Category

Strengths (S)

Weaknesses (W)

Opportunities (O)

Threats (T)

Ease of Doing Business

Strong Business Climate: Ranked No. 15 overall in "Top States for Doing Business" and No. 6 best state to start a business (2025). Low Operating Costs: Ranks No. 2 in Energy Costs and No. 8 in Labor Costs, contributing to one of the lowest costs of doing business nationwide.

Human Capital Availability: Ranks only 22nd in "Availability of Human Capital," suggesting potential long-term challenges in scaling up a highly-skilled, advanced manufacturing workforce.

Incentive Programs: The state can leverage its successful programs (e.g., Quality Jobs Program) to attract high-wage, high-tech employers like the recent Google data center investment.

Educational Lag: Concerns over state educational proficiency rankings may hinder the development of the future workforce needed for advanced technology and AI-driven industries.

Domestic Manufacturing

Key Specialized Sectors: Dominant in high-value manufacturing, particularly Aviation & Aerospace (largest sector by employment and impact) and Machinery (e.g., gas turbines and pumps).

Economic Concentration: Economy is highly concentrated in a few key sectors (Aviation, Energy, Bioscience), which creates a risk of deep economic impact from downturns in those areas.

Advanced Technology Adoption: The state is actively promoting the use of Advanced Technology and AI in the workforce, potentially leading to productivity gains and the creation of new high-tech manufacturing niches.

Cyclical Energy Dependence: Despite diversification efforts, the energy sector remains a major driver; the state's economy is highly exposed to the global volatility of oil and natural gas prices.

Sustainability Initiatives

Energy Focus: Strong existing energy infrastructure and leadership are being redirected toward sustainable solutions (e.g., hosting the EnVision conference on energy efficiency and renewable energy).

Lagging Renewables Integration: While exploring solutions, the state's traditional energy base means it has a complex path to fully integrate and scale up utility-scale renewable energy and storage technologies.

Agrivoltaics & Carbon Management: Significant opportunity to integrate solar energy with agriculture (agrivoltaics) and to become a leader in carbon management technologies, leveraging its expertise and geology (e.g., CO2 sequestration).

Policy Deadlocks: Key bipartisan legislative efforts, such as the Oklahoma Agrivoltaics Act, have failed to pass both chambers, slowing the adoption of innovative sustainability policy.

Balance of Trade

High Export Value: Exports support approximately 440,000 jobs and totaled $11 billion in goods and services (2023), with a high percentage from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Trade Deficit: The state runs a significant negative trade balance (e.g., −$34 billion deficit in July 2025), with imports substantially outweighing exports.

FDI Momentum: Recent record-shattering capital investments (e.g., Google, Emirates Global Aluminium) from foreign companies will boost future exports and global trade integration.

Global Commodity Volatility: Trade performance is susceptible to global price swings, particularly in agricultural (e.g., wheat, soybeans) and energy commodities, which can suddenly impact export value and state revenue.