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Friday, Sep 4, 2026

Do 90% of all U.S. jobs come from small businesses?

Clinton Engelberger | Suncoast Searchlight, Suncoast Searchlight
no

Small businesses –– defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration as companies with fewer than 500 employees –– employ 62.3 million people in America, which accounts for nearly 46% of private sector workers.

Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds said during an Aug. 21 NBC interview that 90% of jobs in the U.S. come from small businesses. It was part of a broader point to back how he believes President Donald Trump’s economic agenda has been successful and supports small businesses.

SBA attributes 9 out of 10 new net jobs created to small businesses, which is likely what Donalds was referring to. However, net jobs factor increases and decreases over a period of time, subtracting jobs lost with ones gained. That’s different from tallying “all” jobs in America, making Donalds’ statement misleading.

In 2025, Florida had the third-highest number of small businesses in the country at 3.49 million.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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