1776
Early ironworks &
shipbuilding scale












17% real value-add with supply-chain effects
~60% of total US exports
Median Total 20M jobs supported
Median earnings 9–12% above private-sector average
High employment concentration in Midwest & Southern states — core middle-income regions
2–3x higher benefits value per hour vs. retail or hospitality
25%+ share of U.S. market cap; the largest sector
Top driver of 10-yr shareholder value creation (~30%+)
400+ public companies >$1Bn market cap — most of any sector
