-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueDo You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
IPC APEX EXPO 2025: A Preview
It’s that time again. If you’re going to Anaheim for IPC APEX EXPO 2025, we’ll see you there. In the meantime, consider this issue of SMT007 Magazine to be your golden ticket to planning the show.
Technical Resources
Key industry organizations–all with knowledge sharing as a part of their mission–share their technical repositories in this issue of SMT007 Magazine. Where can you find information critical to your work? Odds are, right here.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Electronics Manufacturing Supports More Than 5.3 Million U.S. Jobs and Almost 4% of U.S. GDP, Says IPC
May 13, 2020 | IPCEstimated reading time: 3 minutes

Electronics manufacturing contributes powerfully to the U.S. economy, according to a new report released by IPC, the global electronics manufacturing industry association. The report finds the electronics manufacturing sector directly supports more than 1.3 million U.S. jobs. For every U.S. electronics manufacturing job, three other jobs are supported in the U.S. economy, contributing to a total of 5.3 million American jobs. Also, the industry indirectly and directly contributes $714 billion (3.7%) to U.S. GDP.
“Electronics are at the heart of thousands of products and hundreds of industries in the U.S.,” said John Mitchell, president and CEO of IPC. “More than most industries, we are vertically and horizontally integrated across many markets, and the health of our industry is key to the overall success of the U.S. economy.”
The report also finds 16 states, led by California and Texas, account for about 75% of direct electronics manufacturing jobs in the United States. California alone has nearly 275,000 direct electronics manufacturing jobs and almost $197 billion in direct output, accounting for 3.4% of California’s GDP.
Other key findings from the report include:
- The electronics manufacturing industry is responsible for more than $1 trillion dollars in the content of final sales, spread across business investment and inventory change ($426.6 billion); personal consumption ($306.5 billion); exports ($223.9 billion); federal defense ($37.8 billion); and other government spending ($48.1 billion).
- Ten states have more than 100,000 workers each because of the electronics manufacturing sector, led by California and Texas.
- Electronics manufacturing employees average about $127,000 in total labor income, which is more than double the national average compensation of $60,820. Electronics manufacturing employees also earn more than the average manufacturing employee, who earns $83,000 a year.
- States with higher-than-average contributions to GDP from electronics manufacturing include Oregon, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Arizona, Texas, Wisconsin, and Colorado.
- The largest subsectors of electronics manufacturing, ranked by output, are computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing, semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing; and navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing, which together make up over 73% of the total.
COVID-19 Impacts on the Industry
Regarding the biggest economic concern of the moment, the coronavirus epidemic is being felt by the U.S. electronics manufacturing industry. The electronics manufacturing industry is facing a variety of challenges, including unclear and evolving operating restrictions, changing demand patterns, abnormalities in supply chains, and an unsettled workforce that was already stretched thin.
While manufacturers and suppliers report several concerns, they appear most concerned about weaker demand. In April, more than half of manufacturers said this would be their biggest concern in the weeks ahead, according to IPC’s COVID-19 Survey of the Electronics Industry. Some 44 percent reported they are most concerned about supply shortages, while just over a third said they are worried about worker shortages.
Also, as work dried up, many manufacturers issued temporary layoffs in March and April, and now a majority of respondents report they expect to bring furloughed workers back to factories by the end of June 2020. However, one in five said furloughed workers would not return.
Finally, nearly 70% of manufacturers have applied for a Payroll Protection Program loan to help cope through these challenging times. Of those who have applied, roughly 44% have received funding, while 25% are still waiting to receive funding.
“To help drive recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, we call on Congress to do more and establish a $10 billion Electronics Manufacturing Initiative to enhance the security of the U.S. electronics value chain,” said Mitchell. “By leveraging public-private partnerships, we can grow domestic capacity, research and development capabilities and bridge the workforce to elevate employee training.”
About IPC
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 5,900 member-company sites which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Miami, Fla.; Brussels, Belgium; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.
Suggested Items
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Tariffs and Supply Chains in U.S. Electronics Manufacturing
04/01/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOChris Mitchell, VP of Global Government Relations for IPC, discusses IPC's concerns about tariffs on copper and their impact on U.S. electronics manufacturing. He emphasizes the complexity of supply chains and the need for policymakers to understand their effects.
Do You Have X-ray Vision? SMT007 Magazine April Issue Is No Joke
04/01/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamAs component packaging continues to evolve, the capability of inspecting through components is crucial. Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question—and others—to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
IPC APEX EXPO 2025: We’ve Got It Covered
04/01/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIPC APEX EXPO is the largest electronics manufacturing trade show in North America, bringing together professionals from all sectors of the supply chain to educate, network, and share their products and services. We’ve put all our coverage of the show in one easy-to-find location. Just click on “Videos,” “Show Coverage” and “Photos” to find what you’re looking for. Check back regularly as more content is added. You won’t want to miss any of our unique coverage.
Zenaida Valianu, IPC, Earns IPC Excellence in Education Award at IPC APEX EXPO 2025
03/31/2025 | IPCThe IPC Excellence in Education award was presented to Zenaida (Zenny) Valianu, IPC, at IPC APEX EXPO 2025, recognizing her significant contributions to workforce development and leadership.
TTCI and TTC-LLC to Exhibit and Sponsor at SMTA Tech & Expo Forums in Dallas and Houston
03/27/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a leading provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) are proud to announce their participation as exhibitors and sponsors at the upcoming Dallas SMTA Tech & Expo Forum on April 1, 2025.