Study: Gun industry has $180 million economic impact in Arizona, 3 times less than California

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - It should come as no surprise that Arizona is one of the most gun-friendly states in the nation. But according to a recent report, Arizona lags behind California when it comes to the economic impact of the firearms industry.

In Arizona, the average wage of gun industry workers rests around $61,000, and in all, the total economic impact to the state generated more than $180 million. Arizona was the 8th highest economic impact among the states with the most amount of total jobs working in the gun industry, preceded by Texas coming in at number one, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and North Carolina. Where taxes are concerned, the industry pumped $2.3 billion in output in Arizona in 2021. California’s firearm sector employs more than 29,000 people, with the average wage settling around more than $66,000 in 2021. The state saw around $380 million in federal business tax revenue that same year.

Selling guns is incredibly lucrative in the United States, whether it be for hunting, for sport, or for home protection. The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates that approximately 18.5 million firearms were sold in 2021 across the U.S., the second most ever in a year against the record high of 21 million sold in 2020. The NSSF, founded in 1961, says that its organization is “committed to the safe, legal, and responsible ownership and use for firearms, and works on a daily basis to stop their criminal misuse.” Gun makers reported more than $1 billion in profits from selling AR-15-style guns over the last 10 years despite attempts by various organizations and the Committee on Oversight and Reform that claimed certain ads mimic popular first-person shooter video games.

Since 2008, the national job market openings in the industry have seen a 128% increase, with more than 375,000 people working in the industry in 2021. Wages have seen a 234% increase since 2008, topping out to more than $21.4 billion. The overall economic impact of the firearm industry in the U.S. wraps up at a 269% increase, or $70.5 billion.

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