Nicknamed “Old Line State” and “Free State” located in America’s Mid-Atlantic region, Maryland shipped US$17.8 billion worth of products around the globe in 2022.

That dollar amount results from a 36.6% rise from $13.1 billion earlier in 2019.

Year over year, the overall value of Maryland’s exported goods increased by 8.6% compared to $16.4 billion for 2021.

Maryland ranks around the bottom of America’s 25 biggest exporters by state lagging front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York State and Illinois. The value of Maryland’s exports equals 0.9% of United States’ overall exported products for 2022.

Based on research from Statista, Maryland’s exported products represent 4.8% of the state’s total economic output or real Gross Domestic Product in 2022 ($368.7 billion).

Given Maryland’s population of 6.165 million people, its total $17.8 billion in 2022 exports translates to roughly $2,900 for every resident in the Old Line State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $2,700 per capita for 2021.

Maryland’s unemployment rate was 2.5% at then end of April 2023, down from 3.2% at March 31, 2022 per YCharts.

Maryland’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Maryland global shipments during 2022. 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. Natural gas (liquid): US$2.9 billion (16% of Maryland’s total exports)
2. Civilian aircraft, engines, other parts: $1.8 billion (10.3%)
3. Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous): $1.4 billion (7.8%)
4. Composite diagnostic/laboratory reagents: $610.8 million (3.4%)
5. Iron scrap: $278.4 million (1.6%)
6. Large helicopters: $257.2 million (1.4%)
7. Silver jewelry, parts: $224 million (1.3%)
8. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $189.3 million (1.1%)
9. Pipe taps, vats, similar appliances: $182.8 million (1%)
10. Miscellaneous military equipment: $166.5 million (0.9%)

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Maryland’s top 10 exports accounted for 44.9% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Miscellaneous military equipment represents the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 306.1% from 2021 to 2022.

Other strong annual increases belong to Marylander exports of non-agglomerated bituminous coal (up 140.1%), silver jewelry and parts (up 56.9%), liquid natural gas (up 46.9%), then iron waste and scrap (up 41.5%).

The severest decliner among Maryland’s top 10 export products were large helicopters, relatively large capital expenses. Sales of large helicopters exported from Maryland shrank by -70.1% from 2021.

More Key Facts about Maryland’s International Trade

Maryland incurred an overall -US$29.1 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2022. That dollar amount reflects a 34.5% expansion compared to -$22.1 billion in red ink in 2021.

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 2022.

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$10.4 billion (21.8% of Maryland’s total imports)
2. Large automobiles (piston engine): $1.9 billion (4%)
3. Unalloyed nickel (unwrought): $1.1 billion (2.4%)
4. Aluminum alloys (unwrought): $928.3 million (2%)
5. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $865 million (1.8%)
6. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $839.3 million (1.8%)
7. Unalloyed tin (unwrought): $762.2 million (1.6%)
8. Aluminum alloys (unwrought): $726.6 million (1.5%)
9. Mechanical shovels, excavators, loaders: $621.1 million (1.3%)
10. Composite diagnostic/laboratory reagents: $570.9 million (1.2%)

Maryland has highly negative net exports in the international trade of automobiles including electric-powered vehicles, modems and similar reception or transmission devices, and tin, lead and nickel in various forms. 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%) worth of the total value of products exported from Maryland during 2022.

1. Canada: US$2.3 billion (12.9% of Maryland’s total exports)
2. France: $1.7 billion (9.3%)
3. Netherlands: $1.5 billion (8.7%)
4. India: $1.2 billion (6.5%)
5. mainland China: $1.1 billion (6.3%)
6. United Kingdom: $907.5 million (5.1%)
7. Japan: $833.2 million (4.7%)
8. Germany: $797.3 million (4.5%)
9. South Korea: $635 million (3.6%)
10. Morocco: $629.9 million (3.5%)

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

Leading importers in Asia (India, mainland China, Japan and South Korea) accounted for another 21% of Maryland’s export sales to its top 10 trade partners.

Canada and Mexico, Maryland’s North American trade customers, bought 15.4% 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 June 7, 2023

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed June 7, 2023

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed June 7, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed June 7, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed June 7, 2023

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed June 7, 2023

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Maryland. Accessed on June 7, 2023

United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts Maryland (includes population). Accessed June 7, 2023

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on June 7, 2023

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Maryland. Accessed June 7, 2023

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on June 7, 2023

Wikipedia, Maryland. Accessed June 7, 2023

World’s Capital Cities, Capital Facts for Annapolis, United States. Accessed June 7, 2023

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed June 7, 2023