According to an EY report prepared for the American Investment Council, there were approximately 16,000 U.S. private equity-backed companies and 4,500 PE firms in 2020. In 2020, the sector directly employed 11.7 million workers earning $900 billion in wages and benefits and generating $1.4 trillion of GDP. Suppliers to the U.S. private equity sector employed an additional 7.5 million workers earning $500 billion in wages and benefits and generating $900 billion of GDP. READ MORE