industries. Similarly, 

Riker and Thurner (2011b) estimate that workers in export-intensive services industries earn 15 

to 20 percent more than comparable workers in other services industries. In addition, Riker and 

Thurner (2011a) demonstrate that U.S. manufacturers can find increased revenue stability and 

reduced volatility through overseas sales. 

In this brief, we demonstrate the importance of exports to U.S. employment. We present 

new estimates of jobs supported by exports from 1993 to 2011. These estimates use newly 

released data (1993–2010) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Note that estimates for 

2011 are projections obtained by using the methodology described in Johnson (2011). In 

addition, we present estimates of jobs supported by exports by industry, by goods exports, and by 

services exports from 1993 to 2010. 

2. Methodology 

This study takes the same approach as Tschetter (2010) in calculating jobs supported by 

exports from historical input–output data and the same approach as Johnson (2011) in projecting 

jobs supported by exports for years when historical input–output data are not available. As in 

those previous studies, the methodology rests on average relationships between the value of 

goods and services in the economy, the value of inputs used in their production, and the value of 

transportation and other marketing services required to bring goods and services to buyers. 

The study departs from Tschetter (2010) by using the full series of updated input–output 

data from the BLS for 1993–2008 and new BLS data for 2009–10. BLS improved its input–
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

2 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

output data by using the 2002 Economic Census, which was not available when the original data 

were published, and by using yearly input–output data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis 

(BEA). BEA’s yearly data are at a higher level of aggregation than BLS’s data, and BEA uses 

yearly survey information in non–Economic Census years. The revised data lead to differences 

between Tschetter’s (2010) estimates and the estimates presented here for 1993–2008. Appendix 

B discusses these differences and other contributing factors in more detail. 

The projection approach is used for 2011 because input–output data are not available for 

that year. The equation for projecting the value of exports to support one job was revised to 

reflect the updated estimates in this brief as well as the addition of two more years of data (for 

2009 and 2010). Appendix C presents the updated formula for projecting the percentage change 

in the value of exports to support one job from the observed percentage changes in labor 

productivity and the price of exports. 

3. Jobs Supported by Exports 

U.S. exports of goods and services supported an estimated 9.7 million jobs in 2011, the 

second-highest number over the period 1993–2011, 1993 being the first year for which data are 

available for this analysis. Between 1993 and 2011, jobs supported by exports increased by 27.6 

percent, from 7.6 million to 9.7 million jobs (Figure 1). 

Another way to look at the data is to calculate the number of jobs supported by $1 billion 

of exports. From 1993 to 2011, the number of jobs supported by $1 billion of exports fell nearly 

60 percent, from 12,086 to 5,080 jobs (Figure 2). This number represents a compound annual 

rate decrease of 4.7 percent per year. According to BEA, export prices increased 26.9 percent 

over this period. Hence, three-quarters of the 60 percent decrease in jobs supported by $1 billion 

of exports is accounted for by increases in labor productivity associated with exporting. See 

Appendix A for a discussion of the inverse ratio—the value of exports to support one job—

which is used to project jobs supported by exports in years when the input–output data are not 

available. 

 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 3 

Figure 1. Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011

In 2011, $2.1 trillion of exports supported 9.7 million jobs. 

Source: International Trade Administration (ITA) calculations from BLS and BEA data. 

Figure 2. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Exports, 1993–2011 

In 2011, every $1 billion of exports supported more than 5,000 jobs. 

Source: For 1993–2010, ITA calculations from BLS data; for 2011, ITA calculations from BLS, BEA, and Census 

data. 

7.6 7.9

8.6 8.8

9.2 9.0 8.8 9.1

8.5

7.7 7.5 7.7 8.0

8.6 9.3

9.8

8.5

9.1

9.7

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011

Millions of jobs

12,08611,62211,29710,83510,38710,200

9,672

9,144 9,084 8,477

7,979

7,278 6,820 6,487 6,146 5,840 5,998

5,500 5,080

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011

Number of Jobs
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

4 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Exports are an increasingly important part of the U.S. economy. Exports’ share of U.S. 

gross domestic product (GDP) is up 42 percent since 1993, and exports’ share of employment is 

up 11 percent (Figure 3). In 2011, exports accounted for 13.9 percent of GDP, compared to 9.8 

percent in 1993. Of total jobs in the economy, the share supported by exports has also been 

increasing since 2003 but is not significantly different from shares observed in the 1990s. 

Exports’ increasing share of GDP—yet comparatively stable share of total employment—

suggests that labor productivity growth in export sectors and export-supporting sectors has been 

faster than in the rest of the economy. 

Figure 3. Exports’ Share of GDP and Employment, 1993–2011

Since 1993, exports’ share of GDP is up 42 percent, and exports’ share of employment is up 11 percent. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

9.8%

11.5%

11.0%

9.3%

12.9%

13.9%

6.1%

6.8%

6.3%

5.3%

6.6% 6.8%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011

Exports as a share of GDP Jobs supported by exports as a share of overall employment

Share of GDP

Share of employment
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 5 

4. Industry Jobs Supported by Exports 

At a more disaggregated level, our analysis ends at 2010, the most recent year for which 

detailed data are available. In 2010, exports supported 9.1 million jobs, of which 6.6 million 

were supported by goods exports and 2.5 million jobs were supported by services exports (Table 

1). Goods exports accounted for 73 percent of jobs supported by exports but only 66 percent of 

export value. In contrast, services exports accounted for 27 percent of jobs supported by exports 

and 34 percent of export value. By comparison, in 1993, goods exports accounted for 80 percent 

of jobs supported by exports and 71 percent of export value, while services exports accounted for 

about 20 percent of jobs supported by exports and 29 percent of export value. 

Table 1. Value of Exports and Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2010 

In 2010, 6.6 million jobs were supported by goods exports, and 2.5 million jobs were supported by services exports. 

 Value of exports ($ billions) Jobs supported (millions) 

Year Total Goods Services Total Goods Services 

1993 627 448 179 7.6 6.1 1.4 

1994 681 485 196 7.9 6.4 1.5 

1995 761 541 220 8.6 6.9 1.7 

1996 812 578 234 8.8 7.1 1.7 

1997 890 632 258 9.2 7.4 1.8 

1998 885 621 264 9.0 7.2 1.9 

1999 910 627 283 8.8 6.9 1.9 

2000 993 691 303 9.1 7.2 1.9 

2001 930 640 290 8.5 6.6 1.8 

2002 907 610 297 7.7 5.9 1.8 

2003 938 631 307 7.5 5.7 1.8 

2004 1,059 704 355 7.7 5.7 2.0 

2005 1,168 779 389 8.0 5.9 2.0 

2006 1,326 892 434 8.6 6.4 2.2 

2007 1,507 1,005 502 9.3 6.8 2.5 

2008 1,674 1,111 562 9.8 7.1 2.6 

2009 1,422 904 517 8.5 6.0 2.5 

2010 1,649 1,087 562 9.1 6.6 2.5 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Note: The export data reported here are from input–output (I/O) accounts. Exports as reported in I/O accounts are 

smaller than those reported in the National Income and Products Accounts due to adjustments for items such as reimports and re-exports. Totals may not add up because of rounding. 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

6 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Exports can support jobs directly—for example, jobs in the exporting industry. Exports 

can also support jobs indirectly—for example, jobs in industries that produce materials and 

services purchased by exporters. In 2010, jobs in the manufacturing sector accounted for 2.9 

million of the 9.1 million jobs supported by goods and services exports (Table 2). Similarly, jobs 

in the private services sector accounted for nearly 5.4 million the jobs supported by goods and 

services exports. Jobs in goods industries that are supported by exports are mostly supported by 

goods exports. Goods exports also indirectly support a greater number of jobs (3.1 million) in 

services industries than the number of jobs (2.3 million) in services industries that services 

exports support. 

Table 2. Share and Number of Industry Jobs Supported by Exports, 2010 

In 2010, 2.9 million manufacturing jobs were supported by exports, and 5.4 million private services jobs were 

supported by exports. 

Industry of job Share and number jobs supported by 

Share of export supported jobs 

accounted for by goods exports 

(percent) 

Goods exports Services exports Total exports 

Percent Millions Percent Millions Percent Millions 

Agriculture 7.4 0.49 0.2 0.01 5.5 0.50 98 

Mining 1.1 0.07 0.3 0.01 0.9 0.08 88 

Utilities 0.6 0.04 0.3 0.01 0.5 0.05 80 

Construction 1.0 0.06 0.8 0.02 0.9 0.08 75 

Manufacturing 42.7 2.83 4.2 0.10 32.4 2.93 97 

Private services 46.5 3.08 93.2 2.28 59.1 5.36 57 

Government 0.7 0.05 1.0 0.02 0.8 0.07 71 

Total 100 6.60 100 2.50 100 9.10 73 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Note: Totals may not add up because of rounding. Percentages may differ from those implied by values also because 

of rounding. 

In 2010, 32.4 percent of all jobs supported by exports were in the manufacturing sector, 

while 24.5 percent of such jobs were in the professional and business services sector (Figure 4). 

Overall, 59.1 percent of all jobs supported by exports were in private services industries. 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 7 

Figure 4. Industry Shares of Total Jobs Supported by Exports, 2010 

In 2010, the manufacturing sector accounted for nearly a third of jobs supported by exports. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Although more jobs supported by exports are in the manufacturing sector than in any 

other sector, the share of manufacturing jobs in all jobs supported by exports has been declining 

over time, from 41.4 percent in 1993 to 32.4 percent in 2010 (Figure 5). At the same time, the 

professional and business services sector has increased its share of jobs supported by exports 

from 19.0 percent to 24.5 percent. A contributing factor to manufacturing’s decreasing share and 

professional and business services’ increasing share of jobs supported by exports is 

manufacturing’s faster growth in labor productivity. From 1993 to 2011, manufacturing labor 

productivity nearly doubled, while overall nonfarm business labor productivity increased by only 

about 50 percent. 

Manufacturing

32.4%

Professional and business 

services

24.5%

Wholesale trade

10.2%

Transportation and 

warehousing

9.7%

Financial activity

6.8%

Agriculture

5.5%

Leisure and hospitality

3.2%

Information

2.3%

Other industries

5.5%
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

8 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Figure 5. Share of Export-Supported Jobs: Manufacturing and Professional and Business 

Services, 1993–2010 

Manufacturing’s share of export-supported jobs is declining, whereas professional and business services’ share is 

rising. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

The importance of exporting to a sector’s employment can be measured by the share of a 

sector’s jobs that are supported by exports. Exports supported nearly a quarter of the jobs in both 

the manufacturing and the agriculture sectors in 2010 (Figure 6). The indirect importance of 

exports can be seen in the utilities sector. Nearly all utilities output is consumed domestically, 

but nearly 1 in 10 jobs in utilities was supported by exports in 2010. 

41.4%

32.4%

19.0%

24.5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

1993 1997 2001 2005 2009

Manufacturing's share of export-supported jobs

Professional and business services' share of export-supported jobs
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 9 

Figure 6. Exports-Supported Jobs as a Share of Industry Employment, 2010 

In 2010, nearly a quarter of total employment in manufacturing and agriculture was supported by exports. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Over time, jobs in most sectors are becoming more reliant on exports. The two most 

prominent sectors in this regard are manufacturing and agriculture (Figure 7). Even the 

professional and business services sector, which has negligible goods exports, has seen an 

increase in its reliance on goods exports through its sales to goods industries. 

0.2%

0.2%

0.3%

1.1%

2.1%

2.3%

6.2%

6.4%

7.2%

7.4%

8.6%

11.7%

11.9%

16.4%

19.4%

23.3%

24.8%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Retail trade

Ed, health, social services

Government

Construction

Leisure and hospitality

Other private services

Other 

Average

Information

Financial activity

Utilities

Mining

Professional business services

Wholesale trade

Transportation, warehousing

Agriculture

Manufacturing
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

10 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Figure 7. Share of Export-Supported Jobs: Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Professional 

and Business Services, 1993–2010 

Jobs in most sectors are becoming more reliant on exports. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

5. Industry Jobs Supported by Goods Exports 

In 2010, 6.6 million jobs were supported by goods exports, an increase of 600,000 such 

jobs over 2009, but still 500,000 jobs fewer than those supported by goods exports at the 

prerecession peak in 2008 (Figure 8). 

Figure 8. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports, 1993–2010

In 2010, 6.6 million jobs were supported by goods exports. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

18.3%

24.8%

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

199319951997199920012003200520072009

Manufacturing

Percent

15.3%

23.3%

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

199319951997199920012003200520072009

Agriculture

Percent

10.9%

11.9%

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

199319951997199920012003200520072009

Professional and business

services

Percent

6.1 6.4

6.9 7.1 7.4 7.2 6.9 7.2

6.6

5.9 5.7 5.7 5.9

6.4

6.8 7.1

6.0

6.6

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Millions of jobs
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 11 

Over time, productivity gains and price increases have reduced the number of jobs 

supported by $1 billion of goods exports (Figure 9). In 1993, 14,050 jobs were supported by $1 

billion of goods exports, but by 2010, only 6,115 jobs were supported by $1 billion of goods 

exports, a reduction of 56.5 percent. 

Figure 9. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Goods Exports, 1993–2010

In 2010, every $1 billion of goods exports supported more than 6,100 jobs. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

An important contributor to the decrease in the number of jobs supported by $1 billion of 

goods exports is the dominance of manufacturing in jobs supported by exports and 

manufacturing’s above average increase in labor productivity. In 2010, 43 percent of all jobs 

supported by goods exports were manufacturing jobs (Figure 10), and the top six industries 

accounted for 91 percent of all jobs supported by goods exports. Four of the top six industries 

were service industries; this finding reflects how exports of goods support jobs in industries that 

do not produce goods. 

14,050

13,361

12,888

12,396

11,794 11,574

11,027

10,386 10,405

9,725

9,063

8,172

7,655

7,183

6,771 6,446 6,667

6,115

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Number of Jobs
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

12 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Figure 10. Jobs Supported by Goods Exports by Industry, 2010

In 2010, goods exports supported 2.8 million jobs in the manufacturing sector. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

At a more disaggregated level, the top 10 job-supporting goods exports accounted for 2.9 

million, or 44 percent, of jobs supported by goods exports in 2010 (Table 3). The range of values 

of exports to support one job is quite large. Among the top 10, the number of jobs supported by 

$1 billion of exports is smallest for basic chemicals (4,274 jobs per $1 billion of exports) and 

largest for animal slaughtering and processing (10,309 jobs per $1 billion of exports). 

Table 3. Top 10 Jobs Supporting Goods Exports, 2010

In 2010, the top 10 goods exports accounted for 2.9 million (or 44 percent) of jobs supported by goods exports. 

Exports ranked by jobs supported Jobs supported Jobs per $1 billion exports 

Aerospace products and parts 546,000 5,747 

Crop production 478,000 9,009 

Semiconductor and other electronic components 392,000 6,579 

Motor vehicle parts 289,000 6,711 

Basic chemicals 239,000 4,274 

Other general-purpose machinery 226,000 6,993 

Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery 216,000 7,299 

Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments 187,000 6,757 

Animal slaughtering and processing 183,000 10,309 

Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments 166,000 4,695 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

0.26

0.08

0.11

0.17

0.22

0.47

0.49

0.88

1.13

2.83

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Rest

Information

Other private services

Leisure and hospitality

Financial activity

Transportation, warehousing

Agriculture

Wholesale trade

Professional business services

Manufacturing

Millions of jobs
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 13 

The top 10 jobs supporting export sectors have changed little since 1993, although their 

relative rankings have changed (Table 4). Eight of the 10 industries were in the top 10 in 1993, 

2000, and 2010. Only animal slaughtering and processing and resin, synthetic rubber, and 

artificial synthetic fibers and filaments were in the top 10 in 2010 but not in 1993 or 2000. They 

ranked 14th and 15th in 1993, and 12th and 13th in 2000, respectively. Computer and peripheral 

equipment manufacturing and motor vehicle manufacturing were in the top 10 in 1993 and 2000. 

In 2010, they dropped out of the top 10 industries, ranking 20th and 14th, respectively. 

Table 4. Top 10 Jobs Supporting Goods Exports, 1993, 2000, 2010

Since 1993, the top 10 jobs supporting exports have remained relatively stable. 

Export 

2010 2000 1993 

Rank Jobs Rank Jobs Rank Jobs 

Aerospace products and parts 1 546,000 2 501,000 2 483,000 

Crop production 2 478,000 5 275,000 4 308,000 

Semiconductor and other electronic components 3 392,000 1 676,000 1 585,000 

Motor vehicle parts 4 289,000 3 407,000 3 367,000 

Basic chemicals 5 239,000 9 198,000 7 201,000 

Other general-purpose machinery 6 226,000 6 219,000 10 191,000 

Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery 7 216,000 10 190,000 9 191,000 

Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments 8 187,000 4 296,000 5 221,000 

Animal slaughtering and processing 9 183,000 12 152,000 14 126,000 

Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments 10 166,000 13 143,000 15 126,000 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

6. Industry Jobs Supported by Services Exports 

In 2010, 2.5 million jobs were supported by services exports. Since 1993, jobs supported 

by services exports increased by 1 million jobs, or by 69 percent (Figure 11). At the same time, 

the number of jobs supported by $1 billion of services exports decreased from 8,090 jobs in 1993 

to 4,351 jobs in 2010 (Figure 12). 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

14 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Figure 11. Jobs Supported by Services Exports, 1993–2010

In 2010, 2.5 million jobs were supported by services exports. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Figure 12. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Services Exports, 1993–2010

In 2010, every $1 billion of services exports supports more than 4,300 jobs. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

1.4

1.5

1.7 1.7

1.8

1.9 1.9 1.9

1.8 1.8 1.8

2.0 2.0

2.2

2.5

2.6

2.5 2.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Millions of jobs

8,090 7,810 7,614

7,294 7,019 7,045 6,745

6,379 6,235 5,978 5,805 5,554

5,193 5,101 4,934 4,680 4,866

4,351

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Number of Jobs
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 15 

Jobs in the professional and business services sector account for 45 percent of all jobs 

supported by services exports (Figure 13). The top three service sectors account for 78 percent of 

all services export jobs. Furthermore, jobs in the top six sectors account for 92 percent of all jobs 

supported by services exports. 

The industry breakdown of jobs supported by services exports is less precise than that for 

jobs supported by goods exports because the underlying trade data for goods is known at greater 

levels of detail and greater certainty than the underlying trade data for services. 

Figure 13. Jobs Supported by Services Exports by Industry, 2010

In 2010, services exports supported 1 million jobs in the professional and business services sector. 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

 

0.09

0.05

0.06

0.10

0.12

0.13

0.40

0.41

1.09

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

Rest

Wholesale trade

Other private services

Manufacturing

Leisure and hospitality

Information

Financial activity

Transportation, warehousing

Professional business services

Millions of Jobs
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

16 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

References 

Johnson, Martin. 2011. “Projected Jobs Supported by Exports, 2009 and 2010.” Manufacturing 

and Services Economics Brief No. 5, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 

Administration, Washington, DC. 

Riker, David. 2010. “Do Jobs in Export Industries Still Pay More? And Why?” Manufacturing 

and Services Economics Brief No. 2, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 

Administration, Washington, DC. 

Riker, David, and Brandon Thurner, 2011a. “The Impact of Exporting on the Stability of U.S. 

Manufacturing Industries.” Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 3, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Washington, DC. 

Riker, David, and Brandon Thurner, 2011b. “Weekly Earnings in Export-Intensive U.S. Services 

Industries.” Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 4, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

International Trade Administration, Washington, DC. 

Tschetter, John. 2010. “Exports Support American Jobs.” International Trade Research Report 

No. 1, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Washington, DC. 

 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 17 

Appendix A. Jobs Supported by Exports: Value Relationships 

There are two commonly used ratios that relate exports to the jobs that they support. The 

first ratio, discussed in Section 2 of this brief, answers this question: How many jobs would be 

supported by $1 billion of exports? The second ratio answers the following question: What value 

of exports is required to support one job? For convenience, the answers to these questions are 

reproduced in Table A1. Since 1993, the value of exports to support one job has increased 138 

percent from $83,000 to $197,000. The two ratios are inverses: as the value of exports to support 

one job increases, the number of jobs supported by $1 billion of exports decreases. 

Table A1. Jobs Supported by $1 Billion of Exports and Value of Exports to Support One 

Job, 1993–2011 

 Jobs supported by $1 billion of exports Value of exports to support 1 job 

Year Total Goods Services Total Goods Services 

1993 12,086 14,050 8,090 $83,000 $71,000 $124,000 

1994 11,622 13,361 7,810 $86,000 $75,000 $128,000 

1995 11,297 12,888 7,614 $89,000 $78,000 $131,000 

1996 10,835 12,396 7,294 $92,000 $81,000 $137,000 

1997 10,387 11,794 7,019 $96,000 $85,000 $142,000 

1998 10,200 11,574 7,045 $98,000 $86,000 $142,000 

1999 9,672 11,027 6,745 $103,000 $91,000 $148,000 

2000 9,144 10,386 6,379 $109,000 $96,000 $157,000 

2001 9,084 10,405 6,235 $110,000 $96,000 $160,000 

2002 8,477 9,725 5,978 $118,000 $103,000 $167,000 

2003 7,979 9,063 5,805 $125,000 $110,000 $172,000 

2004 7,278 8,172 5,554 $137,000 $122,000 $180,000 

2005 6,820 7,655 5,193 $147,000 $131,000 $193,000 

2006 6,487 7,183 5,101 $154,000 $139,000 $196,000 

2007 6,146 6,771 4,934 $163,000 $148,000 $203,000 

2008 5,840 6,446 4,680 $171,000 $155,000 $214,000 

2009 5,998 6,667 4,866 $167,000 $150,000 $205,000 

2010 5,500 6,115 4,351 $182,000 $164,000 $230,000 

2011 5,080 NA NA $197,000 NA NA 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data. 

Note: Totals may not add up because of rounding. Values are different from the analogous values computed from 

Table 1 owing to rounding of values in Table 1. NA = not available. 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

18 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

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International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 19 

Appendix B. Jobs Supported by Exports: Original versus Revised

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released updated input–output data for 

1993–2008 and new input–output data for 2009 and 2010. BLS used the 1997 and 2002 revised 

benchmarks, as well as the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) annual input–output tables for 

1993–2009, to construct revised input–output data for 1993–2009. BLS compiled data from other 

sources to develop estimates for 2010. The new data allow for revised historical calculations of 

jobs supported by exports for 1993–2008 and for historical estimates of 2009 and 2010. 

Until 2004, the old and revised estimates of jobs supported by goods exports and by 

services exports are very similar (Table B1). For many of the years, the estimates—rounded to 

one decimal place in millions—are the same. After 2004, the estimates diverge, reflecting the use 

of both new data from the 2002 Economic Census, which were not available previously, and 

BEA’s yearly input–output data to anchor the more disaggregated input–output tables in non–

Economic Census years. 

The discrepancy in percentage terms between old and revised values is largest for jobs 

supported by services exports. In non–Economic Census years, BEA obtains services exports 

through surveys. As a consequence, BLS had to decide how to apply the survey services export 

data in its disaggregated data. In the original data, BLS assumed that manufacturing’s share of 

services exports was the same in every year. In the revised data, BLS assumed that each 

manufacturing sector’s services exports were proportional to its goods exports. Because the 

manufacturing sector’s share of services exports is small (compared to the services sector share 

of services exports and to the manufacturing sector’s share of goods exports), the total effect is 

small in magnitude but large in percentage terms. 
Manufacturing and Services Economics Brief No. 8 

20 Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 – October 2012

Table B1. Jobs Supported by Exports: Original and Revised, 1993–2010 

 Jobs supported (millions): original Jobs supported (millions): revised 

Year Total Goods Services Total Goods Services 

1993 7.4 6.0 1.4 7.6 6.1 1.4 

1994 7.8 6.3 1.5 7.9 6.4 1.5 

1995 8.6 6.9 1.7 8.6 6.9 1.7 

1996 8.8 7.0 1.7 8.8 7.1 1.7 

1997 9.2 7.4 1.8 9.2 7.4 1.8 

1998 9.0 7.1 1.9 9.0 7.2 1.9 

1999 8.8 6.9 1.9 8.8 6.9 1.9 

2000 9.2 7.2 2.0 9.1 7.2 1.9 

2001 8.5 6.6 1.9 8.5 6.6 1.8 

2002 7.8 5.9 1.9 7.7 5.9 1.8 

2003 7.6 5.7 1.9 7.5 5.7 1.8 

2004 8.0 5.9 2.1 7.7 5.7 2.0 

2005 8.3 6.1 2.2 8.0 5.9 2.0 

2006 9.0 6.6 2.4 8.6 6.4 2.2 

2007 9.5 6.9 2.6 9.3 6.8 2.5 

2008 10.3 7.5 2.8 9.8 7.1 2.6 

2009 NA NA NA 8.5 6.0 2.5 

2010 NA NA NA 9.1 6.6 2.5 

Source: ITA calculations from BLS data and Tschetter (2010). 

Note: Totals may not add up because of rounding. NA = not available. 
International Trade Administration 

Jobs Supported by Exports, 1993–2011 21 

Appendix C. Revised Projection Estimation

The ratio of value of exports to support one job is used to project the number of jobs 

supported by exports for those years when input–output data are not available to perform a 

historical calculation (2011 in this case). Revisions presented here required that the formula to 

project the percentage growth in the value of exports to support one job be revised. The revised 

equation performs slightly better than original (Johnson 2011) in predicting the estimated 

percentage change in the value of exports to support one job (i.e., a slightly higher R-square 

value). Coefficient estimates also changed, but they are significant and of the expected sign. 

Table C1. Revised Estimation Results

 Coefficient Standard error t-stat P-value 

Intercept −0.004 0.0063 −0.65 0.526 

Year-to-year change in export price 1.269 0.1604 7.91 0.000 

Year-to-year change in business labor productivity 1.178 0.2033 5.57 0.000 

Source: IAN calculations and BEA and BLS data for 1993–2010. 

Note: R2 = 0.864. 

 
About the Office of 

Competition and Economic Analysis 

The Office of Competition and Economic Analysis (OCEA), a part of the 

International Trade Administration’s Manufacturing and Services unit, provides 

industry and policy decision makers with information on the impacts of economic 

and regulatory policies on U.S. manufacturing and services industries. Its staff of 

specialists performs in-depth industry analysis on the effects of both domestic and 

foreign policy developments on U.S. business competitiveness. For more 

information or to access other OCEA reports, visit www.trade.gov/mas/ian, or 

contact the office at (202) 482-5145. 

The International Trade Administration’s mission is to create prosperity by strengthening 

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