State Agency Outlines Arizona Manufacturing Growth and Employment Figures

The Arizona Commerce Authority reported state manufacturing figures coinciding with the start of Manufacturing Month in October 2026. According to the state economic development agency, Arizona is home to 6,124 manufacturing establishments supporting 194,280 direct jobs.

State manufacturing employment rose 10% between 2020 and 2025, while employment in production occupations specifically grew 15% over the same five-year span. Average wages in the state's manufacturing sector reached $100,547, compared to a national manufacturing average of $89,825.

The sector generated $37.2 billion in real manufacturing gross domestic product in 2025, up 30.9% from $28.5 billion in 2018. Arizona manufacturers exported $39.5 billion in goods in 2025, more than double 2020 levels. In specific industries, Arizona ranked first nationally for guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing concentration in 2025 and fifth in aerospace and defense manufacturing employment, with 39,389 statewide workers. The state has also recorded more than $319 billion in announced semiconductor investments since 2020.

The agency noted that its Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership completed 279 projects across 221 manufacturers in fiscal year 2026, which retained or created 592 jobs.