The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) released its triennial report, “The Economic Impact of the U.S. Equipment Manufacturing Industry,” at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Following strong job and GDP growth in 2023, the report points to slight industry contraction in 2024 and 2025, with construction equipment manufacturers faring the best with 2.9 percent employment growth.
Commissioned by AEM and prepared by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the report quantifies the industry’s direct, indirect, and induced contributions to the U.S. economy across jobs supported, output (sales activity), value added (GDP contribution), labor income, and tax revenues.
The report finds that in 2025, the U.S. off-highway equipment manufacturing industry generated $902 billion in total sales activity and supported 2.2 million jobs nationwide. The industry contributed roughly $415 billion in total value added to U.S. GDP, about 1.4 percent of nominal GDP, and generated $194 billion in total labor income.
For the first time, average annual pay per industry employee reached six figures — $105,000. Industry-supported activity also generated $55 billion in combined federal and state/local tax revenue.
“This report underscores the scale of our industry’s footprint: we represent more than 1 in 100 U.S. jobs and 1 in 10 manufacturing jobs,” said Brian Bieller, Chair of AEM’s Government and Public Affairs Committee and President of BOMAG Americas, Inc. “As policymakers debate the next chapter of infrastructure, trade, workforce, and tax policy, these numbers make one thing clear: supporting equipment manufacturing is supporting the U.S. economy.”
| Your local Bobcat dealer |
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| Ditch Witch West |
| Faris Machinery |
| Ditch Witch West |
| Faris Machinery |
Growth across the equipment manufacturing industry was relatively flat over the last three years, with a 0.4 percent decline in overall employment and a 0.4 percent decline in total sales activity. The industry’s direct employment grew 3.2 percent in 2023 before contracting by 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Across different sectors, construction equipment manufacturing grew direct employment by 2.9 percent, buoyed by 6.4 percent growth in 2023.
“America’s equipment manufacturers have weathered every storm thrown at them — but resilience alone is not a growth strategy,” said Kip Eideberg, AEM’s Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “To make manufacturing great again, we need a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes smart and sensible trade policies, drives the funding needed for nation-building infrastructure, modernizes regulations, and delivers real permitting reform. When equipment manufacturers succeed, America succeeds.”
Nationally, the report found:
- $902 billion in total sales activity (output) generated by the industry
- 2.2 million total U.S. jobs supported (direct, indirect, and induced), 1.3 percent of U.S. nonfarm employment base and 9.5 percent of U.S. manufacturing employment
- 421,000 direct jobs in the industry in 2025
- $415 billion contributed to U.S. GDP (total value added), 1.4 percent of nominal GDP
- $194 billion in total labor income supported
- $545 billion in combined tax revenues
The report also shows the industry’s employment footprint across the country. In 2025, the largest total employment impacts were concentrated in key manufacturing and supply-chain states, including:
- Texas — 228,499 total jobs supported (50,621 direct)
- Iowa — 223,739 total jobs supported (32,776 direct)
- Wisconsin — 134,141 total jobs supported (25,806 direct)
- Illinois — 134,115 total jobs supported (26,706 direct)
- Ohio — 124,697 total jobs supported (25,418 direct)
| Your local Gomaco dealer |
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| Faris Machinery |
| Faris Machinery |
In addition, the report provides a congressional district-level view of the industry’s reach and the local economies supported by equipment manufacturing and its supply chain.
To read the report, visit aem.org/advocacy/aem-economic-impact-report.
AEM's report is based off an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis titled “The Market Size and Economic Contributions of the U.S. Off-Highway Industry.”
