Ambulance Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average ambulance services business in the United States generates $5.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,997 ambulance services businesses in the U.S., employing 177,015 workers with an average profit margin of 13.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $57K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Ambulance Business Actually Do?
Businesses providing emergency medical transportation and non-emergency medical transport. Mix of municipal-contracted 911 response, hospital-to-hospital transfers, and dialysis/appointment transport.
Who buys: Cities/counties contracting 911 response, hospitals arranging transfers, patients needing non-emergency medical transport (often insurance-paid).
Average Revenue
$5.3M
per year
Profit Margin
13.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$90K
per year
Total Businesses
2,997
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$694K
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$57K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.9
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Ambulance Services Charge?
Ambulance services charge a base rate plus per-mile, reimbursed by insurance/Medicare at negotiated rates.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Basic Life Support (BLS) base | $800–1,500 |
Advanced Life Support (ALS) base | $1,200–2,500 |
Per-mile transport charge | $15–30/mile |
Medicare BLS reimbursement | $225–450 per transport |
Air ambulance flight | $25,000–75,000 per flight |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete ambulance business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a ambulance services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the ambulance services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Medical supplies & pharma | $13 | $691K | Disposables, medications, lab reagents, implants, and other direct patient supplies. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $2.7M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $296K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $2 | $99K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $17 | $889K | Malpractice insurance, billing services, equipment leasing, regulatory compliance. |
Net profit | $13 | $694K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
9.88%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.38%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.04%
annual
Businesses Closed
855
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Ambulance Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $300K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
70.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a ambulance services business do?
- Businesses providing emergency medical transportation and non-emergency medical transport. Mix of municipal-contracted 911 response, hospital-to-hospital transfers, and dialysis/appointment transport. Cities/counties contracting 911 response, hospitals arranging transfers, patients needing non-emergency medical transport (often insurance-paid).
- How much do ambulance services charge?
- Ambulance services charge a base rate plus per-mile, reimbursed by insurance/Medicare at negotiated rates. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average ambulance services make per year?
- The average ambulance services business generates $5.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $694K per year at a 13.0% profit margin.
- How many ambulance services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,997 ambulance services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 177,015 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a ambulance services business?
- Startup costs for a ambulance services business typically range from $75K to $300K, with a 5-year survival rate of 70.0%.
- What is the average salary in the ambulance services industry?
- The average employee in the ambulance services industry earns $57K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The ambulance services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 2.0% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (9.9% entry vs 8.4% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 65% of ambulance services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 855 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the ambulance services industry earns $57,112/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 5,797 establishments employing 166,392 people, the typical business has about 29 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The ambulance services industry has grown 131% since 2000 (from 4,473 to 10,354 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Ambulance Services revenue with other industries: