Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance Revenue Benchmarks
The average commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance business in the United States generates $1.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 20,000 commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance businesses in the U.S., employing 198,565 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $81K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Business Actually Do?
Field service and depot repair of industrial machinery — HVAC, conveyor systems, industrial pumps, welding equipment. Often OEM-branded service.
Who buys: Manufacturers, industrial operators, commercial building owners.
Average Revenue
$1.7M
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$172K
per year
Total Businesses
20,000
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$137K
small business avg
Labor Cost
38.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$81K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
6.0
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance Charge?
Industrial machinery repair shops charge hourly with heavy parts markup.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Field service hourly rate | $125–225/hour |
Emergency call-out | $300–800 base + hourly |
Parts markup | 40–100% over cost |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete commercial and industrial machinery and equipment business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance 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 commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Supplies & materials | $16 | $277K | Direct consumables — parts for repair shops, chemicals for laundries, etc. |
Wages & benefits | $38 | $650K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $11 | $185K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $5 | $92K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $22 | $370K | Insurance, licensing, tools, uniforms, small equipment. |
Net profit | $8 | $137K | 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
10%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.86%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+5.22%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,322
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Business?
Startup Cost
$30K – $150K
Break-Even
8 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance business do?
- Field service and depot repair of industrial machinery — HVAC, conveyor systems, industrial pumps, welding equipment. Often OEM-branded service. Manufacturers, industrial operators, commercial building owners.
- How much do commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance charge?
- Industrial machinery repair shops charge hourly with heavy parts markup. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance make per year?
- The average commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance business generates $1.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $137K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance businesses are there in the US?
- There are 20,000 commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 198,565 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance business?
- Startup costs for a commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance business typically range from $30K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance industry?
- The average employee in the commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance industry earns $81K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 5.2% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (10.0% entry vs 7.9% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 66% of commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,322 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance industry earns $80,601/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 31,331 establishments employing 235,845 people, the typical business has about 8 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The commercial and industrial machinery and equipment (except automotive and electronic) repair and maintenance industry has declined 10% since 2000 (from 20,832 to 18,668 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance revenue with other industries: