Nicknamed “Old Line State” and “Free State” located in America’s Mid-Atlantic region, Maryland shipped US$17.95 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 9.5% rise from $16.4 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Maryland’s exported goods fell by -2.6% compared to $18.4 billion for 2023.

Maryland ranks as America’s 28th biggest exporters by state lagging front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Maryland’s exports equals 0.9% of United States’ overall exported products for 2024.

Based on research from IBIS World, Maryland’s exported products represent 3.3% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($542.8 billion).

Given Maryland’s population of 6.263 million people, its total $17.95 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $2,850 for every resident in the Old Line State. That dollar metric lags the average $2,950 per capita for 2023.

Maryland’s unemployment rate was 3.3% at then end of June 2025, up from 3.1% one year prior per YCharts.

Maryland’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Maryland global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Maryland.

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

1. Civilian aircraft, engines or other parts: US$2.8 billion (15.7% of Maryland’s total exports)
2. Natural gas (liquid): $1.86 billion (10.4%)
3. Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous): $1.3 billion (7.2%)
4. Diagnostic/laboratory reagents: $528.2 million (2.9%)
5. Immunological products in dosage: $412.4 million (2.3%)
6. Large helicopters: $372.1 million (2.1%)
7. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $286.7 million (1.6%)
8. Silver jewelry, parts: $282.7 million (1.6%)
9. Military equipment: $256.2 million (1.4%)
10. Pipe taps, vats, similar appliances: $253.2 million (1.4%)

Maryland’s top 10 exports accounted for 46.6% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Immunological products in dosage represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 92.4% from 2023 to 2024.

Other strong annual increases belong to Marylander exports of military equipment (up 56.1% from 2023), large airplanes and helicopters (up 44.8%), modems and similar reception or transmission devices (up 32.6%), civilian aircraft, engines or other aircraft parts (up 25.4%), then silver jewelry or parts (up 19.5%).

The lone year-over- decliner among Maryland’s top 10 export products was for exported liquid natural gas, recording a -11.4% setback.

More Key Facts about Maryland’s International Trade

Maryland incurred an overall -US$24.7 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects an -11% slowdown compared to -$27.8 billion in red ink in 2023.

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.

Below are Maryland’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$10.1 billion (23.6% of Maryland’s total imports)
2. Large automobiles (piston engine): $2.2 billion (5.1%)
3. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $1.4 billion (3.2%)
4. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $1 billion (2.4%)
5. Self-propelled front-end shovel loaders: $694.6 million (1.6%)
6. Vehicles with ignition & electric motors (not plug charged): $681.7 million (1.6%)
7. Composite diagnostic/laboratory reagents: $602.2 million (1.4%)
8. Unalloyed nickel (unwrought): $555.6 million (1.3%)
9. Mechanical shovels, excavators: $551.1 million (1.3%)
10. Vehicles with ignition & electric motors (plug charged): $516.6 million (1.2%)

Maryland has highly negative net exports in the international trade of automobiles including electric-powered vehicles as well as modems and similar reception or transmission devices. In turn, these cashflows indicate Maryland’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Maryland’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased about two-thirds (66%) worth of the total value of products exported from Maryland during 2024.

1. Canada: US$2.3 billion (12.7% of Maryland’s total exports)
2. France: $1.9 billion (10.8%)
3. Netherlands: $1.3 billion (7.2%)
4. mainland China: $1.2 billion (6.5%)
5. Japan: $1.1 billion (6.1%)
6. Morocco: $1 billion (5.8%)
7. Germany: $924.1 million (5.1%)
8. United Kingdom: $790.9 million (4.4%)
9. India: $760.5 million (4.2%)
10. Mexico: $554.4 million (3.1%)

Maryland’s top trade partners in Europe (France, Netherlands, Germany and the UK) purchased 27.6% of the overall value of exported goods from the Old Line State.

Leading importers in Asia (mainland China, Japan and India) accounted for another 16.8% of Maryland’s export sales to its top 10 trade partners.

Canada and Mexico, Maryland’s North American trade customers, bought 15.8% of the state’s overall export sales.

Marylander Export Companies

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

• Ciena Corp (networking products, systems, services)
• Colfax Corp (transmissions, fluids)
• Lockheed Martin Corp (aerospace/defense/security technologies)
• McCormick & Company (spices, herbs, flavorings)
• Under Armour, Inc. (clothing, footwear, sporting equipment)
• W.R. Grace & Co. (specialty chemicals)

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

Maryland’s capital is Annapolis, a city nicknamed “America’s Sailing Capital” and “Naptown”.

See also Nevada’s Top 10 Exports, Idaho’s Top 10 Exports, Kentucky’s Top 10 Exports, Iowa’s Top 10 Exports and Maryland’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed August 3, 2025

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed August 3, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2021 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed August 3, 2025

IBIS World, Maryland Economic Overview (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on August 3, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed August 3, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed August 3, 2025

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed August 3, 2025

United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts Maryland (includes population). Accessed August 3, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on August 3, 2025

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Maryland. Accessed August 3, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on August 3, 2025

Wikipedia, Maryland. Accessed August 3, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed August 3, 2025