Between the recent high-profile mass shootings in California, Texas and Ohio, student walkouts and a fierce political debate between gun-rights groups and gun-control advocates, hardly a week goes by when guns aren’t in the news. But in America, guns are more than just a hot political topic — they’re also very big business and a large employer across all 50 states.
The firearms and ammunition industry employs 149,000 people working for companies that make, distribute and sell guns, ammunition and hunting equipment. An additional 163,000 people work supporting those companies.
Overall the gun industry is responsible for more than 300,000 jobs and more than $15 billion in wages, according to a report by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents gun retailers, owners, distributors and manufacturers.
In the following slideshow, states are ranked from least to most gun-related jobs. Keep reading to see how the gun industry impacts jobs in your state.
