Tennessee exports a huge range of goods, from manufactured goods like automobiles and electronics to chemicals and its world-famous whiskey. In 2019, Tennessee exported over $31 billion worth of these goods, helping to support more than 810,000 jobs in the state. Over 83% of Tennessee companies that export their products are also small or medium sized businesses.

• In Tennessee, 816,200 jobs were supported by international trade in 2018, representing 19.8% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2018, 7,368 companies exported goods from Tennessee of which 83% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2017, 182,200 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^2,3

• Tennessee exported $31.1 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2019. Tennessee's largest markets in 2019 were:⁴
  • Canada ($7.0 billion)
  • Mexico ($4.2 billion)
  • China ($2.1 billion)
  • Japan ($2.1 billion)
  • Netherlands ($1.3 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Tennessee's' economy, totaling $1.5 billion in 2018, according to the USDA.⁵
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $1 billion in exports from 66 companies in Tennessee.⁶
• Since 1971, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation - which has been modernized into the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) - has invested $124 million in Tennessee companies for overseas investment.⁷
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $19 million in exports from Tennessee companies, supporting an estimated 110 jobs in the state.⁸

• In 2017-2018, 7,330 Tennessee students studied abroad.⁹
• During 2019, 9,267 international students were enrolled in Tennessee colleges and universities and contributed $348 million to the Tennessee economy.⁹

• Since 1961, 1,973 Peace Corps volunteers from Tennessee have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹⁰

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/benefits-of-trade-data
3. https://www.bea.gov/system/files/2019-11/imne1119_0.pdf
4. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/state/data/index.html
5. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx#.U2ERwbQzqX8
6. https://customermap.exim.gov/index.cfm
7. https://www.opic.gov/sites/default/files/docs/OPIC_local_impact.pdf
8. https://ustda.gov/ustda-success-by-state/
9. https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors
10. https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-announces-top-volunteer-producing-states-2018/