The Wisconsin Budget Project has released an analysis on the subject of the number of manufacturing and public sector jobs in Wisconsin. It examines how our state compares to others in the percentage of jobs in manufacturing, the portion of the state population in the public sector, and the change in the ratio of manufacturing and government jobs here and elsewhere.

For part of 2009 and 2010, there were more government jobs than manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin, and some groups have been using that factoid out of context to make the argument that public sector jobs have been crowding out private sector jobs in Wisconsin. The analysis takes a broader look at the data for all 50 states, which shows that Wisconsin still has the nation’s highest ratio of manufacturing jobs to government jobs. (Our state is virtually tied with Indiana in that regard.)

Wisconsin’s ratio is nearly double that of the nation as a whole. In addition, only 12 other states have a leaner public sector – measured in terms of state and local employees relative to the size of the state population.

The Wisconsin Budget Project analysis can be found here.