Nicknamed “Old Line State” and “Free State” located in America’s Mid-Atlantic region, Maryland shipped US$16.5 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a -7.3% slowdown from $17.8 billion four years earlier in 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of Maryland’s exported goods fell by -8% compared to $17.95 billion for 2024.

Maryland ranks as America’s 29th biggest exporters by state lagging front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Maryland’s exports equals 0.8% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2025, down from 0.9% for 2024.

Based on research from IBIS World, Maryland’s exported products represent 3.7% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2025 ($440.7 billion).

Given Maryland’s population of 6.2 million people, its total US$16.5 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $2,650 for every resident in the Old Line State. That dollar metric lags the average $2,850 per capita for 2024.

Maryland’s unemployment rate was 4.2% at then end of December 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 2025. 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, aircraft engines or other parts: US$2.7 Billion (16.4% of total Marylander exports)
2. Natural gas (liquid): $2.2 billion (13.1%)
3. Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous): $868.3 million (5.3%)
4. Diagnostic, laboratory reagents: $582.7 million (3.5%)
5. Immunological products in dosage: $334.9 million (2%)
6. Silver jewelry, parts: $286.9 million (1.7%)
7. Military equipment: $241.1 million (1.5%)
8. Miscellaneous printed books, brochures: $212 million (1.3%)
9. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $155.8 million (0.9%)
10. Pipe taps, vats, similar appliances: $153.8 million (0.9%)

Maryland’s top 10 exports accounted for 46.7% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Liquefied natural gas represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 16.2% from 2024 to 2025.

Other strong annual increases belong to Marylander exports of diagnostic laboratory reagents (up 10.3% from 2024) and mid-sized automobiles powered by piston engine (up 9.3%).

The severest year-over- decliners among Maryland’s top 10 export products were for exported pipe taps, vats and similar appliances (down -39.2%), non-agglomerated bituminous coal (down -32.9%) then immunological products in dosage (down -18.8%).

More Key Facts about Maryland’s International Trade

Maryland incurred an overall -US$24.9 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount reflects a 0.8% rise compared to -$24.7 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.

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

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$7.5 billion (18% of total Marylander imports)
2. Large automobiles (piston engine): $2.1 billion (5%)
3. Refined copper cathodes: $951.9 million (2.3%)
4. Vehicles with ignition & electric motors (not plug charged): $782.6 million (1.9%)
5. Voice, image, data machinery: $755.7 million (1.8%)
6. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $736.3 million (1.8%)
7. Vehicles with ignition & electric motors (plug charged): $736.2 million (1.8%)
8. Coffee (unroasted, caffeinated): $726.7 million (1.8%)
9. Unalloyed tin (unwrought): $630.1 million (1.5%)
10. Small automobiles (piston engine): $610.4 million (1.5%)

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 almost two-thirds (65.3%) worth of the total value of products exported from Maryland during 2025.

1. Canada: US$2.2 billion (13% of total Marylander exports)
2. France: $1.7 billion (10.4%)
3. Netherlands: $1.3 billion (7.8%)
4. India: $1.14 billion (6.9%)
5. Morocco: $1.05 billion (6.4%)
6. Germany: $817.8 million (5%)
7. Japan: $739.2 million (4.5%)
8. United Kingdom: $712.1 million (4.3%)
9. mainland China: $658.2 million (4%)
10. Mexico: $507.4 million (3.1%)

Maryland’s top trade partners in Europe (France, Netherlands, Germany and the UK) purchased 27.5% of the overall value of exported goods from the Old Line State.

Leading importers in Asia (India, Japan and mainland China) accounted for another 15.4% of Maryland’s export sales to its top 10 trade partners.

Canada and Mexico, Maryland’s North American trade customers, bought 16.1% 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 April 4, 2026

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed April 4, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2022 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed April 4, 2026

IBIS World, Maryland Economic Overview (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on April 4, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed April 4, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed April 4, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed April 4, 2026

United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts Maryland (includes population). Accessed April 4, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on April 4, 2026

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Maryland. Accessed April 4, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on April 4, 2026

Wikipedia, Maryland. Accessed April 4, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed April 4, 2026