August 18, 2023
Majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign multinational enterprises employed 7.94 million workers in the United States in 2021, a 2.9 percent increase from 7.71 million workers in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). These affiliates accounted for 6.2 percent of total private-industry employment in the United States in 2021.
Highlights of majority-owned U.S. affiliate statistics in 2021:
- Current-dollar value added, a measure of their direct contribution to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), increased 12.6 percent to $1.2 trillion. These affiliates accounted for 6.5 percent of total U.S. business-sector value added.
- Expenditures for property, plant, and equipment increased 5.0 percent to $290.8 billion. These affiliates accounted for 17.3 percent of total U.S. private business capital expenditures.
- Research and development (R&D) performed increased 9.4 percent to $78.3 billion. These affiliates accounted for 13.3 percent of total U.S. business R&D in 2020, the latest year for which all-U.S. business R&D data are available.
- By state, private-industry employment was highest in South Carolina (9.5 percent), Michigan (8.8 percent), and New Hampshire (8.7 percent).
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