Dental Laboratories Revenue Benchmarks
The average dental laboratories business in the United States generates $2.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,750 dental laboratories businesses in the U.S., employing 40,203 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $56K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Dental Laboratories Business Actually Do?
Dental Laboratories: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products.
Who buys: Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$2.0M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$235K
per year
Total Businesses
4,750
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$199K
small business avg
Labor Cost
22.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$56K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Dental Laboratories Charge?
Dental Laboratories: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the dental laboratories category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Contract manufacturing markup | 15–35% over materials + labor |
Own-brand product margin | 25–60% gross margin |
Custom / low-volume run | 40–150% over direct costs |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete dental laboratories business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a dental laboratories 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 dental laboratories 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 | $48 | $948K | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $22 | $438K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $108K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $68K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $230K | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $199K | 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
6.58%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.72%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+1.94%
annual
Businesses Closed
623
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Dental Laboratories Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
9 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a dental laboratories business do?
- Dental Laboratories: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do dental laboratories charge?
- Dental Laboratories: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the dental laboratories category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average dental laboratories make per year?
- The average dental laboratories business generates $2.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $199K per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many dental laboratories businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,750 dental laboratories businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 40,203 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a dental laboratories business?
- Startup costs for a dental laboratories business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the dental laboratories industry?
- The average employee in the dental laboratories industry earns $56K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The dental laboratories industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.9%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.6% and 8.7% respectively.
Approximately 63% of dental laboratories businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 623 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the dental laboratories industry earns $55,663/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 5,114 establishments employing 43,650 people, the typical business has about 9 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The dental laboratories industry has declined 32% since 2000 (from 10,668 to 7,215 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Dental Laboratories revenue with other industries: