Boat Dealers Revenue Benchmarks
The average boat dealers business in the United States generates $4.4M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 3,548 boat dealers businesses in the U.S., employing 37,160 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $65K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Boat Dealers Business Actually Do?
Retailers selling new and used boats — fishing boats, pontoons, ski/wakeboard boats, cruisers. Also earn on financing, insurance, service, and winterization.
Who buys: Recreational boaters, sport fishermen, families in lake/coastal markets.
Average Revenue
$4.4M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$423K
per year
Total Businesses
3,548
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$177K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$65K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Boat Dealers Charge?
Boat dealers earn on new/used sales spread plus F&I and service revenue.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
New boat gross margin | 10–25% |
Used boat gross per unit | $3,000–15,000 |
F&I income per unit | $1,500–5,000 |
Winterization (seasonal service) | $300–800 |
Detailing (per foot) | $15–30/ft |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete boat dealers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a boat dealers 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 boat dealers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $2.7M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $620K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $363K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $182K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $363K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $177K | 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
6.46%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.88%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.56%
annual
Businesses Closed
734
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Boat Dealers Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
16 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a boat dealers business do?
- Retailers selling new and used boats — fishing boats, pontoons, ski/wakeboard boats, cruisers. Also earn on financing, insurance, service, and winterization. Recreational boaters, sport fishermen, families in lake/coastal markets.
- How much do boat dealers charge?
- Boat dealers earn on new/used sales spread plus F&I and service revenue. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average boat dealers make per year?
- The average boat dealers business generates $4.4M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $177K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many boat dealers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 3,548 boat dealers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 37,160 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a boat dealers business?
- Startup costs for a boat dealers business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
- What is the average salary in the boat dealers industry?
- The average employee in the boat dealers industry earns $65K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The boat dealers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.6%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.5% and 6.9% respectively.
Approximately 70% of boat dealers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 734 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the boat dealers industry earns $64,885/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 4,561 establishments employing 39,927 people, the typical business has about 9 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The boat dealers industry has declined 13% since 2000 (from 12,174 to 10,610 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Boat Dealers revenue with other industries: