The Economic Impact of Copyright Industries in the U.S.

Copyright is often associated with books, music, film and other creative works, but copyright industries also have a significant economic impact.

This infographic highlights the scale of the core copyright industries in the United States. In 2023, they added $2.09 trillion in value to the U.S. economy and employed 11.6 million people. Average compensation in these industries was reported as 50% higher than the U.S. average.

The infographic also shows that core copyright industries grew faster than the overall U.S. economy between 2020 and 2023. Overseas sales of selected U.S. copyright products reached $272.6 billion in 2023, exceeding the figures shown for several other major industries.

Copyright industries also play an important role in the digital economy, reflecting the growing economic importance of creative content, software and other copyright-protected works.

Source: International Intellectual Property Alliance, Copyright Industries in the U.S. Economy: The 2024 Report