U.S. Manufacturing Gains 72,000 Jobs in 2026, White House Reports

Titled The State of American Manufacturing, the 14-page report utilizes data from federal employment, industrial production, economic output, and trade statistics to evaluate manufacturing performance during Trump's second term.

The report highlights a 101,000 job increase in durable goods industries, with 21,000 jobs in metal production and 17,000 in transportation equipment manufacturing. In contrast, over 200,000 manufacturing jobs were reportedly lost during the last two years of former President Joe Biden's tenure.

The average monthly job gains in manufacturing were about 8,000 in 2026, markedly better than the monthly losses of 9,000 in 2025 and 15,000 in 2024. Additionally, the S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index reached a high of 55.9 in September, remaining in expansion territory for 14 months as readings above 50 suggest growth.

Industrial production data shows significant growth across multiple sectors. Year-over-year increases included a 22% rise in semiconductor and printed circuit board production, 16.1% in business vehicle manufacturing, and a 11.2% increase in transit equipment production. Other sectors, such as machinery and aerospace equipment, also saw notable gains.

Economic output showed manufacturing growth in the second quarter of 2026, with durability goods manufacturing adding 8.3% and nondurable goods manufacturing increasing by 9.5% year-over-year. The report also noted a 31% rise in mining output.

Private investment surged as well, with real fixed investment growing at a 6.9% annualized rate in the first half of 2026, compared to slower growth rates in previous years. Construction jobs increased by approximately 100,000 since January 2025, and nonresidential specialty trades saw an increase of about 111,000 jobs.

Investment commitments from corporations were highlighted, with Micron Technology announcing $250 billion for memory-chip facilities, and Apple planning $600 billion in investments in the U.S. Pharmaceutical companies GSK and Gilead Sciences are investing $30 billion and $11 billion, respectively, while Stellantis has committed $13 billion to U.S. operations.

The report attributes these investment announcements to Trump's economic agenda, which is characterized by a total of more than $11 trillion in associated investment. It also mentions provisions for immediate deductions on capital expenditures intended to incentivize business expansion.

Additionally, inflation-adjusted earnings for manufacturing and construction workers increased, with manufacturing workers seeing an annualized rise of $1,945 and construction workers gaining $2,883.

Manufacturing job openings increased by 25%, while layoffs fell by 25%, indicating a supportive hiring environment. International trade metrics provided further evidence of manufacturing activity, with U.S. goods exports reaching a monthly record of $220 billion in April 2026, marking a 15% increase over the preceding year's first eight months.

The report suggests a shift toward capital goods imports as indicative of investment in domestic production capacity. The administration interprets the trends in employment and production as evidence of the effectiveness of its policies in encouraging domestic manufacturing expansion.