Aug. 15. North Carolina saw a 38.5% decline in its manufacturing employment between 2000 and 2024—the 7th largest drop in the nation, according to a new study from ETQ, a manufacturing analysis firm.

The decline translates to a loss of 292,072 jobs during that period. The nation as a whole saw a loss of over 4.5 million manufacturing jobs.

Manufacturing production, however, grew by 45%, likely a reflection of the trend toward automation. Manufacturing output in North Carolina increased by 9.6% over the same span.

“While policymakers often cite job creation as a central goal of bringing manufacturing back home, today’s highly automated factories mean employment is unlikely to return to past levels,” the study states.

New government data released August 1 shows that U.S. manufacturing employment has reached its lowest level since April 2022.

The full ETQ report covers 49 states with data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and provides a detailed breakdown of changes in manufacturing employment, GDP and total employment from 2000 to 2024.