The Level Field Institute

Pick a make and model. See how it compares.

Answering the big question: Who supports the most U.S. jobs?

At Level Field, we believe the most accurate way to judge an automaker's contribution to the U.S. economy is to examine the number of jobs that company supports on a car-by-car basis. This number should take into consideration:

	Jobs that take place beyond the assembly line, including engineering, design, finance, and more.
	Market share—because a smaller automaker's jobs are measured against the cars it sells, rather than the jobs a larger automaker might support.

To make it easier to calculate the number of jobs supported by a particular model of car, the Level Field Institute has developed the JPC Rating.

The JPC Rating: An easy, effective way to compare.

With this new tool, you'll be able to input specific make and model information and automatically receive a JPC score. In a nutshell, the JPC Score helps you see how many U.S. workers a particular company employs for every 2,500 cars it sells here. You can then compare that company's score with its competitors.

For example, Ford employs 87 Americans for every 2,500 cars sold, followed by GM and Chrysler at 78 and 66, respectively. Honda ranks first among the major foreign automakers, with a score of 44, followed by Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai/Kia at 42, 34 and 15, respectively.

Why do we count jobs per 2,500 cars sold, rather than for each car sold? Doing so produces whole numbers, which are easier to compare. For example, each GM car supports .031 jobs, while each 2500 cars supports 78.

Industry JPC Scores—at a glance.

Because Ford, GM and Chrysler conduct far more of their research, design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly work in the U.S. than foreign automakers do, buying a Ford, GM or Chrysler supports twice as many jobs as buying the average foreign automobile. Some comparisons are even more striking. Buying a Ford supports six times more jobs than buying a Hyundai. Comparing a Honda and a Hyundai? The Honda supports three times more jobs.

Our results may surprise some observers. First, historic buyouts at GM, Chrysler and Ford reduced domestic automakers' "jobs advantage" only modestly in 2008.

Second, autos assembled outside the U.S. by companies based here support significantly more U.S. jobs than autos assembled here by companies with most of their engineering, design and headquarter jobs located overseas. For example, a Ford assembled in Mexico this year will likely support approximately six times more U.S. jobs as a Hyundai assembled in Alabama. It will also contain more U.S. and Canadian parts than Hyunda’s assembled in Alabama.