Figure A

After 35 years of stability, manufacturing jobs crater after 2000: Total employment in U.S. manufacturing (thousands), 1965–present

Date Manufacturing employment levels (thousands)
Jan-1965 16,245 
Feb-1965 16,291 
Mar-1965 16,353 
Apr-1965 16,418 
May-1965 16,477 
Jun-1965 16,554 
Jul-1965 16,669 
Aug-1965 16,732 
Sep-1965 16,802 
Oct-1965 16,864 
Nov-1965 16,962 
Dec-1965 17,051 
Jan-1966 17,143 
Feb-1966 17,288 
Mar-1966 17,400 
Apr-1966 17,517 
May-1966 17,625 
Jun-1966 17,733 
Jul-1966 17,760 
Aug-1966 17,882 
Sep-1966 17,886 
Oct-1966 17,956 
Nov-1966 17,981 
Dec-1966 17,998 
Jan-1967 18,033 
Feb-1967 17,978 
Mar-1967 17,940 
Apr-1967 17,878 
May-1967 17,832 
Jun-1967 17,812 
Jul-1967 17,784 
Aug-1967 17,905 
Sep-1967 17,794 
Oct-1967 17,800 
Nov-1967 17,985 
Dec-1967 18,025 
Jan-1968 18,040 
Feb-1968 18,054 
Mar-1968 18,067 
Apr-1968 18,131 
May-1968 18,190 
Jun-1968 18,228 
Jul-1968 18,265 
Aug-1968 18,254 
Sep-1968 18,252 
Oct-1968 18,293 
Nov-1968 18,346 
Dec-1968 18,410 
Jan-1969 18,432 
Feb-1969 18,502 
Mar-1969 18,558 
Apr-1969 18,554 
May-1969 18,588 
Jun-1969 18,640 
Jul-1969 18,642 
Aug-1969 18,767 
Sep-1969 18,620 
Oct-1969 18,613 
Nov-1969 18,467 
Dec-1969 18,485 
Jan-1970 18,424 
Feb-1970 18,361 
Mar-1970 18,360 
Apr-1970 18,207 
May-1970 18,029 
Jun-1970 17,930 
Jul-1970 17,877 
Aug-1970 17,779 
Sep-1970 17,692 
Oct-1970 17,173 
Nov-1970 17,024 
Dec-1970 17,309 
Jan-1971 17,280 
Feb-1971 17,216 
Mar-1971 17,154 
Apr-1971 17,149 
May-1971 17,225 
Jun-1971 17,139 
Jul-1971 17,126 
Aug-1971 17,115 
Sep-1971 17,154 
Oct-1971 17,126 
Nov-1971 17,166 
Dec-1971 17,202 
Jan-1972 17,283 
Feb-1972 17,361 
Mar-1972 17,447 
Apr-1972 17,508 
May-1972 17,602 
Jun-1972 17,641 
Jul-1972 17,556 
Aug-1972 17,741 
Sep-1972 17,774 
Oct-1972 17,893 
Nov-1972 18,005 
Dec-1972 18,158 
Jan-1973 18,276 
Feb-1973 18,410 
Mar-1973 18,493 
Apr-1973 18,530 
May-1973 18,564 
Jun-1973 18,606 
Jul-1973 18,598 
Aug-1973 18,629 
Sep-1973 18,609 
Oct-1973 18,702 
Nov-1973 18,773 
Dec-1973 18,820 
Jan-1974 18,788 
Feb-1974 18,727 
Mar-1974 18,700 
Apr-1974 18,702 
May-1974 18,688 
Jun-1974 18,690 
Jul-1974 18,656 
Aug-1974 18,570 
Sep-1974 18,492 
Oct-1974 18,364 
Nov-1974 18,077 
Dec-1974 17,693 
Jan-1975 17,344 
Feb-1975 17,004 
Mar-1975 16,853 
Apr-1975 16,759 
May-1975 16,746 
Jun-1975 16,690 
Jul-1975 16,678 
Aug-1975 16,824 
Sep-1975 16,904 
Oct-1975 16,984 
Nov-1975 17,025 
Dec-1975 17,140 
Jan-1976 17,287 
Feb-1976 17,384 
Mar-1976 17,470 
Apr-1976 17,541 
May-1976 17,513 
Jun-1976 17,521 
Jul-1976 17,524 
Aug-1976 17,596 
Sep-1976 17,665 
Oct-1976 17,548 
Nov-1976 17,682 
Dec-1976 17,719 
Jan-1977 17,803 
Feb-1977 17,843 
Mar-1977 17,941 
Apr-1977 18,024 
May-1977 18,107 
Jun-1977 18,192 
Jul-1977 18,259 
Aug-1977 18,276 
Sep-1977 18,334 
Oct-1977 18,356 
Nov-1977 18,419 
Dec-1977 18,531 
Jan-1978 18,593 
Feb-1978 18,639 
Mar-1978 18,699 
Apr-1978 18,772 
May-1978 18,848 
Jun-1978 18,919 
Jul-1978 18,951 
Aug-1978 19,006 
Sep-1978 19,068 
Oct-1978 19,142 
Nov-1978 19,257 
Dec-1978 19,334 
Jan-1979 19,388 
Feb-1979 19,409 
Mar-1979 19,453 
Apr-1979 19,450 
May-1979 19,509 
Jun-1979 19,553 
Jul-1979 19,531 
Aug-1979 19,406 
Sep-1979 19,442 
Oct-1979 19,390 
Nov-1979 19,299 
Dec-1979 19,301 
Jan-1980 19,282 
Feb-1980 19,219 
Mar-1980 19,217 
Apr-1980 18,973 
May-1980 18,726 
Jun-1980 18,490 
Jul-1980 18,276 
Aug-1980 18,414 
Sep-1980 18,445 
Oct-1980 18,506 
Nov-1980 18,601 
Dec-1980 18,640 
Jan-1981 18,639 
Feb-1981 18,613 
Mar-1981 18,647 
Apr-1981 18,711 
May-1981 18,766 
Jun-1981 18,789 
Jul-1981 18,785 
Aug-1981 18,748 
Sep-1981 18,712 
Oct-1981 18,566 
Nov-1981 18,409 
Dec-1981 18,223 
Jan-1982 18,047 
Feb-1982 17,981 
Mar-1982 17,857 
Apr-1982 17,683 
May-1982 17,588 
Jun-1982 17,430 
Jul-1982 17,278 
Aug-1982 17,160 
Sep-1982 17,074 
Oct-1982 16,853 
Nov-1982 16,722 
Dec-1982 16,690 
Jan-1983 16,705 
Feb-1983 16,706 
Mar-1983 16,711 
Apr-1983 16,794 
May-1983 16,885 
Jun-1983 16,960 
Jul-1983 17,059 
Aug-1983 17,118 
Sep-1983 17,255 
Oct-1983 17,367 
Nov-1983 17,479 
Dec-1983 17,551 
Jan-1984 17,630 
Feb-1984 17,728 
Mar-1984 17,806 
Apr-1984 17,872 
May-1984 17,916 
Jun-1984 17,967 
Jul-1984 18,013 
Aug-1984 18,034 
Sep-1984 18,019 
Oct-1984 18,024 
Nov-1984 18,016 
Dec-1984 18,023 
Jan-1985 18,009 
Feb-1985 17,966 
Mar-1985 17,939 
Apr-1985 17,886 
May-1985 17,855 
Jun-1985 17,819 
Jul-1985 17,776 
Aug-1985 17,756 
Sep-1985 17,718 
Oct-1985 17,708 
Nov-1985 17,697 
Dec-1985 17,693 
Jan-1986 17,686 
Feb-1986 17,663 
Mar-1986 17,624 
Apr-1986 17,616 
May-1986 17,593 
Jun-1986 17,530 
Jul-1986 17,497 
Aug-1986 17,489 
Sep-1986 17,498 
Oct-1986 17,477 
Nov-1986 17,472 
Dec-1986 17,478 
Jan-1987 17,465 
Feb-1987 17,499 
Mar-1987 17,507 
Apr-1987 17,525 
May-1987 17,542 
Jun-1987 17,537 
Jul-1987 17,593 
Aug-1987 17,630 
Sep-1987 17,691 
Oct-1987 17,729 
Nov-1987 17,775 
Dec-1987 17,809 
Jan-1988 17,790 
Feb-1988 17,823 
Mar-1988 17,844 
Apr-1988 17,874 
May-1988 17,892 
Jun-1988 17,916 
Jul-1988 17,926 
Aug-1988 17,891 
Sep-1988 17,914 
Oct-1988 17,966 
Nov-1988 18,003 
Dec-1988 18,025 
Jan-1989 18,057 
Feb-1989 18,055 
Mar-1989 18,060 
Apr-1989 18,055 
May-1989 18,040 
Jun-1989 18,013 
Jul-1989 17,980 
Aug-1989 17,964 
Sep-1989 17,922 
Oct-1989 17,895 
Nov-1989 17,886 
Dec-1989 17,881 
Jan-1990 17,797 
Feb-1990 17,893 
Mar-1990 17,868 
Apr-1990 17,845 
May-1990 17,796 
Jun-1990 17,775 
Jul-1990 17,703 
Aug-1990 17,650 
Sep-1990 17,609 
Oct-1990 17,577 
Nov-1990 17,428 
Dec-1990 17,395 
Jan-1991 17,330 
Feb-1991 17,213 
Mar-1991 17,140 
Apr-1991 17,093 
May-1991 17,071 
Jun-1991 17,045 
Jul-1991 17,015 
Aug-1991 17,026 
Sep-1991 17,010 
Oct-1991 16,999 
Nov-1991 16,961 
Dec-1991 16,917 
Jan-1992 16,839 
Feb-1992 16,828 
Mar-1992 16,805 
Apr-1992 16,830 
May-1992 16,835 
Jun-1992 16,826 
Jul-1992 16,820 
Aug-1992 16,782 
Sep-1992 16,760 
Oct-1992 16,751 
Nov-1992 16,758 
Dec-1992 16,770 
Jan-1993 16,790 
Feb-1993 16,804 
Mar-1993 16,795 
Apr-1993 16,772 
May-1993 16,766 
Jun-1993 16,742 
Jul-1993 16,740 
Aug-1993 16,740 
Sep-1993 16,770 
Oct-1993 16,778 
Nov-1993 16,800 
Dec-1993 16,815 
Jan-1994 16,855 
Feb-1994 16,862 
Mar-1994 16,897 
Apr-1994 16,933 
May-1994 16,961 
Jun-1994 17,009 
Jul-1994 17,025 
Aug-1994 17,081 
Sep-1994 17,114 
Oct-1994 17,144 
Nov-1994 17,186 
Dec-1994 17,218 
Jan-1995 17,262 
Feb-1995 17,266 
Mar-1995 17,263 
Apr-1995 17,278 
May-1995 17,258 
Jun-1995 17,247 
Jul-1995 17,218 
Aug-1995 17,240 
Sep-1995 17,247 
Oct-1995 17,216 
Nov-1995 17,208 
Dec-1995 17,231 
Jan-1996 17,208 
Feb-1996 17,230 
Mar-1996 17,193 
Apr-1996 17,204 
May-1996 17,222 
Jun-1996 17,226 
Jul-1996 17,222 
Aug-1996 17,256 
Sep-1996 17,251 
Oct-1996 17,268 
Nov-1996 17,277 
Dec-1996 17,284 
Jan-1997 17,297 
Feb-1997 17,315 
Mar-1997 17,340 
Apr-1997 17,351 
May-1997 17,364 
Jun-1997 17,387 
Jul-1997 17,388 
Aug-1997 17,453 
Sep-1997 17,465 
Oct-1997 17,514 
Nov-1997 17,556 
Dec-1997 17,587 
Jan-1998 17,619 
Feb-1998 17,627 
Mar-1998 17,637 
Apr-1998 17,637 
May-1998 17,624 
Jun-1998 17,607 
Jul-1998 17,423 
Aug-1998 17,563 
Sep-1998 17,557 
Oct-1998 17,512 
Nov-1998 17,466 
Dec-1998 17,449 
Jan-1999 17,427 
Feb-1999 17,395 
Mar-1999 17,368 
Apr-1999 17,343 
May-1999 17,333 
Jun-1999 17,294 
Jul-1999 17,308 
Aug-1999 17,287 
Sep-1999 17,282 
Oct-1999 17,274 
Nov-1999 17,282 
Dec-1999 17,279 
Jan-2000 17,284 
Feb-2000 17,284 
Mar-2000 17,302 
Apr-2000 17,299 
May-2000 17,278 
Jun-2000 17,295 
Jul-2000 17,322 
Aug-2000 17,287 
Sep-2000 17,229 
Oct-2000 17,217 
Nov-2000 17,202 
Dec-2000 17,181 
Jan-2001 17,105 
Feb-2001 17,030 
Mar-2001 16,938 
Apr-2001 16,802 
May-2001 16,660 
Jun-2001 16,513 
Jul-2001 16,381 
Aug-2001 16,233 
Sep-2001 16,116 
Oct-2001 15,973 
Nov-2001 15,825 
Dec-2001 15,712 
Jan-2002 15,588 
Feb-2002 15,518 
Mar-2002 15,443 
Apr-2002 15,392 
May-2002 15,338 
Jun-2002 15,297 
Jul-2002 15,256 
Aug-2002 15,171 
Sep-2002 15,119 
Oct-2002 15,059 
Nov-2002 14,992 
Dec-2002 14,911 
Jan-2003 14,867 
Feb-2003 14,780 
Mar-2003 14,721 
Apr-2003 14,608 
May-2003 14,558 
Jun-2003 14,493 
Jul-2003 14,403 
Aug-2003 14,376 
Sep-2003 14,346 
Oct-2003 14,334 
Nov-2003 14,316 
Dec-2003 14,299 
Jan-2004 14,291 
Feb-2004 14,279 
Mar-2004 14,287 
Apr-2004 14,315 
May-2004 14,342 
Jun-2004 14,334 
Jul-2004 14,331 
Aug-2004 14,345 
Sep-2004 14,332 
Oct-2004 14,332 
Nov-2004 14,306 
Dec-2004 14,285 
Jan-2005 14,257 
Feb-2005 14,272 
Mar-2005 14,268 
Apr-2005 14,249 
May-2005 14,255 
Jun-2005 14,227 
Jul-2005 14,225 
Aug-2005 14,200 
Sep-2005 14,173 
Oct-2005 14,189 
Nov-2005 14,184 
Dec-2005 14,189 
Jan-2006 14,208 
Feb-2006 14,208 
Mar-2006 14,210 
Apr-2006 14,223 
May-2006 14,200 
Jun-2006 14,210 
Jul-2006 14,185 
Aug-2006 14,154 
Sep-2006 14,120 
Oct-2006 14,068 
Nov-2006 14,034 
Dec-2006 14,009 
Jan-2007 14,004 
Feb-2007 13,993 
Mar-2007 13,964 
Apr-2007 13,939 
May-2007 13,922 
Jun-2007 13,903 
Jul-2007 13,881 
Aug-2007 13,821 
Sep-2007 13,784 
Oct-2007 13,756 
Nov-2007 13,751 
Dec-2007 13,739 
Jan-2008 13,717 
Feb-2008 13,690 
Mar-2008 13,650 
Apr-2008 13,589 
May-2008 13,555 
Jun-2008 13,494 
Jul-2008 13,419 
Aug-2008 13,348 
Sep-2008 13,267 
Oct-2008 13,138 
Nov-2008 13,026 
Dec-2008 12,842 
Jan-2009 12,552 
Feb-2009 12,371 
Mar-2009 12,196 
Apr-2009 12,017 
May-2009 11,850 
Jun-2009 11,713 
Jul-2009 11,654 
Aug-2009 11,612 
Sep-2009 11,580 
Oct-2009 11,527 
Nov-2009 11,498 
Dec-2009 11,465 
Jan-2010 11,447 
Feb-2010 11,439 
Mar-2010 11,439 
Apr-2010 11,475 
May-2010 11,511 
Jun-2010 11,529 
Jul-2010 11,546 
Aug-2010 11,538 
Sep-2010 11,549 
Oct-2010 11,548 
Nov-2010 11,571 
Dec-2010 11,579 
Jan-2011 11,606 
Feb-2011 11,637 
Mar-2011 11,659 
Apr-2011 11,689 
May-2011 11,697 
Jun-2011 11,710 
Jul-2011 11,729 
Aug-2011 11,748 
Sep-2011 11,752 
Oct-2011 11,762 
Nov-2011 11,753 
Dec-2011 11,783 
Jan-2012 11,820 
Feb-2012 11,841 
Mar-2012 11,880 
Apr-2012 11,897 
May-2012 11,908 
Jun-2012 11,918 
Jul-2012 11,944 
Aug-2012 11,940 
Sep-2012 11,934 
Oct-2012 11,941 
Nov-2012 11,930 
Dec-2012 11,939 
Jan-2013 11,962 
Feb-2013 11,974 
Mar-2013 11,977 
Apr-2013 11,978 
May-2013 11,978 
Jun-2013 11,982 
Jul-2013 11,962 
Aug-2013 11,992 
Sep-2013 12,010 
Oct-2013 12,033 
Nov-2013 12,054 
Dec-2013 12,060 
Jan-2014 12,058 
Feb-2014 12,084 
Mar-2014 12,096 
Apr-2014 12,109 
May-2014 12,120 
Jun-2014 12,146 
Jul-2014 12,165 
Aug-2014 12,182 
Sep-2014 12,201 
Oct-2014 12,233 
Nov-2014 12,260 
Dec-2014 12,266 
Jan-2015 12,265 
Feb-2015 12,275 
Mar-2015 12,286 
Apr-2015 12,291 
May-2015 12,306 
Jun-2015 12,307 
Jul-2015 12,323 
Aug-2015 12,318 
Sep-2015 12,326 
Oct-2015 12,334 
Nov-2015 12,329 
Dec-2015 12,333 
Jan-2016 12,354 
Feb-2016 12,337 
Mar-2016 12,313 
Apr-2016 12,325 
May-2016 12,303 
Jun-2016 12,321 
Jul-2016 12,342 
Aug-2016 12,319 
Sep-2016 12,317 
Oct-2016 12,316 
Nov-2016 12,311 
Dec-2016 12,324 
Jan-2017 12,334 
Feb-2017 12,350 
Mar-2017 12,361 
Apr-2017 12,367 
May-2017 12,377 
Jun-2017 12,390 
Jul-2017 12,390 
Aug-2017 12,435 
Sep-2017 12,443 
Oct-2017 12,457 
Nov-2017 12,472 
Dec-2017 12,501 
Jan-2018 12,527 
Feb-2018 12,551 
Mar-2018 12,576 
Apr-2018 12,595 
May-2018 12,623 
Jun-2018 12,656 
Jul-2018 12,676 
Aug-2018 12,688 
Sep-2018 12,710 
Oct-2018 12,731 
Nov-2018 12,741 
Dec-2018 12,761 
Jan-2019 12,790 
Feb-2019 12,782 
Mar-2019 12,788 
Apr-2019 12,785 
May-2019 12,778 
Jun-2019 12,787 
Jul-2019 12,790 
Aug-2019 12,789 
Sep-2019 12,787 
Oct-2019 12,733 
Nov-2019 12,777 
Dec-2019 12,760 
Jan-2020 12,745 
Feb-2020 12,743 
Mar-2020 12,684 
Apr-2020 11,382 
May-2020 11,610 
Jun-2020 11,950 
Jul-2020 11,973 
Aug-2020 11,999 
Sep-2020 12,057 
Oct-2020 12,086 
Nov-2020 12,118 
Dec-2020 12,153 
Jan-2021 12,142 
Feb-2021 12,172 
Mar-2021 12,229 
Apr-2021 12,193 
May-2021 12,216 
Jun-2021 12,247 
Jul-2021 12,305 
Aug-2021 12,353 
Sep-2021 12,393 
Oct-2021 12,453 
Nov-2021 12,498 
Dec-2021 12,537 
Jan-2022 12,564 
Feb-2022 12,601 
Mar-2022 12,674 
Apr-2022 12,726 
May-2022 12,735 
Jun-2022 12,767 
Jul-2022 12,800 
Aug-2022 12,832 
Sep-2022 12,849 
Oct-2022 12,883 
Nov-2022 12,896 
Dec-2022 12,895 
Jan-2023 12,903 
Feb-2023 12,898 
Mar-2023 12,888 
Apr-2023 12,884 
May-2023 12,869 
Jun-2023 12,875 
Jul-2023 12,862 
Aug-2023 12,861 
Sep-2023 12,872 
Oct-2023 12,837 
Nov-2023 12,859 
Dec-2023 12,872 
Jan-2024 12,875 
Feb-2024 12,852 
Mar-2024 12,836 
Apr-2024 12,833 
May-2024 12,825 
Jun-2024 12,814 
Jul-2024 12,806 
Aug-2024 12,772 
Sep-2024 12,758 
Oct-2024 12,697 
Nov-2024 12,711 
Dec-2024 12,693 
Jan-2025 12,673 
Feb-2025 12,671 
Mar-2025 12,666 
Apr-2025 12,662 
May-2025 12,651 
Jun-2025 12,636 
Jul-2025 12,625 
Aug-2025 12,615 
Sep-2025 12,612 
Oct-2025 12,603 
Nov-2025 12,593 
Dec-2025 12,580 
Jan-2026 12,582 
Feb-2026 12,576 
Mar-2026 12,591 
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Economic Policy Institute

Source: Current Employment Statistics (CES) program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics

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