Colorado’s central location within the U.S., its supportive business climate, highly trained workforce, and its broad array of local products make exports an ideal path to economic growth. Colorado businesses exports over $28 billion worth of goods and services annually. Overall, Colorado's international engagement supports more than 820,000 jobs in the state.

• In Colorado, 820,000 jobs were supported by trade, representing 20.0% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2023, 5,563 companies exported goods from Colorado, of which 87% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2022, 126,600 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Colorado exported $28 billion in goods and services to foreign markets in 2023. ⁵
  • Canada ($3.5 billion)
  • Mexico ($2.6 billion)
  • Ireland ($1.8 billion)
  • China ($1.7 billion)
  • Switzerland ($1.6 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Colorado's economy, totaling $1.9 billion annually, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $774 million in exports from 76 companies in Colorado.⁷
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $152 million in exports from Colorado companies.⁹

• From 2023-2024, 10,363 international students were enrolled in Colorado colleges and universities, contributing $404 million to the Colorado economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 7,522 Peace Corps volunteers from Colorado 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/