• Oakland County is the epicenter of the global auto industry, including over 800 foreign-owned firms from 33 countries
• 8 of the 10 largest aerospace/defense R&D firms have a presence in Michigan
• 57% of all FORTUNE 500 companies have at least one business location here
• 76 of the top 100 tier one automotive companies are in Oakland County
• All 12 global OEMs have research facilities here
• Proximity to customers and unparalleled opportunities to sell in the North American market. Our companies export more than $13B annually. We export more than 21 other states.

Top Industries

1. Automotive/Mobility
2. Information Technology
3. Advanced Manufacturing
4. Health Care

An Export Hub to North America

Locating in Oakland County gives companies access to not only the U.S. market but also to Canada and Mexico—the region exports $18 billion to Canada and $16 billion to Mexico.

Foreign-Owned Suppliers

Oakland County’s top foreign-owned OEM suppliers come from:

• Japan
• United Kingdom
• China
• Germany
• South Korea
• Canada
• France

Skilled Workforce

• Educated Residents - More than 58% of Oakland County residents have an associate degree or higher, and 50% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• With more than 93,000, Michigan has the highest concentration of engineers nationally and the 3rd highest overall total.
• More than a quarter of all engineers (nearly 30,000) working in Michigan work in Oakland County.
• Colleges and Universities—Michigan colleges and universities graduate more than 14,000 engineers and engineering technicians each year, including: University of Michigan, Michigan State University and others.

Innovation Powerhouse

Research and Development Hub
With nearly $25 billion spent, Michigan ranks seventh in U.S. for R&D spending

Automotive Industry
76 of the top 100 tier one automotive companies are in Oakland County. More than 70% of Michigan’s OEM parts suppliers are based in Oakland County

Industrial Designers
With nearly 16,000 workers employed as industrial and commercial designers or industrial engineers, the region has the highest concentration of both occupations in the U.S.

Updated: May 2025