Shipments from America’s top 20 export states were worth a total US$1.65 trillion in 2022. From a national perspective, that dollar metric translates to four-fifths (80%) of overall exports from the United States of America ($2.063 trillion).

The dollar amount for the leading 20 export states reflects a 27% increase since 2019 and an 18.6% acceleration from 2021 to 2022.

To give further perspective, America’s total revenues from exporting products rose a smaller 25.3% from 2019 to 2022. Total US export sales gained 17.6% year over year.

America’s top 5 export states–Texas, California, Louisiana, New York and Illinois–collected 47.4% of all American export sales in 2022.

In addition to showcasing the major 20 export states, presented below are the 10 most valuable exports from each of the 5 main export states determined by the overall value of products exported in 2022.

Please also remember to scroll down to the section entitled Biggest Export by Major American Exporting State for a snapshot of the biggest export for each of the 20 top US exporting states.

America’s Top 20 Export States

Below are the top 20 American states that exported the highest dollar value worth of products during 2022. Combined, these export-leading states represent over four-fifths of the nation’s total exports.

1. Texas: US$485.6 billion (23.5% of US total)
2. California: $185.5 billion (9%)
3. Louisiana: $122.2 billion (5.9%)
4. New York: $106.3 billion (5.2%)
5. Illinois: $78.2 billion (3.8%)
6. Florida: $67.5 billion (3.3%)
7. Washington: $61.1 billion (3%)
8. Michigan: $61.05 billion (3%)
9. Ohio: $56.4 billion (2.7%)
10. Pennsylvania: $49.5 billion (2.4%)
11. Georgia: $47.3 billion (2.3%)
12. New Jersey: $46.3 billion (2.2%)
13. Indiana: $45.2 billion (2.2%)
14. North Carolina: $40.1 billion (1.9%)
15. Tennessee: $38.3 billion (1.9%)
16. Kentucky: $34.4 billion (1.7%)
17. Oregon: $34 billion (1.6%)
18. Massachusetts: $32.7 billion (1.9%)
19. South Carolina: $31.5 billion (1.5%)
20. Wisconsin: $27.4 billion (1.3%)

Among America’s 20 major export states, the greatest percentage increases belong to Louisiana (up 60.1% from 2021), Texas (up 29%), Florida (up 21.1%), North Carolina (up 19.8%), Illinois (up 18.4%), New York State (up 17.9%) and Kentucky (up 16.5%).

New Jersey was the sole year-over-year decliner among the top 20 US export states, weighed down by a -6.3% drop.

In addition, please peruse the Most Valuable Exported Product by State section further down this article.

Top 10 Exports from Texas

Below are the top 10 exports from Texas during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage of each export category compared to the total value of all Texan exports.

1. Crude petroleum oils: US$107.8 billion (22.2% of total Texan exports)
2. Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $42.2 billion (8.7%)
3. Light petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $38.6 billion (7.9%)
4. Liquified propane: $22.1 billion (4.6%)
5. Natural gas (liquid): $12 billion (2.5%)
6. Integrated circuits (processors/controllers): $11.5 billion (2.4%)
7. Natural gas (gaseous state): $10.8 billion (2.2%)
8. Computer parts and accessories: $8.9 billion (1.8%)
9. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: $8.8 billion (1.8%)
10. Machinery for making semi-conductor devices: $6.5 billion (1.3%)

The top 10 exports from Texas accounted for over half (55.4%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Refined petroleum oils represents the fastest grower among the top 10 Texan export categories by dollar value, up by 76.1% from 2021 to 2022. In second place for improving export sales was crude oil (up 72.6%). Third-fastest was the 31% gain for light oil preparations excluding biodiesel exported from Texas, ahead of the 20.3% improvement in international sales for civilian aircraft and 19% for exported liquid propane.

The mildest year-over-year advances among Texas’ top 10 export products belong to machinery for making semi-conductor devices (up 1.6%), processors and controllers used in electronic integrated circuits (up 2.3%), then natural gas in gaseous state (4%).

Top 10 Exports from California

Below are the top 10 exports from California during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage of each export category compared to the total value of all Californian exports.

1. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: US$6 billion (3.2% of California’s total exports)
2. Machinery for making semi-conductor devices: $5.5 billion (2.9%)
3. Parts or accessories for making semi-conductor devices: $4.5 billion (2.4%)
4. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $4.4 billion (2.4%)
5. Electronic integrated circuits: $4.3 billion (2.3%)
6. Diamonds (unmounted): $4.2 billion (2.3%)
7. Computer parts and accessories: $3.6 billion (1.9%)
8. Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $3.28 billion (1.8%)
9. Shelled almonds $3.26 billion (1.8%)
10. Electric vehicles: US$2.9 billion (1.6%)

California’s top 10 exports represent almost a quarter (22.6%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel became the fastest grower among California’s top 10 export categories, up by 114.8% from 2021 to 2022. In second place for improving export sales were parts and accessories for machinery for manufacturing semi-conductor devices thanks to a 15.1% gain. Shipments of civilian aircraft including engines or other parts posted the third-fastest improvement via a 9.1% increase in value.

The severest decliners among California’s top 10 export products were electric vehicles (down -16.6%) and machines that make semi-conductor devices (down -12.4%).

Top 10 Exports from Louisiana

Below are the top 10 exports from Louisiana during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage of each export category compared to the total value of all exports from Louisiana.

1. Natural gas (liquid): US$32 billion (26.2% of Louisiana’s total exports)
2. Miscellaneous petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $21.7 billion (17.8%)
3. Soya beans: $16.7 billion (13.7%)
4. Corn: $9.4 billion (7.7%)
5. Crude petroleum oils: $7.4 billion (6%)
6. Light petroleum oils: $5.3 billion (4.3%)
7. Solid residues including soya bean oil-cake: $2.7 billion (2.2%)
8. Wheat (excluding durum): $1.5 billion (1.2%)
9. Petroleum coke, uncalcined: $1.4 billion (1.1%)
10. Coal tar distillates: $1.05 billion (0.9%)

Louisiana’s top 10 exports accounted for over four-fifths (81.1%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Miscellaneous petroleum oils excluding biodiesel represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 136.2% from 2021 to 2022.

In second place for improving export sales was liquid natural gas which appreciated by 133.2%. Louisiana’s shipments of uncalcined petroleum coke posted the third-fastest gain in value thanks to its 93.2% advance.

The sole year-over-year drop among Louisiana’s top 10 export product categories was for corn exports, dragged down by a -4.3% reduction from 2021.

Top 10 Exports from New York

Below are the top 10 exports from New York State during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage of each export category compared to the total value of all exports from New York.

1. Gold (unwrought): US$24.8 billion (23.3% of New York’s total exports)
2. Diamonds (unmounted): $12.7 billion (11.9%)
3. Jewelry made with precious metals: $5.7 billion (5.4%)
4. Hand-drawn paintings, drawings under 101 years old: $4.4 billion (4.2%)
5. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds: $1.7 billion (1.6%)
6. Hand-drawn paintings, drawings over 100 years old: $1.6 billion (1.5%)
7. Original sculptures, statues: $1.03 billion (1%)
8. Electronic integrated circuits (processors/controllers): $1.014 billion (1%)
9. Miscellaneous items clad in precious metals: $992.2 million (0.9%)
10. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: $848.4 million (0.8%)

New York’s top 10 exports represent 51.5% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

The fastest-growing exports from New York in 2022 were miscellaneous items clad in precious metals propelled by a 214.5% gain, ahead of unwrought gold (up 68.5% from 2021), jewelry made with precious metals (up 48.3%), unmounted diamonds (up 32.7%), then rubies or sapphires and emeralds (up 31.5%).

The sole decliner recorded among New York’s top 10 export products was the civilian aircraft including engines and parts. That product category fell by -20.1% compared to 2021.

Top 10 Exports from Illinois

Below are the top 10 exports from Illinois during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage of each export category compared to the total value of all goods exported from Illinois.

1. Light petroleum oils: US$3.5 billion (4.4% of Illinois’ total exports)
2. Miscellaneous medications: $3.3 billion (4.2%)
3. Antisera, other blood fractions: $2.2 billion (2.8%)
4. Soya beans: $2.11 billion (2.7%)
5. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $2.06 billion (2.6%)
6. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $1.75 billion (2.2%)
7. Dumpers for off-highway use: $1.65 billion (2.1%)
8. Corn: $1.45 billion (1.9%)
9. Electro-diagnostic apparatus, parts: $1.13 billion (1.4%)
10. Brewing or distilling dregs and waste: $1.06 billion (1.4%)

Illinois’ top 10 exports represent over one-quarter (25.8%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

The fastest-growing export from Illinois from 2021 to 2022 were soya beans, thanks to a 183.2% advance.

Other top year-over-year improvements were for Illinoisan exports of vehicles powered by electric motor only (up 141.5%), antisera and other blood fractions (up 77.3%), corn (up 52.5%), electro-diagnostic apparatus and parts (up 51.8%), then light petroleum oils (up 44%).

The lone year-over-year decliner among Illinois’ top 10 export products was for dumpers designed for off-highway use, dragged down by a -9.1% reduction from 2021.
 

Most Valuable Exported Product by Major American Export State

The following list showcases the biggest export product for each of America’s top 20 export states. The list itself is sorted in descending order starting with the states that exported the highest value in overall goods during 2022.

1. Texas: crude petroleum oils
2. California: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts
3. Louisiana: liquid natural gas
4. New York: unwrought gold
5. Illinois: light petroleum oils
6. Florida: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts
7. Washington: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts
8. Michigan: small trucks (piston engine)
9. Ohio: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts
10. Pennsylvania: miscellaneous medications
11. Georgia: mid-sized automobiles (piston engine)
12. New Jersey: crude petroleum oils
13. Indiana: medications including hormones
14. North Carolina: immunological products
15. Tennessee: medical, dental, veterinarian instruments
16. Kentucky: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts
17. Oregon: integrated circuits (processors/controllers)
18. Massachusetts: machinery for making semi-conductors
19. South Carolina: mid-sized automobiles (piston engine)
20. Wisconsin: civilian aircraft including engines, other parts

 
In general, the most lucrative exported commodity for the above major exporting states is civilian aircraft which includes engines and other aircraft parts. Six of the above-listed American states have aircraft including engines and other parts as their most valuable export.

Petroleum oils are the most valuable exported product for 3 top states while exports of mid-sized automobiles powered by piston engine were the sales leaders for 2 other states.

See also Florida’s Top 10 Exports, Michigan’s Top 10 Exports, Alabama’s Top 10 Exports, Utah’s Top 10 Exports and Hawaii’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on April 29, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 29, 2023

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on April 29, 2023