Minnesota’s global competitiveness is growing rapidly thanks to its established presence in markets in North America and Europe, initiatives in China and India, and growing business in emerging markets throughout the world. Minnesota's exports generate about $41 billion annually, supporting more than 750,000 good-paying Minnesotan jobs. As a leading agricultural state, Minnesota exports $8.3 billion in agricultural products each year.

• In Minnesota, 750,000 jobs were supported by trade, representing 20.0% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2023, 7,946 companies exported goods from Minnesota, of which 85% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2022, 164,200 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Minnesota exports about $41 billion in goods and services to overseas markets each year. ⁵
  • Canada ($8.3 billion)
  • China ($4.2 billion)
  • Mexico ($4.1 billion)
  • Ireland ($1.9 billion)
  • Japan ($1.9 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Minnesota's economy, totaling $8.3 billion annually, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $1 billion in exports from 134 companies in Minnesota.⁷
• The Millennium Challenge Corporation has provided $4.5 million in funding to Minnesota organizations since the agency's inception in 2004.⁸
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $428 million in exports from Minnesota companies.⁹

• From 2024-2025, 15,560 international students were enrolled in Minnesota colleges and universities, contributing $518 million to the Minnesota economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 6,956 Peace Corps volunteers from Minnesota 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/