Montana’s chemicals, machinery and agricultural sectors drive its exports, which totaled $2.0 billion in 2022. With more than 1,300 companies in the state exporting goods, Montana’s top markets include nations such as South Korea, China, and Japan. Overall, international trade supports nearly 136,000 jobs in the state.

• In Montana, 135,600 jobs were supported by trade, representing 19.5% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2022, 1,335 companies exported goods from Montana of which 87% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2021, 9,500 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Montana exported $2.0 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2021, a 43% increase compared to 2020 driven by continued economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.⁵
  • Canada ($827 million)
  • South Korea ($163 million)
  • China ($155 million)
  • Mexico ($119 million)
  • Japan ($98 million)
• Agricultural exports are important to Montana's economy, totaling $1.5 billion in 2022, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $70 million in exports from 14 companies in Montana.⁷

• From 2022-2023, 1,200 international students were enrolled in Montana colleges and universities and contributed $36 million to the Montana economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 1,512 Peace Corps volunteers from Montana have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹¹

1. https://s3.amazonaws.com/brt.org/Business-Roundtable_TradeandAmericanJobs2022.pdf
2. https://www.businessroundtable.org/policy-perspectives/trade-international/benefits-of-trade-data
3. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/edb/edbrel2021.pdf
4. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/imne0823_0.pdf
5. https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/state-economy-and-trade-factsheets
6. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx#.U2ERwbQzqX8
7. https://www.exim.gov/customer-map/
8. https://www.mcc.gov/work-with-us/mcc-business/vehicles/
9. https://ustda.gov/ustda-success-by-state/
10. https://www.nafsa.org/policy-and-advocacy/policy-resources/nafsa-international-student-economic-value-tool-v2
11. https://www.peacecorps.gov/stories/peace-corps-announces-top-2023-volunteer-producing-states/