While the Maryland economy is rooted in manufacturing, trade, and transportation, it has emerged in recent years as a major technology center. A factor in this transition is the presence of key federal research and regulatory agencies in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. The state's economy is currently dominated by service-producing industries, accounting for two thirds of the state's employment in 2006.
Goods Producing Industries
Maryland's manufacturing industry is highly diversified, with 18 of the 20 major manufacturing groups (3-digit NAICS) well represented in the state.
For durable goods, significant employment is centered on computer and electronic products with nearly 22,000 workers.
According to the American Electronics Association, Maryland ranks fifth nationally by employment in measuring and controlling instruments manufacturing.
Other important durable goods industries include machinery, fabricated metal products, and transportation equipment.
For non-durables, major employment is centered in printing, food, chemicals, and plastic and rubber products.
Service Providing Industries
Maryland employs a substantial number of workers in information industries, with 20,000 workers in telecommunications.
Professional and business services account for 16 percent of the state's employment.
Maryland ranks first in the nation in professional and technical workers as a percentage of the workforce, and has over 215,000 workers employed in professional, scientific, and technical service industries.
With its proximity to the nation's capital, Maryland is home to a large and growing base of membership associations and organizations with 25,000 workers.
The following table presents a breakdown of employment by industry in Maryland. A more detailed table is available from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Office of Workforce Information and Performance.
2006 Composition of Maryland Employment by Industry
(Annual Average by Place of Work)
Industry Group
Number of Business Establishments
Employment
Percent of Total Employment
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT
163,781
2,530,129
100.0%
TOTAL GOVERNMENT SECTOR
3,213
455,492
18.0%
Federal Government
949
125,178
4.9%
State Government
386
97,519
3.9%
Local Government
1,878
232,795
9.2%
TOTAL PRIVATE SECTOR
160,568
2,074,637
82.0%
GOODS-PRODUCING
24,329
331,590
13.1%
Natural Resources and Mining
728
6,836
0.3%
Construction
19,417
188,420
7.4%
Manufacturing
4,184
136,334
5.4%
SERVICE-PROVIDING
134,768
1,741,777
68.8%
Utilities
140
9,711
0.4%
Wholesale Trade
10,185
94,997
3.8%
Retail Trade
19,565
299,648
11.8%
Transportation and Warehousing
4,112
65,765
2.6%
Information
2,839
50,726
2.0%
Financial Activities
15,245
157,729
6.2%
Professional and Business Services
34,457
394,518
15.6%
Education and Health Services
16,441
349,136
13.8%
Leisure and Hospitality
12,733
229,694
9.1%
Other Services
19,026
89,703
3.5%
UNCLASSIFIED
1,471
1,270
0.1%
Note: Details may not add to totals due to rounding and exclusion of some industries. Source:Office of Workforce Information and Performance. The statistics in this table are from Maryland's ES-202 Program, which covers over 91 percent of all civilian employment in the state. Data is based on the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).
