Jobs, Unemployment & Labor Force · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
U.S. Manufacturing Employment by Year (1939-2025)
U.S. factory employment peaked at 19.4 million workers in 1979 before declining during automation and globalization in the 2000s and stabilizing near 12.7 million jobs. In 2025, manufacturing jobs recorded 12.63Millions of Jobs, compared with 12.79 in 2024. Across the 87-year archive (1939-2025), readings have ranged between 9.45 (1939) and 19.43 (1979).
Series Summary Ledger
- 2025 Reading12.63
- 2024 Reading12.79
- All-Time High (1979)19.43
- All-Time Low (1939)9.45
- Reporting UnitMillions of Jobs
- Series CodeMANEMP
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) · 1939-2025
U.S. Manufacturing Employment by Year (1939-2025)
2025 Reading: 12.63 Millions of Jobs
Loading historical series...
DECADE BENCHMARKS (1950s-2020s)
Manufacturing Jobs by Decade
| Decade | Mean | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.27 | 14.01 | 16.13 |
| 1960s | 16.64 | 15.01 | 18.57 |
| 1970s | 18.08 | 16.91 | 19.43 |
| 1980s | 17.86 | 17.05 | 18.73 |
| 1990s | 17.21 | 16.78 | 17.69 |
| 2000s | 14.53 | 11.84 | 17.26 |
| 2010s | 12.18 | 11.51 | 12.78 |
| 2020s | 12.58 | 12.12 | 12.87 |
Manufacturing Jobs Year-by-Year Historical Table (1939-2025)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (MANEMP)| Year | Manufacturing Jobs (Millions of Jobs) | Annual Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12.63 | -0.16 |
| 2024 | 12.79 | -0.08 |
| 2023 | 12.87 | +0.10 |
| 2022 | 12.77 | +0.46 |
| 2021 | 12.31 | +0.19 |
| 2020 | 12.12 | -0.65 |
| 2019 | 12.78 | +0.13 |
| 2018 | 12.65 | +0.25 |
| 2017 | 12.41 | +0.08 |
| 2016 | 12.32 | +0.02 |
| 2015 | 12.31 | +0.15 |
| 2014 | 12.16 | +0.16 |
| 2013 | 12.00 | +0.09 |
| 2012 | 11.91 | +0.20 |
| 2011 | 11.71 | +0.20 |
| 2010 | 11.51 | -0.32 |
| 2009 | 11.84 | -1.56 |
| 2008 | 13.39 | -0.48 |
| 2007 | 13.87 | -0.28 |
| 2006 | 14.15 | -0.07 |
| 2005 | 14.22 | -0.09 |
| 2004 | 14.31 | -0.19 |
| 2003 | 14.51 | -0.75 |
| 2002 | 15.26 | -1.18 |
| 2001 | 16.44 | -0.82 |
| 2000 | 17.26 | -0.06 |
| 1999 | 17.32 | -0.24 |
| 1998 | 17.56 | +0.14 |
| 1997 | 17.42 | +0.18 |
| 1996 | 17.24 | -0.01 |
| 1995 | 17.24 | +0.22 |
| 1994 | 17.02 | +0.25 |
| 1993 | 16.78 | -0.02 |
| 1992 | 16.80 | -0.27 |
| 1991 | 17.07 | -0.63 |
| 1990 | 17.69 | -0.29 |
| 1989 | 17.98 | +0.08 |
| 1988 | 17.91 | +0.30 |
| 1987 | 17.61 | +0.06 |
| 1986 | 17.55 | -0.27 |
| 1985 | 17.82 | -0.10 |
| 1984 | 17.92 | +0.87 |
| 1983 | 17.05 | -0.31 |
| 1982 | 17.36 | -1.27 |
| 1981 | 18.63 | -0.10 |
| 1980 | 18.73 | -0.70 |
| 1979 | 19.43 | +0.49 |
| 1978 | 18.94 | +0.76 |
| 1977 | 18.17 | +0.64 |
| 1976 | 17.54 | +0.62 |
| 1975 | 16.91 | -1.60 |
| 1974 | 18.51 | -0.07 |
| 1973 | 18.58 | +0.92 |
| 1972 | 17.66 | +0.49 |
| 1971 | 17.17 | -0.68 |
| 1970 | 17.85 | -0.73 |
| 1969 | 18.57 | +0.36 |
| 1968 | 18.21 | +0.31 |
| 1967 | 17.90 | +0.22 |
| 1966 | 17.68 | +1.06 |
| 1965 | 16.62 | +0.73 |
| 1964 | 15.89 | +0.26 |
| 1963 | 15.63 | +0.13 |
| 1962 | 15.50 | +0.49 |
| 1961 | 15.01 | -0.43 |
| 1960 | 15.44 | +0.11 |
| 1959 | 15.33 | +0.67 |
| 1958 | 14.66 | -1.14 |
| 1957 | 15.80 | -0.06 |
| 1956 | 15.86 | +0.33 |
| 1955 | 15.52 | +0.52 |
| 1954 | 15.00 | -1.13 |
| 1953 | 16.13 | +0.84 |
| 1952 | 15.29 | +0.22 |
| 1951 | 15.07 | +1.06 |
| 1950 | 14.01 | +0.73 |
| 1949 | 13.28 | -1.04 |
| 1948 | 14.32 | +0.04 |
| 1947 | 14.28 | +0.77 |
| 1946 | 13.50 | -0.75 |
| 1945 | 14.25 | -1.66 |
| 1944 | 15.91 | -0.25 |
| 1943 | 16.16 | +2.12 |
| 1942 | 14.04 | +1.91 |
| 1941 | 12.13 | +2.03 |
| 1940 | 10.10 | +0.65 |
| 1939 | 9.45 | - |