CHARLESTON, S.C. – Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic recently published an updated study highlighting the command’s economic impact of $10 billion on the U.S. and $2.1 billion on Charleston. The study emphasizes that NIWC Atlantic is not only a critical asset for the South Carolina economy but also plays a crucial role in national defense, job creation, and technological advancement. 

The comprehensive study, which was performed by University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, details the far-reaching effects of NIWC Atlantic's economic activity, translating to 41,419 jobs and nearly $3.8 billion in labor income across the United States. The impact reflects the dollar value of all final goods and services that can be directly or indirectly attributed to the command. 

“Although NIWC Atlantic maintains a significant national economic presence, more than 65 of its direct employment base is located in Charleston. Not only does this generate a strong local economic footprint, it also highlights the central importance of the Charleston facilities to NIWC Atlantic’s ongoing operations and the long-term commitment it has made to the local community,” said Joey Von Nessen, research economist at the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business. 

Beyond Charleston, NIWC Atlantic's facilities in Virginia ($2.6 billion), Maryland ($426 million), Florida ($156.3 million), Louisiana ($124.2 million), and Washington, D.C. ($123.1 million) generates substantial economic benefits through direct job creation, income generation, and a vast supplier network supporting thousands of businesses nationwide. 

The study shared key wage statistics for the local and national sites. Specifically, the average annual wage among all employees at NIWC Atlantic is $119,939, which is 65 percent above the average wage in South Carolina. The Charleston-based NIWC Atlantic team is more than 3,200 government civilians and military members strong. Of that number, more than 50 percent work in cybersecurity-related fields.  

The study also concluded that NIWC Atlantic employs approximately 90 percent of all electronics engineers in Charleston and 45 percent of all electronics engineers in South Carolina.   

In addition, the study shared that NIWC Atlantic supports more than 25 percent of the cybersecurity sector in Charleston. This supports another important point that regions, such as Charleston, with a high percentage of technology-driven sectors are among the fastest growing areas across the country, meaning that NIWC Atlantic is providing a disproportionately large contribution to the health of the local economies.  

“This study confirms what I experience every day among my NIWC Atlantic teammates: this command is a powerhouse for innovation and economic growth,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Matthew O’Neal, NIWC Atlantic commanding officer. “This team has mastered the art of building bridges between industry, researchers, academia, and warfighters to integrate information warfare capabilities into the field. We are proud to contribute significantly to the economic vitality of Charleston, South Carolina, and the nation as a whole.” 

ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY (NIWC-ATLANTIC-ECONOMIC-IMPACT-STUDY-2025.pdf, 2mb)

The study’s key findings demonstrate NIWC Atlantic’s far-reaching impact: 

Overall Economic Impact: 

• $10 billion:Total economic impact on the U.S. 
• $2.1 billion: Total economic impact South Carolina. 
• 41,419: Jobs supported nationally. 
• $3.8 billion: Labor income generated nationally. 

State-Level Impact: 

• Virginia: $2.6 billion 
• South Carolina: $2.1 billion 
• Maryland: $426 million 
• Florida: $156.3 million 
• Louisiana: $124.2 million 
• Washington, D.C.: $123.1 million 

Employment and Wages: 

• 90%: All electronics engineers in Charleston employed by NIWC Atlantic. 
• 45%: All electronics engineers in South Carolina employed by NIWC Atlantic. 
• $119,939: Average annual wage among all NIWC Atlantic employees. 
• 65%: Average NIWC Atlantic wage is above the average wage in South Carolina. 
• 50%: NIWC Atlantic personnel work in cybersecurity-related fields. 
• 25%: Cybersecurity sector in Charleston supported by NIWC Atlantic. 
• 18: Number of jobs created for every 10 jobs created at NIWC Atlantic.