Michigan’s preeminence in manufacturing and industrial research and development make it the ideal home for export-based industries, and its strategic location offers easy access to Asian, European, and North and South American markets. Michigan exports $81 billion worth of goods and services annually, with international trade supporting more than 1.1 million good-paying Michigan jobs.

• In Michigan, 1,100,000 jobs were supported by trade, representing 20.0% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2023, 13,885 companies exported goods from Michigan, of which 89% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2022, 326,800 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Michigan exported $81 billion in goods and services to foreign markets in 2023. ⁵
  • Canada ($29.8 billion)
  • Mexico ($15.7 billion)
  • China ($3.8 billion)
  • Germany ($2.6 billion)
  • Japan ($2.2 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Michigan's economy, totaling $3.8 billion annually, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $3 billion in exports from 165 companies in Michigan.⁷
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $116 million in exports from Michigan companies.⁹

• From 2023-2024, 38,123 international students were enrolled in Michigan colleges and universities, contributing $1.5 billion to the Michigan economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 7,341 Peace Corps volunteers from Michigan have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹¹

1. https://www.uschamber.com/international/trade-agreements/trade-means-growth-for-america?state=
2. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/edb/edbrel2023.pdf
3. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/imne-1124.pdf
4. https://www.uschamber.com/international/trade-agreements/trade-means-growth-for-america
5. https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/state-trade-and-economy-factsheets
6. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-agricultural-trade-data
7. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-agricultural-trade-data/annual-state-agricultural-exports
8. https://www.exim.gov/customer-map/
9. https://www.mcc.gov/work-with-us/contracts-map
10. https://files.peacecorps.gov/documents/Home_states_of_Peace_Corps_volunteers.pdf
11. https://opendoorsdata.org/fact_sheets/state-fact-sheets/