Skip to content
PalanorPalanor

Size of the US Paper Manufacturing industry

NAICS 322, Paper Manufacturing. Every figure on this page was published by a federal statistical agency and carries its source and period. Palanor does not estimate: a period the agency didn’t publish shows as missing, and a figure it withheld shows as withheld.

Key figures

Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)
$220 billion
2022 · Economic Census
All establishments, current dollars
Value added (GDP by industry)
$75.2 billion
2025 · GDP by Industry
Current dollars
Employment
342,096
2026-Q1 · Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter
Establishments
5,786
2026-Q1 · Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Private ownership
Firms
2,301
2022 · Economic Census
Annual payroll
$26.5 billion
2023 · County Business Patterns

Over time

Value added, seasonally adjusted annual rate · GDP by IndustryLatest $75.9 billion · 2026-Q1
2005-Q1: $51.5 billion2005-Q2: $51.3 billion2005-Q3: $50.9 billion2005-Q4: $53.0 billion2006-Q1: $56.1 billion2006-Q2: $58.1 billion2006-Q3: $58.7 billion2006-Q4: $59.0 billion2007-Q1: $53.9 billion2007-Q2: $53.5 billion2007-Q3: $57.5 billion2007-Q4: $58.1 billion2008-Q1: $50.2 billion2008-Q2: $49.4 billion2008-Q3: $51.4 billion2008-Q4: $54.6 billion2009-Q1: $57.3 billion2009-Q2: $59.3 billion2009-Q3: $60.1 billion2009-Q4: $60.2 billion2010-Q1: $57.9 billion2010-Q2: $56.7 billion2010-Q3: $56.0 billion2010-Q4: $55.0 billion2011-Q1: $54.2 billion2011-Q2: $53.8 billion2011-Q3: $53.5 billion2011-Q4: $53.8 billion2012-Q1: $52.9 billion2012-Q2: $53.3 billion2012-Q3: $53.1 billion2012-Q4: $53.4 billion2013-Q1: $55.4 billion2013-Q2: $56.1 billion2013-Q3: $57.5 billion2013-Q4: $57.3 billion2014-Q1: $56.0 billion2014-Q2: $56.5 billion2014-Q3: $57.5 billion2014-Q4: $58.0 billion2015-Q1: $59.2 billion2015-Q2: $59.6 billion2015-Q3: $60.3 billion2015-Q4: $60.8 billion2016-Q1: $60.5 billion2016-Q2: $59.6 billion2016-Q3: $57.8 billion2016-Q4: $56.9 billion2017-Q1: $55.7 billion2017-Q2: $55.2 billion2017-Q3: $55.8 billion2017-Q4: $56.9 billion2018-Q1: $58.5 billion2018-Q2: $60.1 billion2018-Q3: $60.9 billion2018-Q4: $61.6 billion2019-Q1: $61.5 billion2019-Q2: $62.4 billion2019-Q3: $63.5 billion2019-Q4: $63.5 billion2020-Q1: $64.2 billion2020-Q2: $63.8 billion2020-Q3: $66.0 billion2020-Q4: $66.4 billion2021-Q1: $63.7 billion2021-Q2: $62.1 billion2021-Q3: $65.8 billion2021-Q4: $67.0 billion2022-Q1: $68.9 billion2022-Q2: $71.0 billion2022-Q3: $69.0 billion2022-Q4: $71.5 billion2023-Q1: $73.8 billion2023-Q2: $73.6 billion2023-Q3: $73.5 billion2023-Q4: $73.9 billion2024-Q1: $71.9 billion2024-Q2: $75.3 billion2024-Q3: $74.7 billion2024-Q4: $75.9 billion2025-Q1: $73.4 billion2025-Q2: $73.8 billion2025-Q3: $78.1 billion2025-Q4: $75.5 billion2026-Q1: $75.9 billion
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2026-Q1$75.9 billion
2025-Q4$75.5 billion
2025-Q3$78.1 billion
2025-Q2$73.8 billion
2025-Q1$73.4 billion
2024-Q4$75.9 billion
2024-Q3$74.7 billion
2024-Q2$75.3 billion
2024-Q1$71.9 billion
2023-Q4$73.9 billion
2023-Q3$73.5 billion
2023-Q2$73.6 billion
2023-Q1$73.8 billion
2022-Q4$71.5 billion
2022-Q3$69.0 billion
2022-Q2$71.0 billion
2022-Q1$68.9 billion
2021-Q4$67.0 billion
2021-Q3$65.8 billion
2021-Q2$62.1 billion
2021-Q1$63.7 billion
2020-Q4$66.4 billion
2020-Q3$66.0 billion
2020-Q2$63.8 billion
2020-Q1$64.2 billion
2019-Q4$63.5 billion
2019-Q3$63.5 billion
2019-Q2$62.4 billion
2019-Q1$61.5 billion
2018-Q4$61.6 billion
2018-Q3$60.9 billion
2018-Q2$60.1 billion
2018-Q1$58.5 billion
2017-Q4$56.9 billion
2017-Q3$55.8 billion
2017-Q2$55.2 billion
2017-Q1$55.7 billion
2016-Q4$56.9 billion
2016-Q3$57.8 billion
2016-Q2$59.6 billion
2016-Q1$60.5 billion
2015-Q4$60.8 billion
2015-Q3$60.3 billion
2015-Q2$59.6 billion
2015-Q1$59.2 billion
2014-Q4$58.0 billion
2014-Q3$57.5 billion
2014-Q2$56.5 billion
2014-Q1$56.0 billion
2013-Q4$57.3 billion
2013-Q3$57.5 billion
2013-Q2$56.1 billion
2013-Q1$55.4 billion
2012-Q4$53.4 billion
2012-Q3$53.1 billion
2012-Q2$53.3 billion
2012-Q1$52.9 billion
2011-Q4$53.8 billion
2011-Q3$53.5 billion
2011-Q2$53.8 billion
2011-Q1$54.2 billion
2010-Q4$55.0 billion
2010-Q3$56.0 billion
2010-Q2$56.7 billion
2010-Q1$57.9 billion
2009-Q4$60.2 billion
2009-Q3$60.1 billion
2009-Q2$59.3 billion
2009-Q1$57.3 billion
2008-Q4$54.6 billion
2008-Q3$51.4 billion
2008-Q2$49.4 billion
2008-Q1$50.2 billion
2007-Q4$58.1 billion
2007-Q3$57.5 billion
2007-Q2$53.5 billion
2007-Q1$53.9 billion
2006-Q4$59.0 billion
2006-Q3$58.7 billion
2006-Q2$58.1 billion
2006-Q1$56.1 billion
2005-Q4$53.0 billion
2005-Q3$50.9 billion
2005-Q2$51.3 billion
2005-Q1$51.5 billion

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by Industry · Current dollars · Agency label: Paper products

Employment · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest 342,096 · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: 365,0762019-Q2: 366,5972019-Q3: 363,5152019-Q4: 363,4682020-Q1: 361,7402020-Q2: 349,6952020-Q3: 347,8192020-Q4: 351,0762021-Q1: 350,3812021-Q2: 350,1172021-Q3: 349,5722021-Q4: 356,4642022-Q1: 360,8382022-Q2: 362,6482022-Q3: 363,0402022-Q4: 363,8512023-Q1: 360,6122023-Q2: 359,6362023-Q3: 355,7222023-Q4: 355,2512024-Q1: 355,2002024-Q2: 355,6632024-Q3: 353,6632024-Q4: 354,0982025-Q1: 354,2082025-Q2: 353,9492025-Q3: 349,5482025-Q4: 346,5262026-Q1: 342,096NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q1342,0962022
2025-Q4346,5262022
2025-Q3349,5482022
2025-Q2353,9492022
2025-Q1354,2082022
2024-Q4354,0982022
2024-Q3353,6632022
2024-Q2355,6632022
2024-Q1355,2002022
2023-Q4355,2512022
2023-Q3355,7222022
2023-Q2359,6362022
2023-Q1360,6122022
2022-Q4363,8512022
2022-Q3363,0402022
2022-Q2362,6482022
2022-Q1360,8382022
2021-Q4356,4642017
2021-Q3349,5722017
2021-Q2350,1172017
2021-Q1350,3812017
2020-Q4351,0762017
2020-Q3347,8192017
2020-Q2349,6952017
2020-Q1361,7402017
2019-Q4363,4682017
2019-Q3363,5152017
2019-Q2366,5972017
2019-Q1365,0762017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private-sector jobs in the third month of each quarter

Employment · County Business PatternsLatest 351,485 · 2023
2017: 345,5422018: 344,5372019: 347,3862020: 341,7092021: 339,9942022: 355,3232023: 351,485
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2023351,485
2022355,323
2021339,994
2020341,709
2019347,386
2018344,537
2017345,542

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns · Paid employees in the pay period including March 12

Establishments · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest 5,786 · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: 5,3682019-Q2: 5,3692019-Q3: 5,3762019-Q4: 5,3632020-Q1: 5,3452020-Q2: 5,3122020-Q3: 5,3282020-Q4: 5,3452021-Q1: 5,3342021-Q2: 5,3102021-Q3: 5,3232021-Q4: 5,3612022-Q1: 5,4402022-Q2: 5,4552022-Q3: 5,4882022-Q4: 5,5062023-Q1: 5,5332023-Q2: 5,5652023-Q3: 5,6202023-Q4: 5,6322024-Q1: 5,6342024-Q2: 5,6512024-Q3: 5,7012024-Q4: 5,7222025-Q1: 5,7202025-Q2: 5,7292025-Q3: 5,7572025-Q4: 5,7652026-Q1: 5,786NAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q15,7862022
2025-Q45,7652022
2025-Q35,7572022
2025-Q25,7292022
2025-Q15,7202022
2024-Q45,7222022
2024-Q35,7012022
2024-Q25,6512022
2024-Q15,6342022
2023-Q45,6322022
2023-Q35,6202022
2023-Q25,5652022
2023-Q15,5332022
2022-Q45,5062022
2022-Q35,4882022
2022-Q25,4552022
2022-Q15,4402022
2021-Q45,3612017
2021-Q35,3232017
2021-Q25,3102017
2021-Q15,3342017
2020-Q45,3452017
2020-Q35,3282017
2020-Q25,3122017
2020-Q15,3452017
2019-Q45,3632017
2019-Q35,3762017
2019-Q25,3692017
2019-Q15,3682017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership

Establishments · County Business PatternsLatest 3,813 · 2023
2017: 4,0542018: 3,9992019: 3,9382020: 3,8702021: 3,8422022: 3,8222023: 3,813
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
20233,813
20223,822
20213,842
20203,870
20193,938
20183,999
20174,054

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns

Total wages in the quarter · Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesLatest $7.7 billion · 2026-Q1
2019-Q1: $6.7 billion2019-Q2: $6.0 billion2019-Q3: $6.1 billion2019-Q4: $6.4 billion2020-Q1: $6.6 billion2020-Q2: $5.8 billion2020-Q3: $6.0 billion2020-Q4: $6.8 billion2021-Q1: $6.4 billion2021-Q2: $6.1 billion2021-Q3: $6.4 billion2021-Q4: $7.1 billion2022-Q1: $7.0 billion2022-Q2: $6.6 billion2022-Q3: $7.0 billion2022-Q4: $7.1 billion2023-Q1: $7.5 billion2023-Q2: $6.8 billion2023-Q3: $6.7 billion2023-Q4: $7.2 billion2024-Q1: $7.6 billion2024-Q2: $6.9 billion2024-Q3: $7.0 billion2024-Q4: $7.4 billion2025-Q1: $8.0 billion2025-Q2: $7.2 billion2025-Q3: $7.2 billion2025-Q4: $7.5 billion2026-Q1: $7.7 billionNAICS 2022 from 2022-Q1
Show the numbers
PeriodValueNAICS
2026-Q1$7.7 billion2022
2025-Q4$7.5 billion2022
2025-Q3$7.2 billion2022
2025-Q2$7.2 billion2022
2025-Q1$8.0 billion2022
2024-Q4$7.4 billion2022
2024-Q3$7.0 billion2022
2024-Q2$6.9 billion2022
2024-Q1$7.6 billion2022
2023-Q4$7.2 billion2022
2023-Q3$6.7 billion2022
2023-Q2$6.8 billion2022
2023-Q1$7.5 billion2022
2022-Q4$7.1 billion2022
2022-Q3$7.0 billion2022
2022-Q2$6.6 billion2022
2022-Q1$7.0 billion2022
2021-Q4$7.1 billion2017
2021-Q3$6.4 billion2017
2021-Q2$6.1 billion2017
2021-Q1$6.4 billion2017
2020-Q4$6.8 billion2017
2020-Q3$6.0 billion2017
2020-Q2$5.8 billion2017
2020-Q1$6.6 billion2017
2019-Q4$6.4 billion2017
2019-Q3$6.1 billion2017
2019-Q2$6.0 billion2017
2019-Q1$6.7 billion2017

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · Private ownership

Annual payroll · County Business PatternsLatest $26.5 billion · 2023
2017: $21.8 billion2018: $22.4 billion2019: $22.9 billion2020: $22.9 billion2021: $23.7 billion2022: $25.6 billion2023: $26.5 billion
Show the numbers
PeriodValue
2023$26.5 billion
2022$25.6 billion
2021$23.7 billion
2020$22.9 billion
2019$22.9 billion
2018$22.4 billion
2017$21.8 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns

The ledger

Every published measure

MeasureSourceLatestPeriodHistory
Value added (GDP by industry)Current dollarsGDP by Industry$75.2 billion20251997–2025 · 29 published
Value added, seasonally adjusted annual rateCurrent dollarsGDP by Industry$75.9 billion2026-Q12005-Q1–2026-Q1 · 85 published
EmploymentPrivate-sector jobs in the third month of each quarterQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages342,0962026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
EstablishmentsPrivate ownershipQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages5,7862026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
Total wages in the quarterPrivate ownershipQuarterly Census of Employment and Wages$7.7 billion2026-Q12019-Q1–2026-Q1 · 29 published
Annual payrollCounty Business Patterns$26.5 billion20232017–2023 · 7 published
EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12County Business Patterns351,48520232017–2023 · 7 published
EstablishmentsCounty Business Patterns3,81320232017–2023 · 7 published
Annual payrollEconomic Census$24.7 billion20222017–2022 · 2 published
EmploymentPaid employees in the pay period including March 12Economic Census347,65120222017–2022 · 2 published
EstablishmentsEconomic Census3,89320222017–2022 · 2 published
FirmsEconomic Census2,30120222017–2022 · 2 published
Receipts (sales, shipments or revenue)All establishments, current dollarsEconomic Census$220 billion20222017–2022 · 2 published

Breakdown

Industries within Paper Manufacturing

NAICSIndustrySizeEmployment
3221Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$82.5 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census78,3982026-Q1 · QCEW
3222Converted Paper Product Manufacturing$138 billionReceipts · 2022 · Economic Census263,6982026-Q1 · QCEW

Sources

Where every number comes from

Figures are in current dollars and are the agencies’ own, revised when they revise. Each program defines its universe differently (employer firms, private ownership, all establishments), so figures from different sources are not meant to add up. This page is not endorsed by the Census Bureau, BEA or BLS. The same data is in the Palanor API (/v1/industries) and the MCP (palanor_get_industry). All industries.