A 2018 Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card issued by Indiana’s Ball State University gives Oklahoma only average grades.
The University’s Center for Business and Economic Research noted Oklahoma experienced a decline in two-year growth in manufacturing value added between 2014 and 2016. The report card gave a “C-minus” to Oklahoma for manufacturing and a “C-plus” for logistics.
In Tax Climate, the state received a “B”. Oklahoma got a “C-plus” in Liability Gap, “C” in Benefits costs and diversification, a “C-minus” in Manufacturing and “F” in Global position.
Oklahoma previously had a “B-minus” in Manufacturing but fell to a “C-minus”while in Logistics it slipped from a “B-minus” to a “C-plus.”
In the area of Human Capital, Oklahoma went from a “D” to a “D-minus” while Productivity and Innovation dropped from a “D-minus” to an “F.”
Of Oklahoma’s neighboring states, Kansas moved up to a “B-plus” in 2018. Arkansas improved to a “C-plus.” Missouri’s grade remained a “C.” Texas stayed at a “C” while New Mexico continued with an “F” grade. Colorado had a “D” grade in 2017 and continued with the same grade in 2018.