Facts & Figures

Connecticut exports support a range of industries and services across the state, from computers to state of the art fuel cells to cereals. Connecticut’s state of the art aerospace and technology companies have seen record levels of export revenue in the past few years, a trend that appears likely to continue due to high demand from Asian markets.

Job Creation

Trade supported 491,600 jobs in Connecticut in 2008, or 22% of total jobs, up from 10.6% in 1992.¹
Almost one-third (29.2%) of all manufacturing workers in Connecticut depended on exports for their jobs.²
In 2008, 104,600 people in Connecticut were employed by U.S. affiliates of companies that are at least 50% foreign-owned.³

Exports and Growth

Connecticut exported $16 billion in merchandise to foreign markets in 2010. Connecticut’s largest market in 2010 was France ($2.2 billion), followed by Canada ($1.6 billion), Germany ($1.3 billion), China ($1.0 billion), and Mexico ($984 million).⁴
In 2008, 5,215 companies exported goods from Connecticut. Of these, 90% were small- and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees. Agricultural exports are important to Connecticut’s economy, totaling $115.8 million in 2008.
Since 2007, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed over $815.45 million in exports from 70 companies in 41 communities in Connecticut.⁵

Education and Research

In 2008–2009, 3,623 Connecticut students studied abroad, a 2.6% increase over the previous academic year.⁶
During 2009–2010, 9,268 international students were enrolled in Connecticut colleges and universities and contributed $288.1 million to the Connecticut economy.⁷

Global Engagement

Since 1961, 29,065 Peace Corps volunteers from Connecticut have served in dozens of countries overseas.⁸
Support from U.S. government grants and contracts to private voluntary organizations engaged in foreign assistance and development in Connecticut totaled $313,150,636 in 2008.⁹

http://businessroundtable.org/uploads/studies-reports/downloads/Trade_and_American_Jobs.pdf
http://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/statereports/
http://www.bea.gov/scb/pdf/2010/11%20November/1110_us_ops.pdf
http://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/statereports/
https://webappsprod01.exim.gov/apps/usmap/usmap.nsf
http://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/Fact-Sheets-by-US-State
http://www.nafsa.org/publicpolicy/default.aspx?id=23158
http://multimedia.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/stats/homestates.pdf
http://www.pvo.net/usaid/