Minority Business Development Agency

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20230

202-482-2332

www.mbda.gov

Entrepreneurial Parity Offers Greater Economic Impact

Entrepreneurial 

parity is defined 

as reaching 

proportionality 

between the AIAN 

adult population and 

business measures, 

such as number of 

firms, gross receipts, 

and employees. 

Quick Facts a

◊ There are 237,000 American Indian and Alaska 

Native (AIAN)-owned firms in the U.S.

◊ AIAN-owned firms contribute $34.4 billion in 

U.S. economic output and 185,000 jobs per 

year.

◊ AIAN-owned firms with employees average 8 

workers and $1.2 million in annual receipts.

◊ AIAN firms are more concentrated in California, 

Oklahoma, Texas, New York, Florida, Arizona, 

and New Mexico.

a U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Survey of Business Owners, June 2010 

b U.S. Census Bureau, Annual population estimates, June 2010

c U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Survey of Business Owners, September 2006 

d

U.S. Census Bureau, Ownership Characteristics of U.S. Exporting Firms, June 2012

e

University of Georgia, Selig Center for Economic Growth, The Multicultural Economy 2009

American

 Indian/Alaska 

Native Firms

All Minority

Firms

Non-Minority 

Firms

Number of 

firms

237

thousand

5.8

million

20.1

million

Combined gross 

receipts

$34.4

billion

$1.0 

trillion

$9.8 

trillion

Average gross 

receipts

$145.1

thousand

$178

thousand

$488

thousand

Number of firms 

with employees

24

thousand

767

thousand

4.3

million

Combined

receipts of firms 

with employees

$27.5

billion

$860.5 

billion

$9.1 

trillion

Average receipts 

of firms with 

employees

$1.2

million

$1.1

million

$2.1

million

Number of paid 

employees 

185

thousand

5.8

million

50.1 

million

Economic Impact: $34.4 Billion in Revenues and 185,000 Jobs a

0

100

200

300

400

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Entrepreneurial Parity of AIAN-Owned Firms

237

383

Actual Parity

Number of Firms (in thousands)

$ 34

$160

Actual Parity

Gross Receipts (in billions)

185

826

Actual Parity

Paid Employees (in thousands)

a,c

Population Buying Power e

AIAN All Minority Non-Minority

$64.7 billion $2.46 trillion $8.25 trillion

Fact Sheet

American Indian &

Alaska Native-Owned Firms
6%

Industry Sectors of AIAN-Owned Firms

5%

8%

29%

16%

11%

10%

10%

Construction

Healthcare & Social Assistance

Professional, Scientic & 

Technical Services

Administrative Support, Waste

Management & Remediation

Retail

Transportation & Warehousing

Real Estate & Leasing

Other

a

Exports and Global Reach d

◊ AIAN-owned firms that export average $9.6 

million in annual receipts, compared to their nonexporting counterparts who avreage $128,000. 

◊ AIAN-owned firms were more likely to have 

operations established abroad than non-minority 

firms.

◊ Exports represent 2.9 percent of total revenue for 

AIAN-owned exporting companies, compared to 

5.4 percent for all non-minority firms with exports. 

Growth in Number of AIAN-Owned Firms (2002—2007) c

Two percent of AIAN-owned firms are considered highrevenue. These firms generate 67% of the receipts and 

63% of all jobs created by AIAN-owned firms. 

1 to < 2%

0 to < 1%

2 to < 4%

4 to < 8%

8 to < 20%

Suppressed Data

WA

OR

MT ND

MN

WI

NV

ID

WY

SD

IA

CA

AZ

UT

TX

FL

NE

KS CO

NM

AK

OK AR

LA

MI

OH

IN IL

TN

KY

GA

MS

SC

NC

VA

PA

NY

VT

ME

NH

AL

CT

HI

MO

MD

WV

NJ

MA

DE

RI

GROWTH RATES

-5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

AIAN Firms Non-Minority Firms

Gross Receipts

Growth of AIAN-Owned Firms (2002-2007)

Employees

28%

21%

-3.3% -1%

18%

Number of

Firms

9%

a,b

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Firms $1 Million and Above Firms Under $1 Million

Total Receipts Total Employees

33%

67% 63%

37%

High-Revenue AIAN-Owned Firms

(Annual receipts over $1 million)

a

Other sectors include agriculture, utilities, manufacturing, 

wholesale, information, finance & insurance, 

accommodation & food services, and more.

Visit www.mbda.gov for more information about U.S. minority-owned firms.