Florida's manufacturing sector is a $86.6 billion industry that ranks sixth in the nation in the value of exported manufactured goods, employs more than 434,000 workers, and contributes 4.62 percent of the state's GDP — quietly outpacing both tourism and agriculture. Anchored by aerospace, defense, and space manufacturing firms along the Space Coast corridor, including global names like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX, and Raytheon, the industry also produces medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage products, and recreational boats. The sector offers high wages with low educational barriers: eleven of the fifteen largest manufacturing occupations require only a high school diploma or equivalent, with an average annual salary of $87,000. Modernized working conditions — built around computer-based tasks and precision environments — have made manufacturing jobs increasingly comparable to traditional white-collar work.