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AEROSPACE & DEFENSE INDUSTRY: UTAH’S ECONOMIC ENGINE By Dr. Tulinda Larsen, Executive Director, Utah Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI)
Utah’s aerospace and defense industry provided more than 10% of the state’s GDP in 2019, making a significant contribution to the state’s robust and growing economy. The steady nature of defense spending results in the leading economic input of exported goods and professional services contracted by out-of-state entities. For example, the country’s $85 billion Sentinel initiative (formerly the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent weapon system replacement) is housed at Hill Air Force Base, ensuring Utah’s aerospace and defense industry will continue to thrive. Thanks to a combination of the technical skills and experience required by the aerospace and defense industry and a scarcity of trained talent in Utah, wages in this industry continue to outpace the state average. In 2019, the average annual pay for aerospace and defense industry employees grew to more than $85,000, more than 35% higher than the state’s average salary. 70
