Minority-Owned Firms 

Lead the Nation in Exporting 

1401 Constitution Ave., NW 

Washington, DC 20230 

www.mbda.gov

Minority-Owned Firms Add $1Trillion in Economic Output to U.S. Economy

Minority-Owned 

Firms (2007) 

Annual Gross 

Receipts (2007) 

U.S. Minority Population 

Buying Power (2009) 

5.8 Million Firms $1 Trillion $2.5 Trillion 

 The economy of the U.S. minority population is greater than the 

economies of the United Kingdom ($2.1 trillion), Russia ($2.1 trillion)

and France ($2.1 trillion). 

Minority-Owned Firms Are More Likely 

To Export than Non-Minority Firms 

Minority-Owned Firms Conduct 

Business in a Language 

Other than English

 Minority-owned firms are more likely to export compared to non-minority-owned firms 

regardless of firm size. 

 Among firms generating 50% to 100% of their annual $1million plus sales through exports, 

minority-owned firms were four times (4.2%) as likely to export compared to nonminority firms (1%). 

3.2%

0.8%

4.2%

1.0%

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

$500K to

$999,999 in

Sales

$1 million plus

in S ales

P e rc e n t o f F irm s w ith 5 0 % to 

10 0 % o f S a le s in E xp o rts

9.4%

6.9%

16.6%

13.8%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

$500K to

$999,999

in Sales

$1million

plus in

Sales

P e rc e nt of All Exporte r Firms

Minority

Nonminority

 Minority-owned firms are six times more likely 

(36% of firms) to conduct business in a 

language other than English compared to nonminority-owned firms (6% of firms). 

36%

6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Percent of Firms

Minority-Owned Firms

Non-Minority-Owned Firms

Minority-Owned Firms Have Strong Export Capabilities across Industries 

Minority-Owned Firms Are More Likely To Have Global Operations 

 Minority-owned firms 

operating in 2007 were 

more likely to have 

operations established 

abroad in 14 of 19 

industry sectors 

compared to nonminority firms. 

 Global operations are 

supporting export 

activity. 

Note: The technology sector 

includes firms in IT, broadcasting, 

and telecommunications, among 

other industries. 

14.1%

20.6%

9.5% 9.7%

8.0%

11.4%

3.4% 3.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

Manufacturing Retail trade Technology Educational

services

Percent of Firms

Minority 

Nonminority

5.1%

1.4%

2.4%

1.1%

1.8%

0.7%

1.8%

1.0%

1.6%

1.0%

1.5%

0.8%

1.4%

0.6%

1.4%

0.8%

1.3%

0.4%

0.9%

0.4% 0.6%

0.3%

0.6%

0.2%

0.5%

0.2%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

Wholesale

trade

Technology

Professional,

scientific, &

technical

services

Arts,

entertainm ent,

& recreation

M anufacturing

Transportation

&

warehousing

R etail trade

Educational

servicesFinance &insurance

Admini. &

Support &

Waste M gm t &

R emediation

R eal estate &

rental &

leasing

H ealth care &

social

assistance

C onstruction

Minority Firms Nonminority Firms

 Minority-owned firms in 

Wholesale Trade; 

Professional, Scientific & 

Technical Services; and 

Finance and Insurance

were more likely to export 

compared to non-minority 

firms in those same 

industries. 

 Other top minority-owned 

firms’ exporting sectors 

include Manufacturing, 

Retail Trade, Technology 

and Educational Services. 

32.0%

19.8%

5.9% 4.7% 2.6% 1.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Wholesale trade Professional,

scientific &

technical

services

Finance &

insurance

Percent of Firms

Minority 

Nonminority
< 1%

1% to < 5%

5% to < 15%

15% to < 25%

42 million

 African Americans in the U.S. 

33 milion

Mexican Americans

4.4 million

 Central Americans

961,000

 Colombian Americans

140,000

Chilean Americans

237,000

 Argentinian Americans

362,000

 Brazilian Americans

8.4 million

 Puerto Ricans

1.5 million

 Dominican Americans

695,000

 Spanish Americans

 129,000

 Israeli Americans

260,000

 Nigerian Americans 

3 million

 Asian Indian 

Americans

F

250,000 Thai Americans

1.8 milli

 Vietname

1.7 millio

Korean A

4.1 million 

Chinese Americans

201,000Ethiopian Americans

91,300GhanianAmericans

U.S. Minority-Owned Firms Enhance U.S. Global Competitive 

U.S. Minority Population for Selected Ethnicities (Census, 2010)

Minority-Owned Business Export Activity (Export Import Bank,1992-2009)

965,000

 Jamaican Americans

50.5 million

 Hispanic Americans in the U.S.

5.2 million

 Native Americans in the U.S.

242,000

Venezuelan Americans

600,000

Peruvian Americans

Percent of Minority-Owned Firm Export Activity

 Minority-owned firms’ export activity spanned 41 countries, according to data from the U.S. Export Import Bank on export activity between 1992 and 2

comprehensive of all minority-owned firms’ export activity. 

 Minority-owned firms exported to China, Brazil, India, Colombia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia -- high growth and emerging markets ide

Export Initiative, which calls for doubling U.S. exports in five years. 

 The U.S. minority population continued to grow at a rapid pace. By 2042 minorities will represent the majority of the U.S. population. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimates; 2010 Census Briefs released May 2011 – March 2012. U.S. Census’ An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury (p

2007 Survey of Business Owners, released June 2011. Data on language usage, other than English, to conduct business are MBDA estimates. Data on characteristics for Minority and Non-Minority Firms 

survey and not the universe of firms. About 5.1% of all Minority Firms and 2.7% of all Non-Minority Firms did not know how much of their sales were generated by exports. Statistics for all groups of firms e

entities. Statistics on exports by country are based on U.S. Export Import Bank data on authorized financial transactions where countries were identified between 1992 and 2009. Produced by the Minority