North Carolina employed 461,467 manufacturing workers in 2025, the most of any state in the Southeast and eighth in the nation. Those jobs paid more than the statewide average. They also produced $111.5 billion in output and nearly all of the state's exports. For economic developers and job seekers, manufacturing remains one of North Carolina's largest sources of above average wages. And in 2025, manufacturing was the top industry producer for announced new jobs for the state - accounting for 75% of the state's announced new jobs for new and expanded projects.
1. North Carolina has more manufacturing jobs than any other Southeast state
North Carolina ranked first in the Southeast and eighth nationally for manufacturing employment in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Florida (10th), Georgia (11th) and Tennessee (13th) were the next closest states in the region. Manufacturing is also a larger part of the private economy here than nationally. 10.9% of private employment in North Carolina, compared to 9.4% for the U.S. The state's largest manufacturing industries span food, plastics, pharma, furniture and auto parts (Table 1).
Table 1 – Largest Manufacturing Industries by Employment, North Carolina, 2025
| Industry | Average Employment |
|---|---|
| Animal Slaughtering & Processing | 35,715 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 27,700 |
| Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing | 26,998 |
| Household & Institutional Furniture & Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing | 21,242 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 13,690 |
Source: QCEW, NC Department of Commerce, LEAD, Annual 2025 (4-digit North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS).
Employment slipped slightly in 2025, down 3,663 workers, or less than 1%, from 465,130 in 2024. However, manufacturing employment remains 2.0% above its 2020 level. The number of manufacturing establishments fell faster, down 2.9% to 11,128. Small firms make up most of the base. 91% of manufacturing establishments employ fewer than 100 workers.
2. Manufacturing jobs pay 9.3% more than the state average
The average manufacturing worker in North Carolina earned $1,504 per week in 2025 ($78,000 annualized), 9.3% more than the $1,376 average across all industries.
3. Manufacturing is NC’s third-largest sector by output
Manufacturing generated $111.5 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) in North Carolina, 12.4% of private sector GDP, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). That ranks eighth in the nation and first in the Southeast. Within the state, only Finance, Insurance and Real Estate ($211.1 billion) and Professional and Business Services ($114.7 billion) produced more.
Manufacturing's effect also reaches well past the plant itself. IMPLAN’s 2024 economic modeling estimates that every $1.00 of manufacturing activity supports $2.07 in total economic impact across North Carolina. That added activity comes from purchases from in-state suppliers and from spending by manufacturing workers.
4. Manufactured goods make up 95% of North Carolina exports, led by Pharmaceuticals
North Carolina exported $41.6 billion in manufactured goods in 2025 or 95% of the state's $43.9 billion total. Pharmaceutical products alone accounted for $14.3 billion. That is more than the next six export categories combined (Table 2).
Table 2 – Top Manufactured Exports, North Carolina, 2025
| Export Category | Value ($ billions) |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Products | 14.3 |
| Aerospace Products & Parts | 1.9 |
| Nonferrous Metal & Processing | 1.3 |
| Other General Purpose Machinery | 1.3 |
| Basic Chemicals | 1.2 |
| Engines, Turbines & Power Transmission Equip | 1.2 |
| Plastic Products | 1.1 |
Source: WISERTrade, 2025.
5. Manufacturing accounted for three of every four jobs announced in 2025
Manufacturing made up 115 of the 171 new and expansion projects (67%) announced in North Carolina in 2025, according to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). Those projects accounted for 75% of announced jobs (25,707 of 34,191). They also brought 47% of announced investment ($12.5 billion of $26.6 billion).
One project drives much of the job total. Aircraft maker JetZero announced 14,564 jobs and $4.7 billion in investment – more than half of all announced manufacturing jobs. Even without JetZero, manufacturing still accounted for 57% of announced jobs. Life sciences firms also made several of the largest commitments, including Biogen ($2 billion), Genentech ($700 million, 420 jobs) and Novartis Gene Therapies ($771 million, 380 jobs). Announced jobs are hiring commitments spread over several years, so they will not appear in employment counts right away.
Hiring for the largest 2025 projects begins in 2028
Readers can pull manufacturing employment and wages for any county, metro area or workforce development board through LEAD’s D4 data tool. Many of the largest 2025 commitments will take years to appear in employment data. JetZero does not plan to begin hiring until 2028. Genentech’s hiring will ramp up over a five-year period that also starts in 2028, as well as Novartis anticipates hiring 700 people by the end of 2030. For this reason, the full effect of the 2025 announcements will likely show up in QCEW employment data in the late 2020s and early 2030s.