Commercial Screen Printing Revenue Benchmarks
The average commercial screen printing business in the United States generates $2.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,519 commercial screen printing businesses in the U.S., employing 59,377 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $44K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Commercial Screen Printing Business Actually Do?
Screen printers that produce custom-printed apparel and promotional products — t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, hats. Common revenue mix is teams/schools (large runs) plus events (small runs).
Who buys: Schools, sports teams, corporations, event organizers, non-profits.
Average Revenue
$2.5M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$234K
per year
Total Businesses
5,519
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$252K
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$44K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Commercial Screen Printing Charge?
Screen printers price per piece with setup fees for each color and design.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
T-shirt (1 color, 100 pieces) | $5–10 each |
T-shirt (4 colors, 100 pieces) | $10–18 each |
Setup fee (per color/screen) | $25–75 per screen |
Small run (12–24 shirts) | $18–35 each |
Bulk (500+ pieces, 1 color) | $3–6 each |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete commercial screen printing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a commercial screen printing 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 screen printing 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Raw materials & components | $50 | $1.3M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $453K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $145K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $91K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $308K | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $252K | 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
6.33%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.83%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.63%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,423
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Commercial Screen Printing Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
7 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a commercial screen printing business do?
- Screen printers that produce custom-printed apparel and promotional products — t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, hats. Common revenue mix is teams/schools (large runs) plus events (small runs). Schools, sports teams, corporations, event organizers, non-profits.
- How much do commercial screen printing charge?
- Screen printers price per piece with setup fees for each color and design. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average commercial screen printing make per year?
- The average commercial screen printing business generates $2.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $252K per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many commercial screen printing businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,519 commercial screen printing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 59,377 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a commercial screen printing business?
- Startup costs for a commercial screen printing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the commercial screen printing industry?
- The average employee in the commercial screen printing industry earns $44K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The commercial screen printing industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.6%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.3% and 7.8% respectively.
Approximately 67% of commercial screen printing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,423 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the commercial screen printing industry earns $44,314/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 7,649 establishments employing 77,641 people, the typical business has about 10 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The commercial screen printing industry has declined 44% since 2000 (from 35,163 to 19,572 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Commercial Screen Printing revenue with other industries: