Knowledge Tree
tariff rates
Also known as: tariff policy rate, tariff rates
Facts (39)
Sources
History of tariffs in the United States - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org 15 facts
measurementIn 1944, the United States federal government collected $417.0 million in tariff income, which accounted for 0.9% of federal receipts, with an average tariff rate of 10.6%.
measurementIn 1830, the United States federal government collected $21.9 million in tariff income, which accounted for 88.2% of federal receipts, with an average tariff rate of 35.0%.
measurementIn 1918, the United States federal government collected $947.0 million in tariff income, which accounted for 25.8% of federal receipts, with an average tariff rate of 31.2%.
claimThe Uruguay Round of trade negotiations in 1994 resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to help standardize tariff rates.
measurementIn 1792, the United States federal government collected $4.4 million in tariff income, which accounted for 95.0% of federal receipts, with an average tariff rate of 15.1%.
measurementIn 1870, the United States federal government collected $194.5 million in tariff income, which accounted for 47.3% of federal receipts, with an average tariff rate of 44.6%.
measurementBetween January and April 2025, the average effective U.S. tariff rate increased from 2.5% to an estimated 27%, marking the highest level in over a century.
measurementDuring the restriction period of United States tariffs (1861–1933), average tariff rates rose to 50 percent and remained at that level for several decades.
measurementDuring the reciprocity period of United States tariffs (1934 onwards), the average tariff rate declined substantially until it leveled off at 5 percent.
claimSouthern Democrats in Congress reduced tariff rates throughout the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s, resulting in rates of approximately 15% by 1857.
accountBetween 1948 and 1994, GATT members conducted seven rounds of negotiations to agree on trade liberalization packages and reciprocal tariff rates.
measurementDuring the revenue period of United States tariffs (1790–1860), average tariff rates increased from 20 percent to 60 percent before declining back to 20 percent.
measurementThe average tariff rate under the Walker Tariff was approximately 25%.
claimDuring the American Civil War, the United States government raised tariff rates repeatedly alongside other taxes, such as excise taxes on luxuries and income taxes on the wealthy, to generate necessary revenue.
perspectiveEconomist Henry Charles Carey of Philadelphia and Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune blamed the economic recession of 1857 on the lower tariff rates of that era.
Tariffs are a particularly bad way to raise revenue | Brookings brookings.edu Nov 4, 2025 7 facts
claimFurceri et al. suggest that the negative economic impact of raising tariff rates may be larger at higher levels of tariffs.
perspectiveThe use of varying tariff rates and exemptions encourages firms to engage in extensive lobbying efforts to secure exemptions, which is a costly and wasteful activity.
measurementThe OECD average tariff rate is approximately 0.26 percent, while the average tariff rate for G7 countries excluding the United States is 0.18 percent.
claimThe Trump administration justified high tariff rates using objectives such as reducing trade deficits, retaliation against other countries, national security, and bringing production back to the United States.
claimUncertainty regarding tariff rates, the countries they apply to, and the goods they cover makes it difficult for firms to plan and invest.
claimFor the United States to raise revenue through tariffs on a scale comparable to smaller nations, the United States would require very high, economically distortive tariff rates.
measurementAs of August, the effective tariff rate in the United States is closer to 10.5 percent due to exemptions and zero-tariff trade agreements such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Tracking Trump's Trade Deals | Council on Foreign Relations cfr.org Mar 17, 2026 6 facts
measurementOn July 31, 2025, the White House maintained Switzerland’s reciprocal tariff rate at 39 percent and modified Liechtenstein’s tariff rate to 15 percent.
claimInu Manak notes that for North Macedonia, the tariff rate remains higher than it was before April 2, 2025.
claimThe United States implemented the framework agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein on December 18, 2025, which modified tariff rates.
claimInu Manak, a Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow for international trade, stated that Switzerland is "breathing a sigh of relief" due to a substantially lower tariff rate under the agreement.
claimThe US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal allows for future negotiations to lower tariff rates on aluminum, pharmaceutical products, and steel.
accountOn August 6, 2025, President Trump increased tariffs on India by 25 percent through Executive Order 14329 due to India's direct or indirect imports of Russian oil, bringing India’s overall tariff rate to 50 percent.
Tracking the Economic Effects of Tariffs | The Budget Lab at Yale budgetlab.yale.edu Mar 2, 2026 4 facts
measurementIn November 2025, the statutory fully-phased-in average tariff policy rate was 16.8%, while the actual average effective tariff rate was 11.8%.
measurementThe average effective US tariff rate was 2.7% between 2022 and 2024, which raised $7.6 billion per month in net customs duty revenues.
measurementThe effective tariff rate in the United States reached 9.9% in December 2025.
measurementThe 2025 US tariffs increased the average effective tariff rate to 9.9%.
U.S. tariff outcomes dependent on trading partner responses dallasfed.org May 13, 2025 3 facts
measurementResearch by SMU associate professor Michael Sposi and colleagues indicates that U.S. consumption-equivalent customs duties peak with a tariff rate of just over 70 percent, assuming unilateral and uniform tariffs across all sectors and trading partners.
measurementUnder retaliatory tariff scenarios, U.S. consumers face consumption losses unless tariff rates are very low, specifically around 1 to 2 percent or less, similar to rates prevalent during the post-World War II era.
claimThere exists a threshold of U.S. tariff rates beyond which universal retaliation becomes more damaging to the U.S. than no retaliation at all.
The Evolution of Tariffs: The United States' Historical Implementation ... thefinplangroup.com Oct 22, 2025 2 facts
measurementAccording to the World Trade Organization, no country operated with a 0% tariff rate across all imports in 2024.
measurementOn April 9th, President Donald Trump raised the tariff rate on goods from China to 125%.
Transatlantic Trade, the Trump Disruption and the World ... - ECPS populismstudies.org Jan 20, 2026 1 fact
claimDonald Trump considered the long-standing US effective tariff rate of approximately 2.1% to be unfairly low.
The Impact of Trump's Tariffs: A Comprehensive Analysis claconnect.com Feb 23, 2026 1 fact
claimCountries facing higher tariffs have reduced exports, which effectively lowers average tariff rates, according to CBS News.