Jobs & Economy

Aluminum Nation

The U.S. aluminum industry is a key element of the nation's manufacturing base. Strong, lightweight and recyclable, aluminum is a material uniquely suited to meet the needs and challenges of the 21st century. From increasing vehicle fuel efficiency to green building products to sustainable packaging, aluminum is well positioned in the U.S. and global markets.

A study by economic research firm John Dunham & Associates highlights the importance of the aluminum industry to the U.S. economy.

Aluminum in Modern Manufacturing

Today, the U.S. aluminum industry:

• Directly employs more than 166,000 workers and indirectly supports an additional 494,000 workers.
• Directly generates more than $70 billion in economic output and indirectly generates an additional $102 billion in economic output.
• Supports nearly 660,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs and nearly $172 billion in economic output.
• Committed or invested $3 billion in domestic manufacturing since 2013.

While the initial economic impact report was completed in March of 2020, subsequent modeling shows the impact of COVID-19 on industry jobs and economic output. The latest modeling through August 2020 suggests that direct industry jobs and economic output have likely declined about 11 percent since the study was originally completed.

Download a full pdf of our industry economic impact infographic

• Full 2013 Study
• Full 2016 Study
• Full 2018 Study
• Full 2020 Study

Direct Jobs by Sector

Overall employment in U.S. aluminum has held largely steady for most of the past decade though most sectors lost jobs between 2018 and 2020. These shifts were offset by an increase in jobs in the primary aluminum segment in the 2020 report, which represent about 3 percent of U.S. aluminum jobs overall. 

Other Key Findings:

• Workers directly employed by the U.S. aluminum industry earn nearly $13 billion in wages and benefits.
• Indirect and induced employment creates an additional $32 billion in wages and benefits.
• When all employment supported by the industry is taken into account, these jobs generate nearly $16 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

Aluminum Industry Economic Impact Map

The map below provides detailed information on the economic contributions generated by the aluminum industry in the United States. To see how the industry creates jobs in your state or congressional district, click on the map or on the drop-down boxes below.