What industries are largest?

Long Island’s largest industries by employment are private education and healthcare, trade, transportation and utilities, government, and professional and business services. Together, these four sectors account for approximately 70% of all nonfarm jobs across Nassau County and Suffolk County, reflecting the island’s evolution into one of the Northeast’s most diverse regional economies.

In Short

Healthcare and private education employ more people on Long Island than any other industry sector, followed by trade, transportation and utilities, government, and professional and business services. Manufacturing remains an important part of the regional economy despite employing fewer workers than it did during the island’s aerospace boom, while tourism, construction, financial services, agriculture, and scientific research continue to play significant economic roles.

What Are Long Island’s Largest Industries?

Long Island’s economy has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Once known primarily for aircraft manufacturing and defense contractors, the region today is supported by a broad mix of healthcare providers, educational institutions, government agencies, professional service firms, retailers, manufacturers, construction companies, financial institutions, and tourism-related businesses.

Private education and healthcare now represent the island’s largest employment sector. Hospitals, physician practices, outpatient centers, nursing facilities, home healthcare providers, colleges, universities, and private schools collectively employ more than 330,000 people. Major employers include hospitals operated by regional healthcare systems, medical research institutions, and higher education campuses.

Trade, transportation and utilities form the second-largest employment sector. This category includes retailers, wholesalers, distribution centers, trucking companies, warehouses, utility providers, and transportation businesses that serve both Long Island and the surrounding New York metropolitan area.

Government remains one of the island’s largest employers through county governments, towns, villages, school districts, law enforcement agencies, fire services, public works departments, transportation agencies, and other public institutions. Professional and business services also account for a significant share of employment, including engineering firms, legal practices, accounting firms, consulting companies, architectural firms, scientific services, administrative support businesses, and corporate headquarters.

Although manufacturing no longer dominates the regional economy as it did during the twentieth century, it continues to provide tens of thousands of jobs. Long Island remains home to companies involved in aerospace, defense, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics, food production, and precision manufacturing. Scientific research and biotechnology also remain important, supported by institutions such as Stony Brook University, research laboratories, and private-sector innovation.

Tourism and hospitality are major contributors to the economy as well. Visitors drawn to the island’s beaches, wineries, parks, golf courses, downtown business districts, museums, and the Hamptons support thousands of jobs in hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, retail stores, marinas, and recreational businesses. Agriculture continues to play an important role on the North Fork and eastern South Fork, where farms, vineyards, nurseries, aquaculture, and commercial fishing remain part of the regional economy.

Quick Facts

Industry	Approximate Jobs	Examples
Private Education & Healthcare	330,200	Hospitals, physician practices, nursing facilities, colleges, universities, private schools, and medical research.
Trade, Transportation & Utilities	250,800	Retail stores, wholesalers, trucking, warehousing, logistics, utilities, and transportation.
Government	206,100	County and town governments, school districts, public safety, transportation, and public administration.
Professional & Business Services	189,800	Legal, accounting, engineering, architecture, consulting, scientific, and administrative services.
Leisure & Hospitality	133,000	Hotels, restaurants, tourism, entertainment, recreation, and visitor attractions.
Financial Activities	67,000	Banking, insurance, real estate finance, and investment services.
Manufacturing	67,000	Aerospace, defense, pharmaceuticals, electronics, food manufacturing, and precision manufacturing.
Construction	57,000	Residential construction, commercial building, specialty trades, and infrastructure projects.

Long Island’s economy is no longer defined by a single industry. Instead, it is supported by a broad mix of healthcare, education, government, professional services, trade, manufacturing, tourism, financial services, construction, agriculture, and scientific research. This diversity has helped the region remain one of New York’s largest employment centers while continuing to adapt to changing economic conditions.