Manufacturing technology spans industrial robots, dedicated equipment, software, cloud computing and AI, but these measures are not interchangeable. The figures below identify the population, geography and period for each measure, from global robot deployment through U.S. adoption, productivity and job projections.
Key Manufacturing Technology Statistics
The most broadly useful figures are:
- In 2023, 4,281,585 industrial robots were operating in factories worldwide, a 10% year-over-year increase.
- In 2023, 541,302 industrial robots were installed worldwide, 2% below the 2022 record of 552,946.
- In 2023, global robot density reached 162 industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees.
- From 2016 to 2023, global robot density rose from 74 to 162 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees.
- In 2024, 542,000 industrial robots were installed worldwide, more than double the level 10 years earlier.
- In 2024, the global operational industrial-robot stock reached 4,664,000 units, up 9% year over year.
- In 2023, Asia received 70% of newly deployed industrial robots worldwide.
- In 2023, China installed 276,288 industrial robots, equal to 51% of global installations.
- In 2023, India’s industrial-robot installations rose 59% to 8,510 units.
- During 2016–2018, 37.6% of U.S. manufacturing workers were employed at firms using robotics for automation.
- During 2016–2018, U.S. manufacturing-worker automation exposure ranged from 17.6% for AI to 37.8% for dedicated equipment.
- In 2024, labor productivity decreased in 52 of 86 U.S. four-digit manufacturing industries.
- In 2024, unit labor costs increased in 73 of 86 U.S. four-digit manufacturing industries.
- From 2019 to 2024, audio and video equipment manufacturing recorded 11.2% annualized productivity growth in the United States.
- From 1987 to 2024, labor productivity rose in 82 of 91 U.S. manufacturing and mining industries.
- In 2024, U.S. manufacturing employed more than 12.8 million workers.
- From 2024 to 2034, other electrical equipment and component manufacturing was projected to grow 29%, from 165,700 to 214,100 jobs.
- In 2024, the median U.S. manufacturing-worker wage was $51,670, compared with $49,500 for all workers.
Contents
- Global industrial robot scale and growth
- Regional and country automation data
- U.S. technology adoption and automation exposure
- Manufacturing productivity and unit labor costs
- Manufacturing technology jobs and wages
- Manufacturing technology outlook and projections
Global Manufacturing Technology Statistics: Industrial Robot Scale and Growth
Industrial-robot counts provide one measurable view of manufacturing technology, but they cover industrial robots rather than every form of automation. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reported 4,281,585 robots in operation worldwide in 2023, up 10% from the prior year, alongside 541,302 installations.
The 2023 installation total was 2% below the 2022 record of 552,946 units. IFR also reported 542,000 installations in 2024, more than double the level 10 years earlier, with annual installations above 500,000 for the fourth consecutive year from 2021 through 2024.
| Global industrial-robot measure | Period | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Operating stock | 2023 | 4,281,585 robots, up 10% year over year |
| Annual installations | 2022 | 552,946 robots |
| Annual installations | 2023 | 541,302 robots, down 2% from 2022 |
| Annual installations | 2024 | 542,000 robots |
| Operating stock | 2024 | 4,664,000 robots, up 9% year over year |
Source: International Federation of Robotics, “Record 4 Million Robots in Factories Worldwide” and “Global Robot Demand in Factories Doubles Over 10 Years”. IFR counts cover industrial robots and use supplier and national-association data.
Robot density adds an employment denominator. In 2023, the global average was 162 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, compared with 74 in 2016; this seven-year comparison does not isolate causal technology effects.
Source: International Federation of Robotics, “Global Robot Density in Factories Doubled in Seven Years”.
Regional and Country Manufacturing Automation Data
New industrial-robot deployments were concentrated in Asia in 2023. Asia received 70% of new deployments, Europe 17% and the Americas 10%; regional shares may not sum to 100% because of rounding.
| Region or country | 2023 installations or share | Period comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | 70% of new deployments | 2023 global share |
| Europe | 92,393 robots; 9% increase | 2023 annual total |
| Americas | 55,389 robots; 1% below 2022 record | 2023 annual total |
| China | 276,288 robots; 51% of global installations | 2023 annual total |
| Japan | 46,106 robots; down 9% | Versus 2022 |
| South Korea | 31,444 robots; down 1% | Versus 2022 |
| India | 8,510 robots; up 59% | Versus 2022 |
| Germany | 28,355 robots; up 7% | Versus 2022 |
| United States | 37,587 robots; 68% of Americas installations; down 5% | 2023 annual total |
China’s operational stock was just under 1.8 million robots in 2023. Chinese manufacturers supplied 47% of their domestic industrial-robot market in 2023, versus about 28% over the prior decade; this is domestic market share, not global production share.
India’s automotive industry installed 3,551 robots in 2023, up 139%. In the United States, automotive installations fell 15% to 12,421, while metal and machinery installations rose 8% to 4,171.
Source: International Federation of Robotics, “Record 4 Million Robots in Factories Worldwide”.
U.S. Manufacturing Technology Adoption and Automation Exposure
The U.S. Census technology evidence comes from firms reporting use during 2016–2018 in the 2019 Annual Business Survey technology module. It measures firm adoption and employment-weighted exposure, not the share of individual workers or tasks automated and not a causal estimate of job loss.
Among U.S. firms, 19.6% used dedicated equipment, 40.2% used specialized software and 34.0% used cloud computing. AI was used by 3.2% of firms, while 12.6% of U.S. workers worked at AI-using firms; employment-weighted exposure to robotics was 15.7%.
| Technology measure | U.S. firms or workers, 2016–2018 |
|---|---|
| Firms using dedicated equipment | 19.6% |
| Firms using specialized software | 40.2% |
| Firms using cloud computing | 34.0% |
| Firms using AI | 3.2% |
| Workers at AI-using firms | 12.6% |
| Workers at robotics-using firms | 15.7% |
| Workers at dedicated-equipment firms | 36.4% |
| Workers at specialized-software firms | 64.4% |
| Workers at cloud-computing firms | 61.8% |
Within U.S. manufacturing, worker exposure to automation ranged from 17.6% for AI to 37.8% for dedicated equipment. Robotics exposure was 37.6%, meaning employment at firms reporting robotic automation rather than individual task automation.
Among robotics-using firms, 30.2% also used AI, 87.7% used dedicated equipment, 89.6% used specialized software and 73.1% used cloud computing. Employment-weighted users adopted AI for automation at a 55% rate and robotics for automation at a 65% rate; these are motivation and use measures, not productivity or job-loss estimates.
Manufacturing Productivity and Unit Labor Cost Trends
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) measures labor productivity as output per hour and reports unit labor costs separately. In 2024, productivity decreased in 52 of 86 four-digit U.S. manufacturing industries, while unit labor costs increased in 73 of 86.
From 2019 to 2024, productivity increased in 35 of 86 four-digit manufacturing industries. BLS rates for this multi-year comparison are annualized average changes, not single-year movements.
| U.S. manufacturing industry | 2019–2024 annualized productivity result |
|---|---|
| Audio and video equipment manufacturing | +11.2% per year |
| Apparel knitting mills | +8.6% per year |
| Tobacco manufacturing | −9.0% per year |
| Beverage manufacturing hours worked | +4.8% per year |
| Motor-vehicle manufacturing hours worked | +4.7% per year |
Hours worked fell in 53 of 86 four-digit manufacturing industries from 2019 to 2024. Over the longer 1987–2024 period, labor productivity rose in 82 of 91 manufacturing and mining industries, output rose in 48, and hours worked rose in 18; unit labor costs increased in 81 of 86 four-digit manufacturing industries.
Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing posted 12.9% annualized productivity growth from 1987 to 2024. These long-run results include industry comparisons and should not be treated as proof that a particular technology caused the observed change.
Source: BLS, “Productivity and Costs by Industry: Manufacturing and Mining Industries – 2024”.
Manufacturing Technology Jobs, Wages and Workforce Data
U.S. manufacturing employed more than 12.8 million workers in 2024. The BLS reported a 2024 median manufacturing-worker wage of $51,670, compared with $49,500 for all workers.
Selected occupations show how technology-related manufacturing work spans maintenance, engineering and software. BLS projected 41,200 additional manufacturing jobs for industrial machinery mechanics from 2024 to 2034; the 2024 manufacturing median wage was $64,680.
| Manufacturing occupation | Projected added jobs, 2024–2034 | 2024 median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial machinery mechanics | 41,200 | $64,680 |
| Industrial engineers | 25,600 | $100,060 |
| Software developers | 11,800 | $134,910 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 30,100 | $91,630 |
The first three rows are occupations, while aerospace is an industry-level employment projection paired with its 2024 median wage. Nearly 1 million production-occupation openings per year were projected on average from 2024 to 2034 across all U.S. industries; openings primarily include replacement demand and are not all manufacturing jobs.
Source: BLS, “Producing the goods of the future: Job opportunities in manufacturing”.
Manufacturing Technology Outlook and Measurable Industry Shifts
BLS projections distinguish forecasts from observed employment and wage levels. From 2024 to 2034, other electrical equipment and component manufacturing was projected to grow 29%, from 165,700 to 214,100 jobs, while semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing was projected to grow 11%, from 392,300 to 436,800.
| U.S. industry | 2024 employment | 2034 employment | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical equipment and components | 165,700 | 214,100 | +29%; about +48,400 jobs |
| Semiconductor and electronic components | 392,300 | 436,800 | +11%; +44,500 jobs |
| Plastics products | 592,500 | 618,800 | +26,300 jobs |
| Beverage manufacturing | 333,000 | 370,800 | +37,800 jobs |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 350,500 | 369,500 | +19,000 jobs |
| Motor-vehicle manufacturing | 302,000 | 318,200 | +16,200 jobs |
Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing had the largest numeric projected increase among manufacturing industries, at about 48,400 jobs. Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing was projected to add 44,500 jobs.
Six of the 10 fastest-growing detailed manufacturing industries in the BLS table were food or beverage industries. The count describes the named categories in that table and is not a separate calculation of growth rates.
Source: BLS, “Producing the goods of the future: Job opportunities in manufacturing”.