If you want to understand the strength of Greater San Antonio’s manufacturing sector, start with the numbers.
Across the region, companies are investing billions of dollars, expanding operations, and creating thousands of new jobs across a growing range of manufacturing industries and occupations.
Manufacturing is becoming an increasingly important contributor to Greater San Antonio’s economic growth and long-term competitiveness.
Manufacturing Employment Continues to Grow
Manufacturing employment in the San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA grew from 51,900 jobs in 2021 to 60,600 jobs in 2025, a gain of 8,700 jobs, or 16.8%.
That growth reflects more than the addition of production jobs. Modern manufacturing requires engineers, technicians, operations managers, skilled trades workers, and other specialized talent, creating opportunities across a wide range of occupations.
Manufacturing growth also supports suppliers, logistics providers, professional services firms, and other businesses that help keep products moving and operations running. The economic ripple effect of any single company is greater than a single balance sheet or payroll roster.
Billions in Investment, Thousands of Jobs
Manufacturing is helping drive a broader wave of corporate investment across the region.
Since 2022, greater:SATX has helped secure more than $10 billion in corporate investment and nearly 18,000 jobs across the region, with advanced manufacturing playing a significant role in that growth.
That momentum has continued in 2026. Through the third quarter, greater:SATX had already surpassed its annual economic development goals, with 7,098 new jobs and $4.8 billion in announced capital investment. Several major manufacturing projects help illustrate the scale of that growth.
Manufacturing Projects Putting the Numbers Into Perspective
Toyota recently announced a $3.6 billion expansion of its San Antonio manufacturing operations, creating approximately 2,000 advanced manufacturing jobs and doubling the footprint of its existing facility by 2030. The project also represents one of the largest manufacturing investments ever secured in Greater San Antonio and helped drive greater:SATX past its annual capital investment goals in 2026.
IEM announced a $200 million investment at Brooks that will create approximately 2,960 jobs over five years and establish nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing space. The project represents the largest job-producing investment secured in Greater San Antonio in more than two decades.
JCB continues development of its new South Side manufacturing facility, which is slated to open later this year and represents more than $500 million in capital investment and approximately 1,580 advanced manufacturing jobs.
Blackwave, a German aerospace manufacturer, selected Port San Antonio for its first U.S. manufacturing operation, bringing approximately 250 aerospace manufacturing jobs and expanding the region’s advanced manufacturing and aerospace capabilities.
Together, these projects represent thousands of new jobs and billions in investment while demonstrating the breadth of Greater San Antonio’s manufacturing economy.
The growth is not concentrated in a single sector. Automotive, aerospace, construction equipment, industrial systems, and other advanced manufacturing industries are all expanding their presence across the region.
Manufacturing Jobs Are Delivering Stronger Earnings
The growth in manufacturing employment is also translating into stronger earnings.
According to Lightcast, average annual earnings for manufacturing jobs reached $92,845 in 2025, representing approximately 15.5% growth since 2021 and marking four consecutive years of manufacturing wage growth.
Manufacturing wage growth reflects the increasing complexity of modern operations. Advanced manufacturers rely on a mix of technical, operational, engineering, and skilled trades talent to support production, quality, automation, logistics, and maintenance functions.
As manufacturers continue to invest and expand across Greater San Antonio, those opportunities are creating pathways into manufacturing careers for workers with a wide range of education, training, and experience.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Taken together, the numbers tell a story of a manufacturing sector growing in both scale and diversity.
Major employers continue to invest in Greater San Antonio, advanced manufacturing industries are expanding, and thousands of residents are building careers across a wide range of occupations. The growth is taking place across automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, electrical systems, and other advanced manufacturing sectors.
That combination matters for regional competitiveness. Manufacturing brings capital investment and job creation into the region, but its impact extends much further, supporting suppliers, small businesses, educational institutions, workforce partners, and the people building careers in the industry.
The numbers tell a story of growth, but they also point to something larger. Manufacturers invest where they can access talent, infrastructure, suppliers, and business partners that support long-term success. As companies continue expanding across Greater San Antonio, the region's ability to strengthen those advantages will play an important role in shaping its future competitiveness.
This Manufacturing Month, empowered by Toyota Texas, greater:SATX will continue to highlight the people, companies, and partnerships driving that growth and strengthening the region’s manufacturing future.
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