By number of employees, the leading manufacturing industries in North Dakota in 1997 were food and food products; industrial machinery and equipment; printing and publishing; electronic and other electric equipment; transportation equipment; and fabricated metal products. Value of shipments of manufactures in 1997 were estimated at over $5.2 billion, exhibiting the 9th fastest growth in shipments between 1992 and 1997.
Earnings of persons employed in North Dakota increased from $9.1 billion in 1997 to $10.2 in 1998, an increase of 11.5%. The largest industries in 1998 were services, 26.2% of earnings; state and local government, 12.4%; and retail trade, 10.5%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 1998, the slowest growing from 1997 to 1998 was construction (6.9% of earnings in 1998), which increased 1.9%; the fastest was durable goods manufacturing (5.1% of earnings in 1998), which increased 11.9%.