Facts & Figures

Minnesota’s global competitiveness is growing rapidly, thanks to established market strongholds in North America and throughout Europe, nation-leading initiatives in China and India, and growing business with emerging markets around the world. Exports in manufacturing and other industries support an estimated 204,600 jobs in Minnesota, and generated almost $19 billion in 2010.

Job Creation

Trade supported 741,000 jobs in Minnesota in 2008, or 20.8% of total jobs, up from 10.8% in 1992.¹
Almost one-fifth (19.5%) of all manufacturing workers in Minnesota depended on exports for their jobs.²
In 2008, 97,200 people in Minnesota were employed by U.S. affiliates of companies that are at least 50% foreign-owned.³

Exports and Growth

Minnesota exported $15.5 billion in merchandise to 204 foreign markets in 2009. Minnesota’s largest market in 2009 was Canada ($4.1 billion), followed by China ($1.0 billion), Ireland ($898 million), Japan ($851 million), and Mexico ($729 million).⁴
In 2008, 6,814 companies exported goods from Minnesota. Of these, 88% were small- and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
Agricultural exports are important to Minnesota’s economy, totaling $5.4 billion and supporting about 62,548 jobs in 2008.⁵
Since 2007, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed over $879.6 million in exports from 115 companies in 55 communities in Minnesota.⁶

Education and Research

In 2008–2009, 9,059 Minnesota students studied abroad.⁷
During 2009–2010, 11,550 international students were enrolled in Minnesota colleges and universities and contributed $276.3 million to the Minnesota economy.⁸

Global Engagement

Since 1961, 5,847 Peace Corps volunteers from Minnesota have served in dozens of countries overseas.⁹
Support from U.S. government grants and contracts to private voluntary organizations engaged in foreign assistance and development in Minnesota totaled over $30 million in 2008.¹⁰

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/
http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/WTO/states.html
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/