Also selling well on global markets were exported soya beans, gold, diamonds, computer components and trucks.
The following list shows which American exports generated the greatest sales dollars in 2017. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the four-digit tariff code level.
This granularity can help entrepreneurs identify precisely which products in which the US has strong competitive advantages over other nations, and where there are further opportunities for innovation.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the Searchable List of America’s Most Valuable Exports Products section in the United States Top 10 Exports article. For a link to that article, see the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value US Export Products
Below are America’s 20 highest value exports for 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value for each item year over year.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$77.8 billion (up 25.6% since 2016)
- Cars: $53.6 billion (down -0.5%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $44.9 billion (up 4.5%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $38.1 billion (up 9.1%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $34 billion (up 0.5%)
- Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $26.5 billion (up 0.2%)
- Computers, optical readers: $25.3 billion (up 4.2%)
- Petroleum gases: $22.3 billion (up 67.8%)
- Crude oil: $21.8 billion (up 131.6%)
- Soya beans: $21.7 billion (down -5.3%)
- Blood fractions (including antisera): $20.3 billion (up 6.4%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $20.1 billion (down -10.7%)
- Gold (unwrought): $19.8 billion (up 12.1%)
- Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $19 billion (down -2.6%)
- Machinery for making semi-conductors: $17.6 billion (up 37.5%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $16.1 billion (up 0.5%)
- Trucks: $15.7 billion (up 21.9%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $11.6 billion (up 4.8%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $10.4 billion (up 3.1%)
- Jewelry: $10.3 billion (up 4.9%)
The fastest-grower among America’s most lucrative exports was crude oil via its 131.6% increase in value from 2016 to 2017 outpacing petroleum gases (up 67.8%) and refined petroleum oils (up 25.6%).
In third place was machinery for making semi-conductors which gained 37.5%, trailed by exported trucks (up 21.9%) and gold (up 12.1%).
The benchmark average increase for all American exports was up 6.6% in 2017 compared to 2016.
See also America’s Top Trading Partners, Top United States Trade Balance and United States Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 7, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 7, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on February 7, 2018