Rhode Island’s manufacturing exports play a key role in economic production and job growth. Over 2,000 Rhode Island companies export a total of $5.1 billion worth of goods and services annually, helping to support more than 140,000 good-paying Rhode Island jobs.

• In Rhode Island, 140,000 jobs were supported by trade, representing 20.0% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2023, 2,020 companies exported goods from Rhode Island, of which 88% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2022, 33,000 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Rhode Island exported $5.1 billion in goods and services to foreign markets in 2023. ⁵
  • Canada ($713 million)
  • Italy ($412 million)
  • Mexico ($353 million)
  • Ireland ($346 million)
  • Dominican Republic ($307 million)
• Agricultural exports are important to Rhode Island's economy, totaling $41 million annually, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $119 million in exports from 14 companies in Rhode Island.⁷
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $248 million in exports from Rhode Island companies.⁹

• From 2023-2024, 4,982 international students were enrolled in Rhode Island colleges and universities, contributing $280 million to the Rhode Island economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 1,116 Peace Corps volunteers from Rhode Island 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/