Connecticut benefits greatly from exports, sending $15.8 billion in goods to overseas markets in 2023. Overall, international trade supports more than 480,000 jobs in the state, with 5,475 businesses exporting – 88% of which are small and medium sized companies.

• In Connecticut, 480,100 jobs were supported by international trade in 2019, representing 20.6% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2020, 5,475 companies exported goods from Connecticut of which 88% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2018, 112,100 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Connecticut exported $15.8 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2023, a 3% increase compared to 2022. Connecticut’s largest markets were:⁵
  • Germany ($2.1 billion)
  • Canada ($2.1 billion)
  • Netherlands ($1.1 billion)
  • United Kingdom ($1.1 billion)
  • Mexico ($1.1 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Connecticut's' economy, totaling $285.8 million in 2020, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $1 billion in exports from 55 companies in Connecticut.⁷

• During 2020, 16,727 international students were enrolled in Connecticut colleges and universities and contributed $698 million to the Connecticut economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 3,606 Peace Corps volunteers from Connecticut have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹¹

1. https://tradepartnership.com/reports/trade-and-american-jobs-the-impact-of-trade-on-u-s-and-state-level-employment-update-2020/
2. https://www.businessroundtable.org/policy-perspectives/trade-international/benefits-of-trade-data
3. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/edb/2019/index.html
4. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/imne1120.pdf
5. https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/state-economy-and-trade-factsheets
6. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx#.U2ERwbQzqX8
7. https://www.exim.gov/customer-map/
8. https://www.opic.gov/sites/default/files/docs/OPIC_local_impact.pdf
9. https://ustda.gov/ustda-success-by-state/
10. https://opendoorsdata.org/fact_sheets/
11. https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-announces-top-volunteer-producing-states-2018/