October 21, 2022
Gun ownership has been a staple of traditional American life since the country’s inception, and even long before. Some Americans only use guns for hunting, sports, or protecting their homes, but many gun enthusiasts are embracing the Second Amendment and loading as many guns as they can. Whether it’s one gun or 20, selling guns in the United States is a lucrative business.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates that Americans bought about 18.5 million firearms in 2021, the second in a year and down slightly from the record high of 21 million in 2020.
With these consecutive years of historic arms sales, someone is profiting big, including some states.
Directly and indirectly, the firearms industry accounts for a total of 8,893 jobs in Utah – 4,257 in the manufacture, sale and distribution of firearms and ammunition, and another 4,636 in suppliers and auxiliary industries – the 17th most among the 50 states.
The firearms industry in Utah paid an average salary of $46,616 in 2021 and generated about $92.4 million in federal business tax revenue that year.
Taking into account wages and taxes as well as indirect contributions, the firearms industry contributed $1.3 billion to production in Utah in 2021, the 20th highest amount among the states.
All data for this story comes from the Shooting Sports Foundation’s Economic Impact of the Firearms and Ammunition Industry Report.
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