A new study on behalf of ETQ has identified the U.S. states that have lost the most manufacturing jobs since 2000.
- New Jersey saw a 38.6% decline in its manufacturing employment between 2000 and 2024—the 6th largest drop in the nation. This translates to a loss of 158,975 jobs during that period.
- Meanwhile, the state’s manufacturing output fell: manufacturing GDP decreased by 5.6% over the same span.
- For context, the nation as a whole saw a loss of over 4.5 million manufacturing jobs since 2000 (-26%), while real manufacturing GDP grew by 45%—revealing a sharp disconnect between employment and output.
Edited by the staff of the Ridgewood blog , Report by ETQ
Trenton NJ, After decades of offshoring, the United States is attempting a manufacturing revival. Under the Biden administration, federal programs like the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed hundreds of billions toward reshoring critical industries. More recently, President Trump’s sweeping tariff agenda has added new pressure to relocate production back to U.S. soil.
