Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing Revenue Benchmarks

The average construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business in the United States generates $7.9M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,609 construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing businesses in the U.S., employing 63,199 workers with an average profit margin of 20.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $95K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).

What Does a Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing Business Actually Do?

Heavy equipment rental — United Rentals, Sunbelt, Herc Rentals. Rent construction, mining, forestry equipment by day, week, month.

Who buys: Contractors (construction, mining, forestry), municipalities, industrial companies.

Average Revenue

$7.9M

per year

Profit Margin

20.0%

industry average

Revenue / Employee

$326K

per year

Total Businesses

2,609

in the US

Est. Owner Income

$1.6M

small business avg

Labor Cost

25.0%

of revenue

Avg Employee Wage

$95K

per year (BLS)

Market Saturation

0.8

firms per 100K people

How Much Do Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing Charge?

Heavy equipment rental (United Rentals, Sunbelt) — earthmoving, aerial, compaction, generators.

ServiceTypical range
Skid steer (per day)
$250–450
Excavator (per week)
$1,500–4,500
Bulldozer (per month)
$8,000–25,000
Boom lift (per day)
$200–500
Rental utilization target
60–75% of fleet

Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.

Complete construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business plan

A 12-section data-backed business plan for a construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing 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.

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Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes

Approximate P&L breakdown for the construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.

8%
25%
8%
36%
20%
CategoryPer $100 revenue
Property expenses
$8
Wages & benefits
$25
Rent & facilities
$3
Marketing & advertising
$8
Other operating costs
$36
Net profit
$20

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

1-4 employees
$476K
5-9 employees
$1.7M
10-19 employees
$3.5M
20-99 employees
$11.6M
100-499 employees
$35.0M
500+ employees
$145.3M

Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)

New Business Rate

11.19%

openings/year

Closure Rate

5.81%

closings/year

Net Job Growth

+9.34%

annual

Businesses Closed

578

in 2023

Firm Count Trend

19
20
21
22
23
7,480 firms7,495 firms

Should You Start a Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing Business?

Startup Cost

$50K$250K

Break-Even

1 months

5-Year Survival Rate

50.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business do?
Heavy equipment rental — United Rentals, Sunbelt, Herc Rentals. Rent construction, mining, forestry equipment by day, week, month. Contractors (construction, mining, forestry), municipalities, industrial companies.
How much do construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing charge?
Heavy equipment rental (United Rentals, Sunbelt) — earthmoving, aerial, compaction, generators. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
How much does the average construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing make per year?
The average construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business generates $7.9M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.6M per year at a 20.0% profit margin.
How many construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing businesses are there in the US?
There are 2,609 construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 63,199 workers.
How much does it cost to start a construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business?
Startup costs for a construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
What is the average salary in the construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry?
The average employee in the construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry earns $95K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).

Industry Growth & Survival

74%
Est. 5-year survival rate
+9.3%
Net job growth rate
7,495
Total firms (2023)

The construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 9.3% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (11.2% entry vs 5.8% exit), indicating healthy demand.

Approximately 74% of construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 578 firms in this industry closed permanently.

Employment & Wages

$94,676
Avg annual pay
7,086
Establishments
93,714
Total employees
13
Avg employees/business

The average employee in the construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry earns $94,676/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 7,086 establishments employing 93,714 people, the typical business has about 13 employees.

Industry Trend (2000–2023)

6K7K7K8K8K20002005201020152020Number of Firms

The construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment rental and leasing industry has grown 5% since 2000 (from 7,172 to 7,495 firms).

See full historical statistics →

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