Pennsylvania: Facts and Figures

Pennsylvania generates $79 billion worth of goods and services exports annually. With two major city centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, over 15,000 Pennsylvania companies export goods across the globe each year. And 88% of Pennsylvania’s exporters are small- and medium-sized businesses.

Job Creation

  • In Pennsylvania, 1,600,000 jobs were supported by trade, representing 20.0% of all jobs in the state.1,2
  • In 2023, 15,168 companies exported goods from Pennsylvania, of which 88% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2022, 343,600 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.3,4

Exports and Growth

  • Pennsylvania exported $79 billion in goods and services to foreign markets in 2023. 5
    • Canada ($16.3 billion)
    • Mexico ($6.5 billion)
    • China ($4.6 billion)
    • United Kingdom ($4.2 billion)
    • Netherlands ($4.2 billion)
  • Agricultural exports are important to Pennsylvania's economy, totaling $2.2 billion annually, according to the USDA.6
  • Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $9 billion in exports from 229 companies in Pennsylvania.7
  • Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $1.3 billion in exports from Pennsylvania companies.9

Education and Research

  • From 2023-2024, 50,514 international students were enrolled in Pennsylvania colleges and universities, contributing $2.2 billion to the Pennsylvania economy.10

Global Engagement

  • Since 1961, 8,335 Peace Corps volunteers from Pennsylvania have served in dozens of countries overseas.11