Nicknamed “The Centennial State” located near continental America’s geographic center and encompassing a big part of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado shipped US$11 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a 7.2% increase from $10.3 billion four years earlier in 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from Colorado grew by 4.3% gain compared to $10.6 billion in 2024.

Colorado ranks as America’s 35th most lucrative exporter by state well behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana, Illinois and Florida.

The value of Colorado’s exports equals 0.5% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2025, same percentage as in 2024.

Colorado’s exported products represent 1.9% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2025 ($553.3 billion).

Given Colorado’s population of 6 million people, its total US$11 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $1,850 for every resident in the Centennial State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $1,775 exports per capita for 2024.

Colorado’s unemployment rate was 3.9% at the end of March 2026, down from the state’s 4.2% jobless rate one year earlier per YCharts.

Colorado’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Colorado global shipments during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Colorado.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Beef (boneless, fresh/chilled): US$754.3 million (6.8% of total Coloradan exports)
2. Polypeptide protein, glycoprotein hormones: $552.5 million (5%)
3. Miscellaneous electronic integrated circuits: $544.7 million (4.9%)
4. Civilian aircraft, aircraft engines or other parts: $482.8 million (4.4%)
5. Gold (unwrought): $455.7 million (4.1%)
6. Beef (boneless, frozen): $281.1 million (2.5%)
7. Medical, dental or veterinarian instruments: $235.3 million (2.1%)
8. Pork (bone-in, fresh or chilled): $220.5 million (2%)
9. Orthopedic or fracture appliances, parts: $171.9 million (1.6%)
10. Beef cuts (bone-in, frozen): $164.8 million (1.5%)

Colorado’s top 10 exports surpassed one-third (35%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Posting the strongest gains from 2024 to 2025 were Colorado’s exports of polypeptide protein and glycoprotein hormones (up 61,205%).

In second place were medical, dental or veterinarian instruments (up 76%), ahead of exported unwrought gold (up 42.4%) then orthopedic or fracture appliances or parts (up 33.5%).

Year over year, the decliners were frozen boneless beef pulled down by an -24.9% slowdown from 2024 trailed by civilian aircraft fully assembled, aircraft engines or other parts (down -1%).

More Key Facts about Colorado’s International Trade

Colorado incurred a -US$5.38 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount reflects a -12.8% reduction from -$6.18 billion in red ink in 2024.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Coloradan imports totaled $16.4 billion for the most recent reporting period.

Below are Colorado’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2025.

1. Crude petroleum oils: US$3.3 billion (20.1% of total Coloradan imports)
2. Large aircraft: $589.2 million (3.6%)
3. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $578.1 million (3.5%)
4. Electronic integrated circuits (processors, controllers): $359.5 million (2.2%)
5. Miscellaneous electronic integrated circuits: $337 million (2.1%)
6. Hearing aids: $292.9 million (1.8%)
7. Miscellaneous motor and engine parts: $263.3 million (1.6%)
8. Solid-state semiconductor storage devices: $195.7 million (1.2%)
9. Static converters, computer power supplies: $155.6 million (0.9%)
10. Miscellaneous items made from plastic: $150.7 million (0.9%)

Colorado has highly negative net exports in the international trade of crude petroleum oils. In turn, this cashflow indicates Colorado’s competitive disadvantage under this product category.

Colorado’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over two-thirds (68.9%) worth of the total value of products exported from Colorado during 2025.

1. Mexico: US$1.7 billion (15.5% of total Coloradan exports)
2. Canada: $1.6 billion (14.3%)
3. Switzerland: $750.9 million (6.8%)
4. South Korea: $662.5 million (6%)
5. Italy: $654.8 million (5.94%)
6. mainland China: $645.8 million (5.86%)
7. Malaysia: $511.2 million (4.6%)
8. Japan: $463.5 million (4.2%)
9. Netherlands: $314.2 million (2.85%)
10. Germany: $304.6 million (2.76%)

Colorado’s trade partners in North America (Mexico and Canada) bought about three-tenths (29.8%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Centennial State.

Colorado supplied 20.7% worth of its exports to leading trade partners in Asia (South Korea, mainland China, Malaysia and Japan), with 18.4% going to major buyers in Europe (Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands and Germany).

Coloradan Export Companies

Twenty-two of Colorado-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• Antero Resources Corp (oil, natural gas, ethane)
• DCP Midstream Partners (petroleum refinery, transportation)
• EchoStar Corp (satellite products, services)
• Molson Coors Brewing Co. (beer, wine, spirits, energy drinks)
• Newmont Mining Corp (gold, copper, silver)
• QEP Resources (oil, natural gas)
• Western Union (financial services, communications)
• WhiteWave Foods Co. (plant-based foods, beverages, dairy goods)
• Whiting Petroleum Corp (oil, natural gas)
• Woodward, Inc. (control systems, related components)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related products or services which each business sells.
 

Colorado’s capital is Denver, a city nicknamed “The Mile High City”.

See also Connecticut’s Top 10 Exports, South Dakota’s Top 10 Exports, West Virginia’s Top 10 Exports, Delaware’s Top 10 Exports and New Hampshire’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Forbes, 2022 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 9, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2022 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 9, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 9, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Colorado. Accessed on May 9, 2026

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Colorado. Accessed on May 9, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Wikipedia, Colorado. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Colorado Companies. Accessed on May 9, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 9, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 9, 2026